URGENT HELP NEEDED

[wisepilgrim]

MORE INFO ON SAVETHECAMINO.COM, but the basics are below.

WHAT IS HAPPENING​

Everything you see in the photo above is slated for destruction. That tree on the left tagged ‘1C‘ and all the rest will be removed shortly, returning the camino to the unsafe national highway. So too will a nearby riverside picnic area be destroyed.

One of the most picturesque stretches of the Camino Portugués, on the last stage into Santiago (km 15 specifically) is under imminent threat of destruction. Plans have been in place for nearly 10 years to replace it with the construction of a high-tension power line. Neighbors and activists, alongside lawyers and consultants, have been trying to stop it. Now though the chainsaws have begun and they are less than 300m from this stage.

This is our last hope, and your involvement is crucial. The international pilgrim community must use their voice. We must prevent its destruction rather than lament it, as we are too often left to do.

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP
REACH OUT​

Below are three QR codes.

EMAIL: The one on the left is for emailing all of the relevant parties that can still influence this project locally. If you scan it with your phone, it will automatically open an email with all of the necessary messaging in place. You can adapt it, make it personal, or simply send it as is. Even better if you can attach a selfie of you on the camino, whatever camino you have walked. If you have one along this exact stretch of road please sent it.

CALL: This one is even more effective than email, and you can do both. This QR will initiate a phone call with the local government, specifically to Ángeles Vázquez (Vicepresidenta Segunda y Conselleira de Medio Ambiente). You do NOT need to speak spanish to make this call, it is enough to convey the message to the person that answers that you would like to “Protect the Camino Portugués in Faramello (fah rah may yo).” The first caller will not be immediately understood, but by the time we reach 100 callers the message will be clear.

CALL AGAIN: This is one step above and beyond the call of duty. If your first call was a success, give this one a try. It is to Alfonso Rueda, President of Galicia, and although he has put the Ángeles in charge of this issue it is important that his office gets the message too.

---

EMAIL

Don’t forget to make it personal. Add a photo, tell your story as best you can (if you can).

This email will be composed for: President and VP of Galicia, the Secretary of Tourism and Xacobeo.

---

VP

When to call?
ACDT: 7:30pm - 11pm
Coast Americas: 1am - 4:30am
Coast Americas: 4am - 7:30am
GMT: 9am - 11pm

---

PRES

When to call?
ACDT: 7:30pm - 11pm
Coast Americas: 1am - 4:30am
Coast Americas: 4am - 7:30am
GMT: 9am - 11pm

---

If you have not already seen this message in your social media, please link to this page. If you maintain any email contacts with pilgrims that can help, feel free to share the attached pdf.

 

[Kirkie]

MORE INFO ON SAVETHECAMINO.COM, but the basics are below.View attachment 160261

WHAT IS HAPPENING​

Everything you see in the photo above is slated for destruction. That tree on the left tagged ‘1C‘ and all the rest will be removed shortly, returning the camino to the unsafe national highway. So too will a nearby riverside picnic area be destroyed.

One of the most picturesque stretches of the Camino Portugués, on the last stage into Santiago (km 15 specifically) is under imminent threat of destruction. Plans have been in place for nearly 10 years to replace it with the construction of a high-tension power line. Neighbors and activists, alongside lawyers and consultants, have been trying to stop it. Now though the chainsaws have begun and they are less than 300m from this stage.

This is our last hope, and your involvement is crucial. The international pilgrim community must use their voice. We must prevent its destruction rather than lament it, as we are too often left to do.

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP
REACH OUT​

Below are three QR codes.

EMAIL: The one on the left is for emailing all of the relevant parties that can still influence this project locally. If you scan it with your phone, it will automatically open an email with all of the necessary messaging in place. You can adapt it, make it personal, or simply send it as is. Even better if you can attach a selfie of you on the camino, whatever camino you have walked. If you have one along this exact stretch of road please sent it.

CALL: This one is even more effective than email, and you can do both. This QR will initiate a phone call with the local government, specifically to Ángeles Vázquez (Vicepresidenta Segunda y Conselleira de Medio Ambiente). You do NOT need to speak spanish to make this call, it is enough to convey the message to the person that answers that you would like to “Protect the Camino Portugués in Faramello (fah rah may yo).” The first caller will not be immediately understood, but by the time we reach 100 callers the message will be clear.

