A persistent downpour over Barcelona on Saturday offered an unexpected advantage to authorities on the first day of the complete closure of Collserola Natural Park, deterring most would-be visitors and simplifying efforts to contain an outbreak of African swine fever (PPA).

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The Generalitat de Catalunya took the drastic step of shutting public access to the park’s natural environment on Friday after an infected wild boar was discovered within the Barcelona municipal area. As detailed in a previous report by Barna.News, the measure aims to prevent the spread of the virus, which is highly contagious among pigs and wild boars but poses no risk to human health.

On what would typically be a bustling weekend, the city’s beloved green lung was instead quiet. The eight police checkpoints established by the Mossos d’Esquadra and Guardia Urbana at key access points saw little traffic. At Portell de Valldaura, one such checkpoint, officers spent a largely uneventful morning as the rainy forecast kept the usual crowds of cyclists and hikers at home.

Local Businesses Feel the Pinch

While effective, the closure has severely impacted local businesses dependent on park visitors. At a well-known restaurant near the Portell de Valldaura checkpoint, famous for its traditional “esmorçars de forquilla” (fork breakfasts), the tables were empty.

“It affects us a lot,” Elena Juanes, the restaurant’s manager, told the Catalan News Agency (ACN). She explained that most customers cancel their reservations if they cannot combine their meal with a walk in the park. “During the last closure, we worked at 20% of our usual capacity. I suppose this time, right in the middle of calçotadas season, it will be similar.”

Juanes believes authorities have not communicated the closure rules clearly enough. She stressed that while access to the natural trails is forbidden, people are still permitted to visit restaurants and other businesses within the park’s boundaries. “When a reservation comes in, we always remind customers that walking in the surrounding area is prohibited due to the swine fever restrictions,” she added.

A few loyal patrons, however, made the journey specifically to show their support. “The restaurant owners in this area are having a hard time,” said Juan Manuel Molina, one of the few customers present on Saturday morning.

An Informative Mission

Public compliance was largely high, aided significantly by the weather. One runner, Xavi Gómez, was surprised by a police checkpoint and had to turn back. He admitted to ACN that he hadn’t been out for a run in a long time and was unaware of the new restrictions, deciding to venture out despite the rain.

Xavier Niño, operational chief for the Mossos d’Esquadra in Barcelona, described the checkpoints as primarily “informative.” He explained that sanctions are a last resort, reserved for exceptional cases of non-compliance. During a similar closure at the end of last year, only three fines were issued.

The scale of the closure is significant. On a typical public holiday, Collserola Park can welcome between 10,000 and 15,000 visitors, with about half coming from Barcelona. Popular routes like the Carretera de les Aigües are now off-limits to walkers and cyclists.

Indefinite Closure to Contain Outbreak

The closure, with no end date set, will remain in force until the wild boar population is significantly reduced. The Generalitat’s official plan, as outlined on the park’s website, is to eliminate the boar population in high-risk areas and reduce it to less than one animal per square kilometre elsewhere to halt the virus’s spread.

Access remains open for the park’s 15,000 residents, as well as for staff and students at its schools and those visiting businesses or sports facilities. However, authorities have issued strict biosecurity advice: anyone transitioning from dirt paths to paved areas must disinfect their footwear and vehicle tyres to prevent carrying the virus out of the affected zone.

As reported by El Periódico, Barcelona’s residents will now have to find alternative spots for their weekend nature excursions as authorities work to manage this critical public and animal health challenge.