Historia
History
At a time when the importance of nature is growing steadily in human consciences and exercising in the open air is increasingly forming part of our new perception of health, the General State Administration wishes to contribute to observing and preserving our natural spaces through the recovery of infrastructures that have fallen into disuse and which will allow such enjoyment of the natural environment where they are located. This recovery is carried out through the Nature Trails of Spain Network (Red de Caminos Naturales de España).
The Nature Trails Programme
The Ministry for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación) has been running the Nature Trails Programme (Programa de Caminos Naturales) since 1993. On the basis of this Programme, the Ministry has created the Nature Trails of Spain Network (Red de Caminos Naturales de España) with about 10,800 kilometres, of which near 1,750 are greenways, the name they receive on being implemented on former railway platforms.
The main goal of the Nature Trails Programme, is to promote and enhance these trails and to make citizens more aware of their existence. Their implementation contributes to the sustainable development of rural areas by reusing transport infrastructures, livestock trails, railway platforms, towpaths, traditional pathways in disuse or opening up new paths, and enabling citizens to draw closer to nature and rural areas in general, meeting a growing demand for the eco-recreational use of the countryside by the population. As part of the task of promoting the green tracks that the Ministry has been creating, it has cooperated efficiently with the Railway Foundation, reaching agreements, once the works were finished, with developers to disseminate them at the national and international level, through the Greenways Programme.
Fulfilment of the following goals is intended through the use of these infrastructures as nature trails:
The actions to be carried out in order to adapt these environmental infrastructures to their new use are comprised of two stages:
-
Refurbishment of the infrastructures which will be financed by the Ministry, through this centre’s own budgets.
-
Maintenance of the works carried out and management of the recreational activities that are generated around these new infrastructures, whose costs shall be assumed by the developing entity.
Key figures
More than 10,800 km built
More than 1,750 km implemented on former railway platforms
More than 120 itineraries
Investments
Since 1993, when the programme began, 10,809 km of nature trails had been built and made avaible to the public use. Investment by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación) up until the end of 2023 amounts 279.3 million euros and has already benefitted hundreds of municipalities. The number of kilometres of new nature trails executed every year has risen with a significant increase in recent years.
In recent years, the increase in kilometres has been considerable due to the start-up of long-haul trails such as those of Ruta del Cantábrico, Matarraña-Algars, Júcar, Vía de la Plata, Santander-Mediterráneo, etc.
| Nature Trails investments (million €) Encabezado tabla | |
|---|---|
| Year | |
| Nature Trails of Spain Network kilometers Encabezado tabla | Annual |
| Amount | |
| Year | |
| Annual | |
| Amount | |
| 1993 | |
| Nature Trails of Spain Network kilometers Encabezado tabla | 0.3 |
| 0.3 | |
| 1993 | |
| 12 | |
| 12 | |
| 1994 | |
| Nature Trails of Spain Network kilometers Encabezado tabla | 0.2 |
