Institutional recognition to Mr. José Boixo Sánchez

Text read in the ordinary plenary session of November 5, 2020

The municipal plenary session is the representative body of the popular will and, as such, we have considered that it is an ideal setting for the public recognition of those residents of Almonte who have had a remarkable life and professional career and of those who, in the Most of the cases, we only remember once we are missing. We believe this initiative (which complements other recognitions granted by this City Council, such as the Andalusian Day awards) is an act of justice and a well-deserved tribute to these people, when we can still enjoy their presence, their talent and wisdom.

 

The first person we want to honor through this initiative is Mr. José Boixo.

José Boixo Sánchez-Guarda Mayor of the Doñana Biological Reserve from 1965 until his retirement, already in the 21st century, after 40 years of service- was born on September 30, 1935, ten months before the start of the Civil War, in a hut on the Las Carabiruelas vein. Son of the guardian of the Marisma de Hinojos, he has dedicated his professional life entirely to the care of Doñana, the most precious jewel of the rich natural heritage of our municipality. In the hard life of Doñana, from a very young age he began in the country tasks, carrying out reforestation work with his father and brothers on the lands then managed by the Coto de Doñana Society, but also doing the work of guarding a space essentially hunting, where the first objective of its owners was to maintain the quality of both aquatic and large game hunting, and where hunting lynx was part of the usual work and a complementary resource to the battered economies of the time. With the arrival of Professor Valverde, the purchase of the Doñana Biological Reserve and the subsequent declaration of a national park, the paradigm of its function changed: if the lynx was hunted before as vermin, now it was venerated as a precious species worthy of protection. In both assignments, José Boixo honored his professionalism and sense of duty. Professionalism and sense of duty. Perhaps these are two of his main values ​​as a worker and as a person, that and his exhaustive knowledge of each of the corners of Doñana, which together with his prodigious memory allows him to know the exact location of each of the more than 450 cork oaks that he splinted more than 30 years ago. Absolutely amazing is the ability to orient him through the mountains to find a grazing ground, a lagoon, or a majestic cork oak. A thorough, discreet, upright, helpful man, his work has been appreciated during his long career in Doñana by each of those responsible to whom he has had to answer, and by the illustrious visitors he has attended, from royal families to Presidents. of the Government, being recognized this trajectory, last year, by the Natural Space of Doñana in the commemorative act of the 50 Anniversary. His work has undoubtedly contributed to protecting a unique heritage, his wisdom and knowledge of the territory make it a heritage in itself, which we have to thank for his willingness and generosity to share it with whoever wants to stop to listen to him and enjoy his life experience. in one of the most important natural paradises in Europe. For all these reasons, today the Almonte City Council, meeting in plenary session, wants to pay tribute to him and publicly acknowledge his contribution to the maintenance and conservation of the natural and cultural heritage of our municipality, and its dissemination to the world in his 40 years of impeccable professional career since his Post of Guardian Mayor of Doñana.