Flying foxes?

1994/05/01 Zabala, Joserra Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Ekologia

Seeing the evolution of things, soon the foxes will have two alternatives: adapt to live in cages or learn to fly. Those who do not conform to these two options will have a tremendous future.

The policy that has been carried out in Euskal Herria for nature has been very bad when it has been carried out. In any case, and before I begin, I have to recognize that the intentions of those who have promoted this policy have not been bad. For example, the report prepared by the Aranzadi Society for the Basque Government in 1989. It proposed a network of natural spaces for the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country, with a coherent connection.

Since then it has rained a lot, but the proposed network has not been completed. The conclusions are evident, as the initial network proposal has been limited to protecting certain dispersed territories. These territories are also independent. This appears at least in the documents of the Planning Guidelines for the Territory of the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country. Proof of this is the plan presented by the Department of Agriculture in the so-called General Action of the Basque Rural Plan. In it appear nine planters or green areas in the geography of maximum gray. In Navarra and Iparralde, although the situation is not so serious, we will find something similar.

If they go ahead with these approaches, and it seems that it will be so, the "barrier effect" that is taking place now remains fully consolidated. That is, only a sad and scattered green areas of our geography will be formed islets, to which the fauna must adapt. The Bilbao-Behobia motorway has already caused this to be so on the Gipuzkoan coast. The fauna of the area of Jaizkibel and Kukuarri, except birds, lives isolated. The genetic exchange of animals in these lands is practically impossible, since they have little chance of movement. His foxes, badgers, cataginettes and moles live in a large cage. In the near future, not far away, most native species will be disdained.

So things and if for the moment the policy that is being proposed here is carried out, in the Autonomous Community there will be no natural spaces. Instead we will have several green cages or, if you find the idea more pleasant, giant zoos. If we want to preserve the remains of our fauna in Urkiola and Aizkorri, we have to free the animals and take care of them, or put beautiful photographs that allow us to remember what has been in the past. However, the great afauna is over forever.

Certainly, this problem still has solution. It is enough to rethink the organization and recover the idea of the network of natural spaces proposed by Aranzadi in 1989. Unfortunately, our politicians, and the people themselves, should have another sensitivity to nature to make that happen, and that is not easy. Before we notice or see that change of sensitivity, we will see the foxes fly or, if not, we will not see more in our Autonomous Community.