Jaume Torras Torra, a retired liver surgeon, has spent two decades preserving Manresa's natural heritage through the non-profit organisation Meandre. The group, celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, has played a key role in developing the city's Green Belt, a network of agricultural, forest, and garden areas.
Torras Torra, who retired from his demanding role at Bellvitge Hospital, co-founded Meandre in 2006. The organisation's initial goal was to reduce the environmental impact of the Eix Diagonal road construction near Suanya and the Rajadell stream. Their efforts led to a viaduct that was more integrated into the landscape, a significant improvement from the original plans, according to Torras Torra.
"We told the then-councillor Nadal that the Pla de Bages also had value, like Bracons, where they were doing so well," Torras Torra said, referring to the successful integration of infrastructure in other areas. He explained that the initial proposal for a viaduct descending over Gorg Blau was reconsidered, resulting in a more aesthetically pleasing and integrated structure.
Creating Manresa's Green Belt
After the success with the viaduct, Torras Torra questioned his motives, asking himself if he was a true environmentalist or just protecting his own interests. He concluded that his professional dedication to public health, combined with his love for his local landscape, drove him to continue his environmental work. This led to the decision to keep Meandre active and focus on what is now known as Manresa's Green Belt.
The inspiration for the Green Belt came in 2007 when Meandre members visited Vitoria and saw its successful Green Belt. "We were shown the Green Belt there and we said: why don't we bring it to Manresa?" Torras Torra recalled. With support from local councillors, the project gained momentum. The Green Belt, with its various itineraries and agricultural, forest, and garden values, is now a reality enjoyed by residents, especially during the pandemic.
Manresa's unique topography, with its river basins and streams, has helped prevent the urban sprawl seen in cities like Sabadell and Terrassa, preserving the surrounding natural areas, Torras Torra explained.
Ongoing Challenges and Successes
Meandre believes the current council is committed to the Green Belt's maintenance, which Torras Torra describes as "worthy and sometimes even exemplary". However, he stressed the need for better connectivity between the Green Belt and the urban fabric, citing many "complicated and unpleasant points".
He gave examples such as the need for improved connectivity to Viadordis, where a greenway is separated from the road and tree-lined. Another area of focus is the western wing, particularly the new development of the Pont Nou 2 industrial estate. Meandre has pushed for continuous, tree-lined connections from Congost and Pont Nou to the routes of Collbaix, the Rajadell stream, and Torre Lluvià. These suggestions have been considered in current projects, improving green connectivity from Congost to a roundabout leading to the Rajadell and Castellfollit paths.
Meandre also worked to improve the Cardener river park. Years ago, they photographed walkers crossing the Pont Vell and encountering dangerous conditions on the old Barcelona road. Their persistence led to the construction of a cantilevered walkway, which now offers views of Manresa's historic façade. "When you see these successes, small or large, you realise that activism works," Torras Torra said.
Preserving Heritage and Preventing Development
Another achievement was the repair of a landslide-damaged section of the Camino de Sant Jaume near Pont Vell. Despite being a small organisation, Meandre's persistence, documented with photos of people navigating a narrow 40-centimetre pavement, eventually led to the necessary repairs.
Torras Torra expressed particular pride in the reconstruction of Torre Lluvià. "Now, when you pass by the Eix Transversal and see it, you say: look at that modernist tower surrounded by vineyards of the Pla de Bages DO," he said. While a more detailed usage plan is still needed, the tower is now a visible landmark.
Before the 2008 crisis, Meandre successfully stopped a go-kart circuit planned for the foothills of Collbaix, an area now covered in vineyards. They also campaigned against a hotel and petrol station at the entrance to Parc de l'Agulla, near the Eix Transversal. This involved an intense campaign and a manifesto that led to the Second Declaration of l'Agulla in 2016. Torras Torra noted the subsequent pacification and success of Parc de l'Agulla as a model for the entire Pla de Bages, acknowledging that Meandre was not alone in this fight.
Future Challenges and Urban Quality of Life
One ongoing challenge is the preservation of the agricultural and forest mosaic of the Pla de Bages through supramunicipal management of industrial estates. In 2022, Meandre issued a second manifesto advocating for this, arguing against towns like Sant Joan, Manresa, and Sant Fruitós competing for industrial development. Torras Torra believes a consortium approach, similar to waste management, would help coordinate industrial growth while preserving natural areas for residents and climate change mitigation.
Despite widespread agreement on the need for such coordination, local councils often struggle to cooperate due to legal requirements and competitive pressures. As a registered environmental entity, Meandre receives notifications from the Generalitat and provides suggestions or allegations, particularly when agricultural and forest areas are threatened. Their latest action, in 2025, opposed filling fields currently planted with rapeseed in the Sant Isidre industrial estate in Sant Fruitós with logistics warehouses, which would close a GR long-distance path. Torras Torra argues that existing empty industrial plots should be used first.
Meandre's 20th-anniversary events began with a concert at Torre Lluvià, aiming to promote it as a cultural facility. They advocate for finishing the renovation of the annexes to the patio, such as the wine vats, to provide a base for workshops, courses, parties, or a new nature film festival. The interior could be developed later, ideally for projects related to the natural environment, such as the Pau Costa Foundation's interest in forest fires.
Torras Torra, who moved out of urban Manresa in 1991 for a better quality of life due to his demanding job, believes Manresa is moving towards a better urban environment. He noted that while the city's past urban planning often prioritised cars over pedestrians and green spaces, there is now a trend, regardless of political leadership, to widen pavements, plant trees, and reclaim the city for its residents.