CALL AGAIN: This is one step above and beyond the call of duty. If your first call was a success, give this one a try. It is to Alfonso Rueda, President of Galicia, and although he has put the Ángeles in charge of this issue it is important that his office gets the message too.

---

EMAIL
View attachment 160262
Don’t forget to make it personal. Add a photo, tell your story as best you can (if you can).

This email will be composed for: President and VP of Galicia, the Secretary of Tourism and Xacobeo.

---

VP
View attachment 160263
When to call?
ACDT: 7:30pm - 11pm
Coast Americas: 1am - 4:30am
Coast Americas: 4am - 7:30am
GMT: 9am - 11pm

---

PRES
View attachment 160264
When to call?
ACDT: 7:30pm - 11pm
Coast Americas: 1am - 4:30am
Coast Americas: 4am - 7:30am
GMT: 9am - 11pm

---

If you have not already seen this message in your social media, please link to this page. If you maintain any email contacts with pilgrims that can help, feel free to share the attached pdf.

Thanks for this. I will try to phone now.

 

[wisepilgrim]

Thanks for this. I will try to phone now.

Thank you. This message is about to fill up everyones screen as I go from group to group, and while I realize that is annoying I can assure everyone that this issue is both very important and very urgent.

 

[Kirkie]

MORE INFO ON SAVETHECAMINO.COM, but the basics are below.View attachment 160261

WHAT IS HAPPENING​

Everything you see in the photo above is slated for destruction. That tree on the left tagged ‘1C‘ and all the rest will be removed shortly, returning the camino to the unsafe national highway. So too will a nearby riverside picnic area be destroyed.

One of the most picturesque stretches of the Camino Portugués, on the last stage into Santiago (km 15 specifically) is under imminent threat of destruction. Plans have been in place for nearly 10 years to replace it with the construction of a high-tension power line. Neighbors and activists, alongside lawyers and consultants, have been trying to stop it. Now though the chainsaws have begun and they are less than 300m from this stage.

This is our last hope, and your involvement is crucial. The international pilgrim community must use their voice. We must prevent its destruction rather than lament it, as we are too often left to do.

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP
REACH OUT​

Below are three QR codes.

EMAIL: The one on the left is for emailing all of the relevant parties that can still influence this project locally. If you scan it with your phone, it will automatically open an email with all of the necessary messaging in place. You can adapt it, make it personal, or simply send it as is. Even better if you can attach a selfie of you on the camino, whatever camino you have walked. If you have one along this exact stretch of road please sent it.

CALL: This one is even more effective than email, and you can do both. This QR will initiate a phone call with the local government, specifically to Ángeles Vázquez (Vicepresidenta Segunda y Conselleira de Medio Ambiente). You do NOT need to speak spanish to make this call, it is enough to convey the message to the person that answers that you would like to “Protect the Camino Portugués in Faramello (fah rah may yo).” The first caller will not be immediately understood, but by the time we reach 100 callers the message will be clear.

CALL AGAIN: This is one step above and beyond the call of duty. If your first call was a success, give this one a try. It is to Alfonso Rueda, President of Galicia, and although he has put the Ángeles in charge of this issue it is important that his office gets the message too.

---

EMAIL
View attachment 160262
Don’t forget to make it personal. Add a photo, tell your story as best you can (if you can).

This email will be composed for: President and VP of Galicia, the Secretary of Tourism and Xacobeo.

---

VP
View attachment 160263
When to call?
ACDT: 7:30pm - 11pm
Coast Americas: 1am - 4:30am
Coast Americas: 4am - 7:30am
GMT: 9am - 11pm

---

PRES
View attachment 160264
When to call?
ACDT: 7:30pm - 11pm
Coast Americas: 1am - 4:30am
Coast Americas: 4am - 7:30am
GMT: 9am - 11pm

---

If you have not already seen this message in your social media, please link to this page. If you maintain any email contacts with pilgrims that can help, feel free to share the attached pdf.

