The Regional Minister of Environment of the Community of Madrid, Carlos Novillo; the Mayor of Alcobendas, Rocío García Alcántara, and the Director of the Biodiversity Foundation, Félix Romero, have officially opened the Princesa Leonor Forest Park. This new green space, featuring over 3,000 trees and 87,000 shrubs, is situated on the site of a former inert waste landfill.
The ecological restoration of this area, representing a total investment of 11.2 million euros, was funded 68% by the Alcobendas City Council. The remaining budget of 3.6 million euros comes from the European Union's Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan- NextGenerationEU, channeled through the Biodiversity Foundation of the Ministry for Ecological Transition.
The park's design aimed to minimize the landfill's impact by stabilizing the terrain, managing runoff, and enriching the soil with organic matter to promote new vegetation. A total of 23 tree species and 18 shrub species, adapted to local conditions, have been planted.
To enhance animal biodiversity, 30 nesting boxes for birds, including raptors like the kestrel and owl, have been installed. Additionally, refuge boxes for bats and integrated burrows for foxes and hedgehogs have been created. Structures filled with logs and reeds have also been built to shelter reptiles and small mammals.
The Mayor of Alcobendas emphasized that the park is intended as a "green space for all residents," highlighting its urban gardens, children's play area, and extensive walking trails. A main accessible path, 2.5 kilometers long with a gradient under 6%, traverses the park's various habitats.
During the inauguration, a falconry demonstration took place, followed by the release of a Red Kite and a Common Buzzard, specimens from the Wildlife Recovery Center of the Community of Madrid. These actions aim to boost biodiversity, with 77 bird species already identified in the park.
Furthermore, several terrapins were released into the nine micro-ponds created, which are crucial for the food chain. The park incorporates nine characteristic Mediterranean habitats and is territorially linked with the Dehesa Boyal of San Sebastián de los Reyes and the Monte de Valdelatas and Monte del Pardo.
In the area closest to Alcobendas' urban fabric, a boulevard with large trees, 54 family urban gardens, and a central ornamental zone intended for a future café have been developed. The leisure offerings are complemented by 'Peque Bosque,' the municipality's sixth and largest themed children's area, spanning 700 square meters with sensory play zones, climbing structures, and intergenerational areas.
The Princesa Leonor Forest Park is part of the Community of Madrid's Green Arch project, a 222-kilometer environmental corridor connecting green spaces across 24 municipalities. Councilor Novillo noted that 2.1 million euros have already been invested in conditioning this environmental corridor within Alcobendas.
