The Generalitat de Catalunya is working towards a gradual easing of access restrictions in the Parc Natural de la Serra de Collserola. Catalonia’s agriculture minister, Òscar Ordeig said on 18 October 2026 that some areas of the natural park could be reopened “before the end of the year” via safe corridors . The specific timetable will depend on veterinary criteria and the epidemiological situation regarding African swine fever. Europa Press and regional media were among those reporting Ordeig’s remarks.
The restrictions were imposed following an outbreak of African swine fever to prevent the virus spreading further among wild boar and to protect domestic pig herds. The authorities adopted comprehensive disease-control measures, including wild boar management, access restrictions and checks. In previous statements, the Generalitat stressed that any easing would require technical assessment. The current announcement builds on this: corridors will be established only where a sufficiently low risk has been demonstrated and ongoing checks can be assured.
For the surrounding municipalities and the city of Barcelona a partial reopening would ease some of the pressure from leisure and recreational use. Practical questions also arise: how will the corridors be signposted, who will monitor compliance with the rules, and how will forestry services, municipalities and the Generalitat coordinate? Without clear responsibilities and resources, gaps in monitoring could increase the risk of disease spreading again.
For now, restrictions remain largely in force. Ordeig referred to international experience, which shows that outbreaks of this kind can last for months. The Generalitat has yet to issue formal orders for any specific stages of reopening; no specific routes or dates have so far been set out in legal instruments. The authorities are basing their next steps on further testing, expert reports and ongoing assessment of the epidemiological situation.
The African swine fever is harmless to humans, but causes severe illness and high mortality in wild and domestic pigs. The authorities’ risk-based, phased approach therefore remains central. If the spread of infection in Collserola continues or picks up again, planned reopening steps would have to be postponed. Conversely, sustained improvement could allow restrictions to be lifted in stages, starting with clearly marked safe corridors and close monitoring.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).