Ha! I just rang. The reply? No entiendo. I amplified slightly by saying I understand peregrinos are to be shot off the route in favour of some technology. Forgive me, my rapid thinking didn't keep to the script! Then the guy said, ok, muy bien! I will try again, but have to go out now. At least the fellow was receptive, and must surely record the call!

 

[Robo]

Response from email.

Esta conta de correo deixará de estar operativa nos próximos días. Por favor, tomen nota da nova:

web.xacobeo@xunta.gal



--

Área de Cultura Xacobea

S.A. de Xestión do Plan Xacobeo

Estrada Santiago - Noia, Km 3 / A Barcia

15897 Santiago de Compostela

Tel.: 881 996 265

http://www.caminodesantiago.gal

http://blog.caminodesantiago.gal

 

[wisepilgrim]

Thank you

Response from email.

Esta conta de correo deixará de estar operativa nos próximos días. Por favor, tomen nota da nova:

web.xacobeo@xunta.gal



--

Área de Cultura Xacobea

S.A. de Xestión do Plan Xacobeo

Estrada Santiago - Noia, Km 3 / A Barcia

15897 Santiago de Compostela

Tel.: 881 996 265

http://www.caminodesantiago.gal

http://blog.caminodesantiago.gal

Thank you. I will update the script to include that email address too.

 

[ivar]

I will send this out to my email list in a few hours (sorry for the duplicate messages).

 

[Donna Sch]

Where are the alternative route options for the powerlines? Any protest is more likely to be successful if there are other options.
And are there any endangered wildlife species in the area?

 

[wisepilgrim]

Where are the alternative route options for the powerlines? Any protest is more likely to be successful if there are other options.
And are there any endangered wildlife species in the area?

There are options. There is the very easy alternative of burying the power line under the road that goes around the Castro and across the camino (where the photo above was taken).

It is shown as the orange line in the map below. The purple is the current path of the power-line and the green sections are the camino portugués and the camino to the top of Castro Lupario.

There is an alternative, and that is why we have not given up all hope. What is lacking is political pressure to effect that change.

 

[wisepilgrim]

Ha! I just rang. The reply? No entiendo. I amplified slightly by saying I understand peregrinos are to be shot off the route in favour of some technology. Forgive me, my rapid thinking didn't keep to the script! Then the guy said, ok, muy bien! I will try again, but have to go out now. At least the fellow was receptive, and must surely record the call!

Honestly, it is still very effective. These are offices that receive zero international calls from pilgrims, so they will get the message when combined with the very clear emails.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

 

[Ian @ Camino Ramblings]

MORE INFO ON SAVETHECAMINO.COM, but the basics are below.View attachment 160261

WHAT IS HAPPENING​

Everything you see in the photo above is slated for destruction. That tree on the left tagged ‘1C‘ and all the rest will be removed shortly, returning the camino to the unsafe national highway. So too will a nearby riverside picnic area be destroyed.

One of the most picturesque stretches of the Camino Portugués, on the last stage into Santiago (km 15 specifically) is under imminent threat of destruction. Plans have been in place for nearly 10 years to replace it with the construction of a high-tension power line. Neighbors and activists, alongside lawyers and consultants, have been trying to stop it. Now though the chainsaws have begun and they are less than 300m from this stage.

This is our last hope, and your involvement is crucial. The international pilgrim community must use their voice. We must prevent its destruction rather than lament it, as we are too often left to do.

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP
REACH OUT​

Below are three QR codes.

EMAIL: The one on the left is for emailing all of the relevant parties that can still influence this project locally. If you scan it with your phone, it will automatically open an email with all of the necessary messaging in place. You can adapt it, make it personal, or simply send it as is. Even better if you can attach a selfie of you on the camino, whatever camino you have walked. If you have one along this exact stretch of road please sent it.

CALL: This one is even more effective than email, and you can do both. This QR will initiate a phone call with the local government, specifically to Ángeles Vázquez (Vicepresidenta Segunda y Conselleira de Medio Ambiente). You do NOT need to speak spanish to make this call, it is enough to convey the message to the person that answers that you would like to “Protect the Camino Portugués in Faramello (fah rah may yo).” The first caller will not be immediately understood, but by the time we reach 100 callers the message will be clear.

