ProUmbrías is a non-profit association made up of Owners of Rural Estates of Umbrías. We are more than 400 members, bringing together around 700 hectares of the 850 private hectares within the municipality (82%). The main objectives of the Association are to jointly and sustainably manage the associated estates and to promote a sustainable development strategy for the Aravalle (Gredos), to which we belong.
Under current legislation, and driven by Plan 42 of the Regional Government of Castilla y León and with the collaboration of the Umbrías Town Council, after a year of contacts and preparatory work, ProUmbrías was established on August 15, 2009.
We work with local stakeholders, livestock farmers, and the Town Council on the project “Concentrated and Sustainable Management of the Smallholding System in Umbrías.” Through this project, we have enhanced the value and overall use of the territory, improving its functional organization without the need for new infrastructure. Agreements have been signed with all the local livestock farmers to lease the pastures. We have improved payment to owners in exchange for these leases. The risk of fires has been reduced, and population settlement has been encouraged.
We support initiatives from other organizations in the Aravalle.
We present our ideas and work to all levels of government: local, provincial, regional, and national.
We have submitted to the authorities a preliminary project for the adaptation of old infrastructure to new needs.
We take part in all aid and award calls of which we have been aware and whose conditions have allowed us to do so.
Our territory (1,170 ha) serves as a base for all kinds of projects related to the rural world and respectful of the environment: society, culture, organic farming, livestock, forests, hunting, mushrooms, technology, biodiversity of flora and fauna, etc.
Our ideas, enthusiasm, and work aim to collaborate on these projects through agreements with universities, foundations, institutions, and public or private companies.
We have submitted 35 action proposals to the Sustainable Rural Development Program, through the participation body responsible for drawing up the 2010–2014 area plans of the Territorial Delegation of the Regional Government of Castilla y León (JCyL) in Ávila.