| 0.5 | |
| 1994 | |
| 8 | |
| 20 | |
| 1995 | |
| Nature Trails of Spain Network kilometers Encabezado tabla | 2.8 |
| 3.3 | |
| 1995 | |
| 37 | |
| 57 | |
| 1996 | |
| Nature Trails of Spain Network kilometers Encabezado tabla | 1.9 |
| 5.2 | |
| 1996 | |
| 45 | |
| 102 | |
| 1997 | |
| Nature Trails of Spain Network kilometers Encabezado tabla | 2.2 |
| 7.4 | |
| 1997 | |
| 64 | |
| 166 | |
| 1998 | |
| Nature Trails of Spain Network kilometers Encabezado tabla | 3.0 |
| 10.4 | |
| 1998 | |
| 71 | |
| 237 | |
| 1999 | |
| Nature Trails of Spain Network kilometers Encabezado tabla | 5.0 |
| 15.4 | |
| 1999 | |
| 143 | |
| 380 | |
| 2000 | |
| Nature Trails of Spain Network kilometers Encabezado tabla | 6.2 |
| 21.6 | |
| 2000 | |
| 174 | |
| 554 | |
| 2001 | |
| Nature Trails of Spain Network kilometers Encabezado tabla | 6.5 |
| 28,1 | |
| 2001 | |
| 175 | |
| 729 | |
| 2002 | |
| Nature Trails of Spain Network kilometers Encabezado tabla | 8.4 |
| 36.5 | |
| 2002 | |
| 183 | |
| 912 | |
| 2003 | |
| Nature Trails of Spain Network kilometers Encabezado tabla | 6.8 |
| 43.3 | |
| 2003 | |
| 117 | |
| 1029 | |
| 2004 | |
| Nature Trails of Spain Network kilometers Encabezado tabla | 5.5 |
| 48.8 | |
| 2004 | |
| 136 | |
| 1165 | |
| 2005 | |
| Nature Trails of Spain Network kilometers Encabezado tabla | 5.7 |
| 54.5 | |
| 2005 | |
| 119 | |
| 1284 | |
| 2006 | |
| Nature Trails of Spain Network kilometers Encabezado tabla | 8.9 |
| 63.4 | |
| 2006 | |
| 225 | |
| 1509 | |
| 2007 | |
| Nature Trails of Spain Network kilometers Encabezado tabla | 14.7 |
| 78.1 | |
| 2007 | |
| 350 | |
| 1859 | |
| 2008 | |
| Nature Trails of Spain Network kilometers Encabezado tabla | 16.5 |
| 94.6 | |
| 2008 | |
| 550 | |
| 2409 | |
| 2009 | |
| Nature Trails of Spain Network kilometers Encabezado tabla | 45.0 |
| 139.6 | |
| 2009 | |
| 702 | |
| 3111 | |
| 2010 | |
| Nature Trails of Spain Network kilometers Encabezado tabla | 27.0 |
| 166.6 | |
| 2010 | |
| 969 | |
| 4080 | |
| 2011 | |
| Nature Trails of Spain Network kilometers Encabezado tabla | 20.4 |
| 187.0 | |
| 2011 | |
| 3462 | |
| 7542 | |
| 2012 | |
| Nature Trails of Spain Network kilometers Encabezado tabla | 7.5 |
| 194.5 | |
| 2012 | |
| 947 | |
| 8489 | |
| 2013 | |
| Nature Trails of Spain Network kilometers Encabezado tabla | 5.2 |
| 199.7 | |
| 2013 | |
| 112 | |
| 8601 | |
| 2014 | |
| Nature Trails of Spain Network kilometers Encabezado tabla | 8.4 |
| 208.1 | |
| 2014 | |
| 230 | |
| 8831 | |
| 2015 | |
| Nature Trails of Spain Network kilometers Encabezado tabla | 5.9 |
| 214.0 | |
| 2015 | |
| 370 | |
| 9201 | |
| 2016 | |
| Nature Trails of Spain Network kilometers Encabezado tabla | 8.2 |
| 222.2 | |
| 2016 | |
| 260 | |
| 9461 | |
| 2017 | |
| Nature Trails of Spain Network kilometers Encabezado tabla | 8.1 |
| 230.3 | |
| 2017 | |
| 336 | |
| 9797 | |
| 2018 | |
| Nature Trails of Spain Network kilometers Encabezado tabla | 7.8 |
| 238.1 | |
| 2018 | |
| 260 | |
| 10057 | |
| 2019 | |
| Nature Trails of Spain Network kilometers Encabezado tabla | 6.1 |
| 244.2 | |
| 2019 | |
| 168 | |
| 10225 | |
| 2020 | |
| Nature Trails of Spain Network kilometers Encabezado tabla | 6.3 |
| 250.5 | |
| 2020 | |
| 86 | |
| 10311 | |
| 2021 | |
| Nature Trails of Spain Network kilometers Encabezado tabla | 7.3 |
| 257.8 | |
| 2021 | |
| 73 | |
| 10384 | |
| 2022 | |
| Nature Trails of Spain Network kilometers Encabezado tabla | 9.2 |
| 267.0 | |
| 2022 | |
| 115 | |
| 10599 | |
| 2023 | |
| Nature Trails of Spain Network kilometers Encabezado tabla | 12.3 |