CALL AGAIN: This is one step above and beyond the call of duty. If your first call was a success, give this one a try. It is to Alfonso Rueda, President of Galicia, and although he has put the Ángeles in charge of this issue it is important that his office gets the message too.

---

EMAIL
View attachment 160262
Don’t forget to make it personal. Add a photo, tell your story as best you can (if you can).

This email will be composed for: President and VP of Galicia, the Secretary of Tourism and Xacobeo.

---

VP
View attachment 160263
When to call?
ACDT: 7:30pm - 11pm
Coast Americas: 1am - 4:30am
Coast Americas: 4am - 7:30am
GMT: 9am - 11pm

---

PRES
View attachment 160264
When to call?
ACDT: 7:30pm - 11pm
Coast Americas: 1am - 4:30am
Coast Americas: 4am - 7:30am
GMT: 9am - 11pm

---

If you have not already seen this message in your social media, please link to this page. If you maintain any email contacts with pilgrims that can help, feel free to share the attached pdf.

Congratulations on the organisation of this . Super Effective.
we've emailed from all my families accounts and a few business ones - we've all walked this route. Also the voice calls are being answered really quickly ATM - for sure the language was a slight issue - but the point is made. Well Played .
You'll get a high level of QR based response

 

[DianeS]

So glad I checked my email today, I have just sent a personal email to the President. Adding my voice to the many before and after to help rescue this effort. Thank you for letting us know.

 

[Mark Francis Auchincloss]

I just called and spoke in Spanish to Angeles Vasquez's Secretary. She said that I was wasting their time calling as it doesn't fall within her remit. It's apparently a matter for the Ministry of Culture ,Román Rodríguez Tel. 981 544 811 / 801 She's already received quite a few calls from our community so she sounds a bit fed up already !! However, when I started to challenge her by saying they're going to be cutting trees and adversely affecting the environment as well as the Camino, she understood where we're coming from and that I had a point and agreed she would pass on my concerns to Angeles.

 

[wisepilgrim]

I just called and spoke in Spanish to Angeles Vasquez's Secretary. She said that I was wasting their time calling as it doesn't fall within her remit. It's apparently a matter for the Ministry of Culture ,Román Rodríguez Tel. 981 544 811 / 801 She's already received quite a few calls from our community so she sounds a bit fed up already !! However, when I started to challenge her by saying they're going to be cutting trees and adversely affecting the environment as well as the Camino, she understood where we're coming from and that I had a point and agreed she would pass on my concerns to Angeles.

I can assure you that she is indeed the person to contact. Today, tomorrow, and every day until she reports to the President that this is a bad idea. Two weeks ago he personally assigned her the task of looking into the mattter; and on top of that her directive includes 'Calidad Ambiental, Sostenibilidad y Cambio Climático, y Patrimonio Natural'.

And I thank you for calling. Do Mr. Rueda next.

 

[PrayerPose25]

Done. ;-)

 

[El Cascayal]

I too just emailed using the above link.
Calling the first number a woman informed me that she is taking notes and has had many calls.
The second number for the President, was answered by a man who stated this was the incorrect number and that they had nothing to do with this and to contact Turismo Jacobeo and the following email Secretaria.presidente@xunta.gal. Which are 2 of the contacts in the original 4 emails.
Thank you for bringing this to our awareness. May these trees and Camino be protected.

 

[wisepilgrim]

I too just emailed using the above link.
Calling the first number a woman informed me that she is taking notes and has had many calls.
The second number for the President, was answered by a man who stated this was the incorrect number and that they had nothing to do with this and to contact Turismo Jacobeo and the following email Secretaria.presidente@xunta.gal. Which are 2 of the contacts in the original 4 emails.
Thank you for bringing this to our awareness. May these trees and Camino be protected.

There are a lot of secretaries and employees that will try to pass the buck. All of the contacts, from Tourismo to Xacobeo are directly under the President.

The message will get to him eventually.

