A reminder: it is forbidden to collect pine cones from the Nature Park

CAMPO DE GIBRALTAR At this time of year, and further into the summer, it used to be a custom to head out into the forest, particularly where pines were to be see, to collect pine cones, be they to be used for fire starters or Christmas decorations. This applies to all nature parks, apparently, but we'll concentrate on our local ones, including the largest, of course, Parque Natural Los Alcornocales. The nature protection unit of the Guradia Civil, SEPRONA, wil,l certainly confiscate any large amounts and subject you to heavy fines for it. We dare say - but don't quote us - that just a few of them  on the car floor may not elicit any of the above. However, if you carry almost 500 kilos of it in a van, you might attract their attention, as happened to some people in Jimena last year. But it's as well to know that it is also forbidden to remove any kind of vegetation from the parks, also. Mushrooms, though, seem to have a law unto themselves.