Jon Clarke (Publisher & Editor)By Anatoly Kurmanaev
OVER 100 rare bird species are threatened by a planned toll motorway between Ronda and Marbella.
According to SEO, Spain’s equivalent of the RSPB, the controversial road would ‘gravely threaten’ the habitat of the threatened Bonelli’s Eagle.
The eagle has practically died out in northern Spain and stable colonies now only exist in Andalucia and Extremadura.
In total, the Sierra Bermeja is home to around 150 different birds: 25 of them are protected by EU laws and 117 by national or regional Spanish legislation.
SEO, was one of many environmental groups to lodge its objections to the new link, that would cost 350 million euros to build. The public consolation period has now ended.
Environmentalists say the new motorway will destroy decades of conservation work and open up huge swathes of land to property speculation.
They propose expanding existing railways and roads as an alternative.
Either way, the new motorway appears to have fallen off the government’s list of priorities and has not been included in the public works budget for next year.