 

[grayland]

@wisepilgrim Good on ya, Michael.
This could be finally a way to get the whole Camino community working together as a group to protest local and government abuse of the routes.

I made the message and phone contacts!

 

[Novice Pilgrim]

Email sent, hope it helps!

 

[Donna Sch]

Those big old trees look like habitat trees which often take centuries, not decades, to form hollows for the local birds and small animals. You can't replace those. To remove forest within walking distance of a city centre is absolutely crazy from an environmental and climate perspective.

 

[El Cascayal]

Those big old trees look like habitat trees which often take centuries, not decades, to form hollows for the local birds and small animals. You can't replace those. To remove forest within walking distance of a city centre is absolutely crazy from an environmental and climate perspective.

I have been thinking about this all day. To kill ancient trees and all the micro communities within it is in my opinion criminal. Hope this large Forum community shows a strong response and can use it’s influence as a group to protect these habitats that have witnessed many a .

 

[HumanistHiker]

E-mail sent, complete with arrival pic in Santiago, referring to my completing the Camino Portugues 5 weeks ago, and stressing how much I enjoyed walking through the woods. Sadly, I don't have any pictures of that section, but I included one of me in Praza Obradoiro.

Thank you WisePilgrim for bringing this to our attention, and putting together this campaign.

 

[Roland49]

I can see your intention. But to be carbonneutral and sustainable, some changes have to be done.

In Germany they are building an ultra-high-power DC-grid (in my region overruled by public groups built as a subterranean grid, twice as expensive than the super-ugly high-rising pylons ( app. 120m height, 50m width) to transport the energy harvested in the North Sea to the main industrial complexes in the south of Germany.

They mainly building it as side-structure to the Autobahn, so the harm to nature and the landscape will be minimized.

Sure I will miss this part of the traditional Camino that I walked this year, but I think it is more important to leave a planet behind that is habitable for the coming generations!

You sometimes can't have both!

Just my 2 cents!

 

[HumanistHiker]

@Roland49 - I made the very specific point that I'm not opposed to new infrastructure and recognise the need for new power lines, but when there's an alternative route (see the map in Wise Pilgrim's initial post) that doesn't involve chopping down the ancient trees on the Camino, surely they should use that. I'm not a NIMBY (not in my back yard) or a BANANA (build absolutely nothing anywhere near anyone) and think there needs to be much more investment in electricity grids, but there's a time and a place for appropriate development. Good for the Germans if they're burying some of the new power lines, or building them alongside the autobahn, which should make them more resilient to future storms if nothing else.

 

[wisepilgrim]

I can see your intention. But to be carbonneutral and sustainable, some changes have to be done.

In Germany they are building an ultra-high-power DC-grid (in my region overruled by public groups built as a subterranean grid, twice as expensive than the super-ugly high-rising pylons ( app. 120m height, 50m width) to transport the energy harvested in the North Sea to the main industrial complexes in the south of Germany.

They mainly building it as side-structure to the Autobahn, so the harm to nature and the landscape will be minimized.

Sure I will miss this part of the traditional Camino that I walked this year, but I think it is more important to leave a planet behind that is habitable for the coming generations!

You sometimes can't have both!

Just my 2 cents!

This is a case of the harm being maximized. There are documented alternatives which do not touch the camino in any noticeable way. We are not opposed to the progress of connecting wind farms to the grid, we are opposed to the methods used: specifically across the Camino and the Castro Lupario.

 

[Kirkie]

This is a case of the harm being maximized. There are documented alternatives which do not touch the camino in any noticeable way. We are not opposed to the progress of connecting wind farms to the grid, we are opposed to the methods used: specifically across the Camino and the Castro Lupario.

View attachment 160330View attachment 160331View attachment 160332

Please update when you have news... and thank you for this intervention.

 

[Roland49]

This is a case of the harm being maximized. There are documented alternatives which do not touch the camino in any noticeable way. We are not opposed to the progress of connecting wind farms to the grid, we are opposed to the methods used: specifically across the Camino and the Castro Lupario.