| 279.3 | |
| 2023 | |
| 310 | |
| 10809 | |
| Nature Trails investments (million €) Encabezado tabla | Nature Trails of Spain Network kilometers Encabezado tabla | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Annual | Amount | Year | Annual | Amount |
| 1993 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 1993 | 12 | 12 |
| 1994 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 1994 | 8 | 20 |
| 1995 | 2.8 | 3.3 | 1995 | 37 | 57 |
| 1996 | 1.9 | 5.2 | 1996 | 45 | 102 |
| 1997 | 2.2 | 7.4 | 1997 | 64 | 166 |
| 1998 | 3.0 | 10.4 | 1998 | 71 | 237 |
| 1999 | 5.0 | 15.4 | 1999 | 143 | 380 |
| 2000 | 6.2 | 21.6 | 2000 | 174 | 554 |
| 2001 | 6.5 | 28,1 | 2001 | 175 | 729 |
| 2002 | 8.4 | 36.5 | 2002 | 183 | 912 |
| 2003 | 6.8 | 43.3 | 2003 | 117 | 1029 |
| 2004 | 5.5 | 48.8 | 2004 | 136 | 1165 |
| 2005 | 5.7 | 54.5 | 2005 | 119 | 1284 |
| 2006 | 8.9 | 63.4 | 2006 | 225 | 1509 |
| 2007 | 14.7 | 78.1 | 2007 | 350 | 1859 |
| 2008 | 16.5 | 94.6 | 2008 | 550 | 2409 |
| 2009 | 45.0 | 139.6 | 2009 | 702 | 3111 |
| 2010 | 27.0 | 166.6 | 2010 | 969 | 4080 |
| 2011 | 20.4 | 187.0 | 2011 | 3462 | 7542 |
| 2012 | 7.5 | 194.5 | 2012 | 947 | 8489 |
| 2013 | 5.2 | 199.7 | 2013 | 112 | 8601 |
| 2014 | 8.4 | 208.1 | 2014 | 230 | 8831 |
| 2015 | 5.9 | 214.0 | 2015 | 370 | 9201 |
| 2016 | 8.2 | 222.2 | 2016 | 260 | 9461 |
| 2017 | 8.1 | 230.3 | 2017 | 336 | 9797 |
| 2018 | 7.8 | 238.1 | 2018 | 260 | 10057 |
| 2019 | 6.1 | 244.2 | 2019 | 168 | 10225 |
| 2020 | 6.3 | 250.5 | 2020 | 86 | 10311 |
| 2021 | 7.3 | 257.8 | 2021 | 73 | 10384 |
| 2022 | 9.2 | 267.0 | 2022 | 115 | 10599 |
| 2023 | 12.3 | 279.3 | 2023 | 310 | 10809 |
| Nature Trails investments (million €) Encabezado tabla |
|---|
| Nature Trails investments (million €) Encabezado tabla | Nature Trails of Spain Network kilometers Encabezado tabla |
|---|
National Programme for Rural Development 2014-2020 (PNDR)
Rural development assistance co-financed by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) in the 2014-2020 programming period is channeled in Spain through different rural development programmes (one for each autonomous community) and one national, the National Programme for Rural Development 2014-2020 (Programa Nacional de Desarrollo Rural - PNDR).
The PNDR is directed to the financing of rural development actions declared of general interest, of supra-autonomous scope or whose competence corresponds to the General State Administration (Administración General del Estado - AGE), in accordance with six rural development priorities established by the European Union. The PNDR has been structured in different measures and sub-measures, one of them being for the construction of Natural Trails. This sub-measure allows the cofinancing of natural trails of supra-autonomous or insular environment up to 53% of its cost.
The actions included in the PNDR are as follows:
Nature Trails is a registered trademarlk in the Spanish Patent and Trademark Office to the Ministry for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. (Marca Nacional Multiclase Nº 2.899.840)
Marca registrada Caminos Naturales de España
Caminos Naturales es una marca registrada en la Oficina Española de Patentes y Marcas a favor del Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación (Marca Nacional Multiclase Nº 2.899.840).
Por tanto, el logo, la marca y demás signos distintivos de Caminos Naturales, pertenecen al Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación y están protegidos por los correspondientes derechos de propiedad intelectual e industrial.