Mayor calls for safe access amid extended closure
Sant Cugat del Vallès mayor Josep Maria Vallès has formally requested that the Generalitat establish "safe spaces" in the Collserola Natural Park, allowing residents limited access despite ongoing restrictions linked to an African swine fever (ASF) outbreak. In a letter sent to Agriculture Minister Òscar Ordeig, Vallès urged authorities to balance public health measures with the community's need for outdoor recreation, stating that "the patience of Sant Cugat’s citizens has run out". The request comes after Ordeig confirmed on Wednesday 09 September 2026 that full access restrictions in Collserola will remain in place for at least three more months. Speaking to 3Cat, the minister cited ongoing public safety concerns, the need to prevent virus transmission, and the requirement to complete a sanitary cull of approximately 200 wild boars still present in the infected zone.
Local pressure grows after nearly a year of closure
Sant Cugat, which contains more hectares of the Collserola park than any other municipality, has been particularly affected by the closure, now nearing one year. Vallès highlighted the impact on residents’ physical and mental health, as well as on local sports clubs reporting membership losses. He also criticised the lack of clear communication from the regional government regarding the restrictions. Despite Ordeig suggesting in late August the possibility of reviewing restrictions in autumn, the extension has deepened local frustration. Vallès pointed out that many residents are already entering the park illegally and called for greater empathy from the Generalitat towards surrounding municipalities.
Access to Volpelleres forest still denied
The mayor reiterated his call for reopening the urban forest of Volpelleres, a popular green area within the park. The current ban follows measures outlined in the urgent actions announced by the Department of Agriculture and enforced through the Natural Park Consortium. The Special Protection Plan for the Natural Environment and Landscape of Collserola (PEPNat), approved in 2021 under Government Agreement GOV/48/2021, governs land use across ten municipalities, including Sant Cugat. While the plan provides a framework for managing the park, it does not override current health and safety directives related to ASF.
"Mucha gente ya está entrando en Collserola. En noviembre hará un año de estas restricciones y creo que falta empatía por parte del Govern de la Generalitat con la ciudadanía de Sant Cugat", Josep Maria Vallès, Mayor of Sant Cugat del Vallès
Environmental groups and hiking associations have also joined calls for managed access, proposing time-limited entries or designated footpaths to reduce risk. The Consorci del Parc Natural de la Serra de Collserola continues to monitor the situation, with updates available via its official information page on ASF control.
Primary sources: portaljuridic.gencat.cat, govern.cat, omet.santcugat.cat, eb.gencat.cat, cugat.cat, premsa.santcugat.cat, Visit Sant Cugat. Reported by El Periódico, elnacional.cat, lavanguardia.com, parcnaturalcollserola.cat, ACN, catalan.news, totsantcugat.cat, elDiario.es Catalunya.
