A-Infos (en) Spaine, CNT-CIT, #435: Open natural paths - A Desalambrar (ca, de, it, pt, tr)[machine translation]

And more than 20 years ago, specifically in November 2001, a large group 
of people gathered in Córdoba with a concern: the roads they used to 
travel when they went out into the countryside were becoming 
increasingly closed and no one was doing anything to prevent it. They 
were environmentalists, cyclists, hikers, people who went out on their 
own or in groups to enjoy nature. They began to learn that the roads 
belong to everyone, public domain, and that they could not be closed, 
and that in Córdoba there was a document from 1884 that listed a series 
of roads that were for public use, for the enjoyment of all citizens.

In those times, social networks or WhatsApp did not exist, the 
information that existed on the Internet was limited, and access to maps 
was on paper. But visiting the archives they found old maps where most 
of those paths appeared, which often coincided with those paths that 
were traveled until one day they were found closed.

They learned that the livestock routes were the ancient roads along 
which livestock traveled, with the protection of the institution called 
the Council of La Mesta, established by King Alfonso It guaranteed 
access to these paths, and declared that one of their uses was 
recreational uses, such as hiking and cycling.

They began to write to the City Council, responsible for municipal 
roads, and to the Junta de Andalucía, responsible for livestock routes. 
There were no answers, or at best, they were told that they had no 
knowledge or means to know if the roads could be closed.

So this group of people decided that it was necessary to act, and make 
known what they had learned, and from that date the Platform to 
Desalambrar was established, since that was its objective, to eliminate 
the barbed wire fences that illegally close the roads. So that everyone 
could see the closed roads, a protest march began to be organized every 
month through these places.

We have learned that we have the right to enjoy our paths, that no one 
can close them to us, and that the fundamental thing when we see that 
our historical heritage is taken away from us is to organize, get 
together with those who know, not be afraid of the powerful, and make 
known the problem.

As time went by, they came into contact with other citizens and 
associations that had this same problem throughout Spain, forming the 
Iberian Platform for Public Roads, which brings together about 30 
associations, and which organizes a national conference that this year, 
from April 21 to 23, now in its 15th year.

It was updated, creating the website www.adesalambrar.com where the most 
information about the roads, cartography and the natural heritage of 
Córdoba is gathered, but also about its activities and the legislation 
related to the roads. Social networks were also created on Facebook, 
with more than 2,000 followers, and a group with more than 3,000 
members. As well as a Twitter account, mailing lists, WhatsApp groups, 
and YouTube channel.

In these 22 years, the monthly marches have been maintained, except in 
the summer months, which has allowed the majority of Córdoba citizens to 
be aware of the problem, and to know their rights on the roads. In 
several cases, paths have been opened, not through the action of the 
administration, which unfortunately practically continues with the same 
refrain of we don't know/we don't have the means, but through civil 
action. And of course it has been possible to avoid the closure of many, 
because if it did not exist there would possibly be hardly any roads 
left open.

We have also suffered some setbacks, such as two judicial sentences for 
removing wires, although citizen support in these cases has made us 
emerge stronger from these unjust situations.
In all these years we have learned that we have the right to enjoy our 
paths, that no one can close them to us, and that the fundamental thing 
when we see that our historical heritage is taken away from us is to 
organize, get together with those who know, not be afraid of the 
powerful, and make the problem known. If, despite all this, the city 
council and autonomous communities continue without moving, in the 
different Spanish associations we are achieving great victories by 
declaring the roads as public through judicial means or forcing the city 
councils to declare them. Banks, bankers, speculators, hunting preserve 
managers, large ranchers, or simply apprentices of gentlemen, and even 
sometimes the public administrations themselves seek to keep what is 
theirs and what belongs to others, and only the organized people can 
fight against them. We encourage all combative citizens to do so.

The greatest satisfaction we have is to return a heritage that our 
elders have left us and that the forgetfulness or greed of some had 
taken from us so that the generations that come after us can enjoy it. 
There is no more beautiful road than the one that is like when the only 
ones that traveled it were the herds, the mules, or the horses. It is 
our legacy and we must preserve it and continue to belong to everyone.

https://www.cnt.es/noticias/abrir-los-caminos-naturales/
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