Andorra's La Massana parish council implements strict rules for activities in natural environments to

La Massana parish council's new ordinance regulating access and activities in natural environments took effect on Thursday after its publication in the Official Bulletin of Andorra (BOPA) on Wednesday. The council approved the measure unanimously on 11 February to ensure balanced territorial use, safeguarding natural areas and landscapes, maintaining paths, protecting residents' quality of life, and promoting sustainable tourism and economic growth.

Any professional, tourist, leisure activity, or large event in natural settings—whether one-off or seasonal—requires prior council authorization. Applications must detail the activity description, routes, dates and duration, maximum participant numbers, vehicle types, insurance and documentation, and expected environmental impact. Organizers may also need to submit a restoration plan for affected areas if requested by the council.

Events with 100 or more participants face additional requirements, including fees set case by case. Routes must use temporary, non-permanent signage like flags or tapes made from recycled, recyclable, biodegradable, or photodegradable materials resistant to wind. Organizers must handle selective waste sorting and collection beyond municipal services, removing all organic and inorganic waste within 48 hours of the event's end, clearing signage and protective materials within eight days, and restoring paths to their pre-event condition. Failure to comply allows the council to perform the work and bill organizers. Foreign applicants must post a security deposit of €5 per participant or €10 per vehicle, forfeited for poor restoration.

Larger events may also require minimizing damage to landscapes and aquatic habitats, installing selective waste bins (for paper, plastic, glass, and refuse) at checkpoints, aid stations, starts, and finishes; providing sized portable toilets; marking spectator areas and access for control, aid, and emergency vehicles; managing parking, traffic, and restricted zones; and appointing a licensed Andorran environmental director. This director monitors compliance, provides real-time updates, and submits a post-event report confirming adherence to the ordinance and other rules.

Free camping is restricted to authorized cases for groups with more than three tents or over two nights, in line with existing public space regulations. All fires—agricultural, forestry, camping, barbecues, or festive—must be notified to the council and follow sector-specific standards.

Pedestrian access to parish paths is free and prioritized, including over bikes at Pal Arinsal Bike Park outside operating hours. Downhill and enduro bikes are limited to Bike Park circuits, with mountain bikes restricted to marked routes. Motorized four-wheeled vehicles are permitted on forest tracks and paths averaging over 2.5 meters wide; two-wheeled ones on narrower paths unless prohibited. Bans apply to the Camí Ral, Camí de Menairons, parish MTB circuits, Pal Arinsal ski domain and Bike Park without EMAP approval, and Comapedrosa Natural Park interiors. All vehicles must stay under 20 km/h without specific signs, limit groups to five, and keep 200-meter separations between groups traveling the same direction.

Infringements are graded as minor, serious, or very serious, with fines from €100 to €3,000 based on severity and context. Council traffic and environmental agents, police, and Banders can immobilize and temporarily seize vehicles risking harm to people, property, or ecosystems. Very serious violations may lead to permanent confiscation and council auction.

Some ordinance details remain under development.