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The closure of Collserola is already affecting the wellbeing of some residents
Six months after the closure due to swine fever, the neighbourhood campaign has gathered over 8,000 signatures and aims to reach 10,000. Its organisers are calling for the park to be reopened and are proposing safe corridors.
The campaign to reopen the park has gathered over 8,000 signatures and proposes safe corridors
Every day, a boy with autism used to go with his father to Pi d’en Xandri to observe insects. They also looked at the leaves and flowers. Since he hasn’t been able to enter the park, Cristina Alier explains, he has suffered severe crises and hasn’t got used to travelling by car to other places.
An everyday resource that has disappeared
Alier, a Collserola resident and organiser of the petition, says that some people live with constant anxiety and can’t switch off. She warns that the impact can be especially serious for those with depression or autism.
Mayte Serrat, psychologist and coordinator of the Grup de Treball de Salut Planetària i Ambiental del Col·legi Oficial de Psicologia de Catalunya (COPC), explains that the park offered a place to manage stress and connect with nature. When that access is interrupted for a long time, some people can lose a regular resource for looking after their wellbeing.
Serrat points out that this can lead to more perceived stress, irritability, a sense of isolation, or a decrease in wellbeing. The impact varies depending on the role the space played in each person’s routine and the green alternatives available to them.
Reopening with safe corridors
Six months after Collserola was closed due to the first case of African swine fever detected in Barcelona, the residents and users behind the campaign are calling for the natural park to be reopened. They also propose creating safe corridors along the main paths so people can cross without using the smaller trails.
Alier says they are willing to follow any disinfection measures deemed necessary, even changing their shoes.
More green spaces within the city too
Serrat urges the authorities to maintain and care for green spaces. She also argues for more nature in the city: even a small garden or a tree can provide that contact, and seeing trees from an indoor room also has benefits.
The psychologist warns that spending many hours indoors with artificial light and in front of screens, far from nature, can contribute to health problems. Meanwhile, the neighbourhood campaign has gathered more than 8,000 signatures and aims to reach 10,000 to present them to the Generalitat along with their proposals.