Then fight back, like it was done here. The intervention against the pylons was successful after the engaged groups did publish some CGI-images with the pylons standing out in the landscape and woods (that needed to be cut down in a 100m wide area around the pylons to avoid spreading sparks) creating a treeless tunnel beneath the powerlines.

The advantage of the planned solution: less maintenance, on the long run maybe cheaper.

 

[wisepilgrim]

Then fight back, like it was done here. The intervention against the pylons was successful after the engaged groups did publish some CGI-images with the pylons standing out in the landscape and woods (that needed to be cut down in a 100m wide area around the pylons to avoid spreading sparks) creating a treeless tunnel beneath the powerlines.

The advantage of the planned solution: less maintenance, on the long run maybe cheaper.

This is precisely what is being done here. And the width of that area is even larger when, like in this case, the towers are on hilltops opposite one another. Those cables sway and therefor the path is greater. You can see it in the plans above.

Alternatively, it can run underground for 800m and disturb nothing at all.

 

[Rebekah Scott]

done.
In addition to the FICS denuncias and campaigns on this issue over the last 3 years...
every little bit helps.

 

[NorthernLight]

Email sent. It’s too late in the day for a phone call today, but tomorrow is coming … does their number do whatsapp?

 

[wisepilgrim]

Email sent. It’s too late in the day for a phone call today, but tomorrow is coming … does their number do whatsapp?

It does not not take whatsapp. Thank you.

 

[NorthernLight]

I’m bumping this for the weekend crowd to see.

 

[Pamb]

Email sent.

 

[susiem]

MORE INFO ON SAVETHECAMINO.COM, but the basics are below.View attachment 160261

WHAT IS HAPPENING​

Everything you see in the photo above is slated for destruction. That tree on the left tagged ‘1C‘ and all the rest will be removed shortly, returning the camino to the unsafe national highway. So too will a nearby riverside picnic area be destroyed.

One of the most picturesque stretches of the Camino Portugués, on the last stage into Santiago (km 15 specifically) is under imminent threat of destruction. Plans have been in place for nearly 10 years to replace it with the construction of a high-tension power line. Neighbors and activists, alongside lawyers and consultants, have been trying to stop it. Now though the chainsaws have begun and they are less than 300m from this stage.

This is our last hope, and your involvement is crucial. The international pilgrim community must use their voice. We must prevent its destruction rather than lament it, as we are too often left to do.

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP
REACH OUT​

Below are three QR codes.

EMAIL: The one on the left is for emailing all of the relevant parties that can still influence this project locally. If you scan it with your phone, it will automatically open an email with all of the necessary messaging in place. You can adapt it, make it personal, or simply send it as is. Even better if you can attach a selfie of you on the camino, whatever camino you have walked. If you have one along this exact stretch of road please sent it.

CALL: This one is even more effective than email, and you can do both. This QR will initiate a phone call with the local government, specifically to Ángeles Vázquez (Vicepresidenta Segunda y Conselleira de Medio Ambiente). You do NOT need to speak spanish to make this call, it is enough to convey the message to the person that answers that you would like to “Protect the Camino Portugués in Faramello (fah rah may yo).” The first caller will not be immediately understood, but by the time we reach 100 callers the message will be clear.

CALL AGAIN: This is one step above and beyond the call of duty. If your first call was a success, give this one a try. It is to Alfonso Rueda, President of Galicia, and although he has put the Ángeles in charge of this issue it is important that his office gets the message too.

---

EMAIL
View attachment 160262
Don’t forget to make it personal. Add a photo, tell your story as best you can (if you can).

This email will be composed for: President and VP of Galicia, the Secretary of Tourism and Xacobeo.

---

VP
View attachment 160263
When to call?
ACDT: 7:30pm - 11pm
Coast Americas: 1am - 4:30am
Coast Americas: 4am - 7:30am
GMT: 9am - 11pm

---

PRES
View attachment 160264
When to call?
ACDT: 7:30pm - 11pm
Coast Americas: 1am - 4:30am
Coast Americas: 4am - 7:30am
GMT: 9am - 11pm

---

If you have not already seen this message in your social media, please link to this page. If you maintain any email contacts with pilgrims that can help, feel free to share the attached pdf.

email sent and will phone tomorrow!