The practice of walking
Walking is a practice as old as human existence. Nowadays, when it is only necessary to walk for a minimum of tasks in daily life, more and more people are returning to a close contact with nature and taking advantage of those moments to reconnect with other people. A good walk works as an ideal space for socializing and meeting friends.
Walking as a sport
Ordinary walking is the nature sport with the greatest number of practitioners, perhaps because there is no need for specific equipment, nor for a special physical form and it can take place anywhere. These characteristics make it a popular practice, with little impact whenever there is any sensitivity and sense of responsibility.
Taking a pedestrian walk, small or large, is perfectly compatible with a series of other activities, whose theme is related to the physical environment we choose: photography, drawing or painting, writing, observation of fauna and flora, cartography, investigation of historical data, archeology, ethnography, etc. This combination results in interpretative or thematic trails.
Impact on the environment
As in everything, massification can leave negative and irreversible marks in more sensitive areas. Especially at certain times of the year. At the soil level, a compaction of the upper organic horizon occurs, which reduces porosity and, consequently, water infiltration and soil fertility. Erosive phenomena also appears with the proliferation of paths parallel to the original. On damp soils, meadows and ponds the impact is even greater. In terms of vegetation, the traffic of people crushes small, more sensitive plants. Leading to the appearance of more resistant ones, almost always invasive. As a result of soil compaction, vegetation has less water, oxygen and nutrients. In terms of fauna, the human presence causes more sensitive species to move, in search of new and strange habitats, reflecting on their reproduction, physiology, habits and behaviors. Another negative impact is the stress caused by observation activities.
The lack of sensitivity can also lead to disrespect for the ways of life of populations, animals and private property.
Regulation
The National Park has specific regulations for all human activities within its territory. The certification of Parque Cerdeira as a Nature Tourism company and its tourist entertainment activities, they enable us to carry out our activity in accordance with the natural values that surround us. Here are some rules that serve as example:
– entertainment activities can only be done by companies certified as Nature Tourism. They must also be authorized to carry out the specific activity;
– you must walk only on existing paths and trails;
– within the total protection area you can only walk with our guide or with authorization from the PNPG;
– within the type I partial protection area, groups of hikers are a maximum of 10 people;
– within the type II partial protection area, groups of walkers are a maximum of 15 people;
– you cannot collect plants or stones;
– hunting and fishing are on a concession basis.
