The Minister of Sustainability and Environment of the Andalusian Government, Catalina García, has visited the actions carried out on livestock paths and forest roads in the province of Huelva within the Plan Romero 2025, with a total investment of 420,344 euros. The visit took place in the surroundings of the Puente del Ajolí, one of the main access points to the village of El Rocío, recently repaired after the damage caused by heavy rains in March.
During the tour, Catalina García emphasized that «these actions have been essential to ensure the safe transit of the brotherhoods, as well as emergency vehicles and health services». In this regard, she highlighted that «the Andalusian Government has acted diligently and proactively to ensure that the roads are in optimal conditions before the start of the pilgrimage.»
Specifically, the interventions in Huelva have included work in several municipalities and high-traffic sections, such as Vereda de Abajo (Ayamonte), Carril de los Coches (Niebla), Colada de Sevilla (San Juan del Puerto), Cañada Real de Ayamonte to Seville (Gibraleón), Cañada Real de Seville (Huelva), and Vereda del Camino del Río (Bonares). These works have involved profiling, scarifying, and compacting the pavement, opening ditches, vegetation control, and contributions of macadam (stone pavement) and riprap.
The Minister stressed that «these sections are heavily used by the brotherhoods on their way to the village, and their maintenance is key for both safety and the preservation of the natural environment they traverse.» The total investment for these actions has been 102,692.02 euros.
Additionally, among the completed works, the repair of the access to Puente del Ajolí stands out, within Vereda de la Rocina, which was severely affected by the storms. There has also been intervention in the well-known Barrio de las Gallinas, in the village itself, another vital point in the pilgrimage route. Both interventions have amounted to an investment of 11,000 euros.
Furthermore, through the REDVÍA program, 141,402.74 euros have been allocated to paths located within the protected natural area of Doñana and another 30,000 euros to areas such as the forest road of Cartaya and various sections of the public forest ‘Ordenados de Moguer’. Likewise, the Minister reported on the work carried out in the Coto del Rey area, amounting to 45,114.28 euros, consisting of foot marking, tree felling, clearing, topping, and clearing, among other activities. In addition, there is a budget allocation of 90,135 euros for cleaning equipment, compactors, tractors, trailers, tanks, and work crews.
All these actions complement the interventions, with a budget of 420,344 euros. «Thanks to this investment, we have been able to act both in direct access areas and in strategic forest conservation sections, which represents a comprehensive improvement of the pilgrimage routes in the province,» García affirmed.
The Minister was accompanied by the Mayor of Hinojos, Joaquina del Valle Ortega; the Mayor of Almonte, Francisco Bella; the territorial delegate of Sustainability and Environment in the province of Huelva, Pedro Yórquez, as well as Environmental Agents and technicians from the Territorial Delegation, among other attendees.
Coordination and annual planning
The Romero Plan is deployed each year to meet the specific needs posed by the celebration of the El Rocío pilgrimage. Its scope is regional, but it is coordinated with the territorial delegations of Cádiz, Seville, and Huelva. In the case of Huelva, each year, on-site analysis is conducted of sections with deficiencies, as proposed by the brotherhoods and the municipalities involved.
The Minister of Sustainability and Environment has indicated that «these actions have been made possible thanks to close institutional coordination, involving both the technicians of the Territorial Delegation and local authorities and representatives of the brotherhoods.» Catalina García highlighted the role of the Romero Plan as «an example of the commitment of the Andalusian Government to our traditions, but also to the protection of the natural environment and the enhancement of our rural heritage.»
Other actions within the Romero Plan 2025
These improvements add to those already announced in the province of Seville, where 391,905 euros have been allocated to similar interventions in key locations such as Vado del Quema, Cañada Real de la Isla, or the public forests of Aznalcázar, among others.
In Seville, the work has also focused on paths affected by the heavy rains in March. The Minister recently visited these areas, where she observed tasks such as repairing fords, clearing, pruning, silvicultural conditioning, and revegetation work in resting and overnight areas for the brotherhoods. In the province of Cádiz, 30,752 euros have been allocated for the adaptation of livestock paths in the municipality of Rota, linked to the Romero Plan 2025.
She also recalled that «the Andalusian Government has invested over 67.7 million euros in the repair and maintenance of 1,513 kilometers of livestock paths throughout the region since the beginning of the term, reflecting a firm commitment to the improvement of these ecological and traditional corridors.» Regarding the province of Huelva, she noted that the investment has been 8.97 million euros for the improvement and conditioning of over 298 kilometers of livestock paths and forest roads.
A commitment to sustainability and tradition
Catalina García pointed out that «all these works have been carried out with environmental sustainability criteria, always seeking a balance between ecosystem protection and the preservation of our popular customs.» In this regard, she maintained that «the preparation of the pilgrimage paths is an operational matter, as well as a cultural identity and respect for the territory.»
The Minister concluded her speech by recalling that «the safety of people and the environment has been the priority in each and every decision made within the Romero Plan,» and she thanked the municipalities, brotherhoods, and technical teams of the Andalusian Government for their involvement in the planning and execution of the works.