The municipality of El Pont de Suert has been awarded a grant for the implementation of participatory local development through LEADER, as part of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) Strategic Plan 2023-2027. This funding will support a project focused on the valorization and revitalization of the geological and mining heritage in the Malpàs valley.
The initiative, stemming from the call for applications via Resolution ARP/3410/2024 dated September 19th, aims to recover and invigorate the area surrounding the former Malpàs coal mines. The primary objective is to convert this legacy into a resource for local development, fostering social, cultural, and economic growth in the region.
The Malpàs mines are a significant element of the industrial heritage of Alta Ribagorça and narrate a crucial part of the territory's contemporary history, including the development of mining, industrialization, and the electrification of Catalonia throughout the 20th century. The project also links this past with the valley's exceptional geological heritage, particularly around Malpàs, Erillcastell, and Peranera.
Planned actions include the adaptation of spaces linked to mining memory in the village of Malpàs, the installation of interpretive panels, improvements to parking areas, and the establishment of starting points for itineraries. Safety measures around the former mining facilities and the creation of a geological viewpoint in Peranera are also included.
This initiative seeks to leverage the recovery of mining and geological heritage as a tool for revitalizing the Malpàs valley, promoting activities such as hiking, guided tours, rural tourism, and educational programs focused on industrial and geological heritage.
The project involves collaboration with local associations and stakeholders, including the Malpàs Salinera Residents' Association and the Group for the Recovery and Investigation of the Malpàs Mines (GRIMM), which contributes scientific and historical knowledge. The documentation submitted emphasizes this public-private and territorial collaboration.
Furthermore, the Town Hall is participating in the Pràcticum Odisseu cooperation project, which encourages young university students to return and stay in rural areas by offering formative internships, with municipal opportunities planned for 2025 and 2026.
The LEADER grants are co-financed by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD), within the CAP Strategic Plan 2023-2027. Funding is allocated with 57% from the Department of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries, and Food of the Generalitat de Catalunya and 43% from the EAFRD.
