Roca, Villares, Fernandez - Littoral 2010 (Education Centre)

8/8/2019 Roca, Villares, Fernandez - Littoral 2010 (Education Centre)

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Dealing with conflicts between conservation and

socioeconomic activities.A social perception study in the Costa Brava, Spain.

Elisabet Roca, Mriam Villares, Elisabeth Fernndez

Laboratori dEstudis Socials de lEnginyeria Civil

Laboratori dEstudis Socials de lEnginyeria Civil


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Contents

1. The context: New conservation plans and the

reappearance of old conflicts.

2. Goals, approach and methodology

3. The case study: A conflict analysis in Costa

Brava.4. The results: Background of the conflict

5. The results: Stakeholders identification

6. The results: Public perceptions

/. Conclusions: Lights and shadows of the conflict .

Littoral 2010, 21-23 setembre 2010


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Source: Territorial Plan of Empord. 2006.

AreasofspecialinterestPlan

Nature 2000 Net

Public forest

Wetlands

Geozones

1. The context: The policy conservation



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1. The context: Ecological connectorsamongnaturalareas

Planofareasofspecialinterest

Riverconnectors

Terrestrial connectors

Dificulty ofconnexion



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1. The context:Conflictsarisen



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Planofareasofspecialinterest

Riverconnectors

Terrestrial connectors

Dificulty ofconnexion




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2. Objective

The main objective is to explore public perceptionsrelated to this intervention in order to clarify the maincauses of social rejection.



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1. local documents and press reviews

2. 15 In-depth interview to key stakholders:

Values of the protected area

Uses and activities inside and outside

Level of conservation

Current state of the designated area and its historical evolution

Principal problems

Solutions proposed

The opinion on the project

The role of the administration on conservation policy

2. Methods

Stakeholdersidentificationand theirrelationships

Reconstructionofthe conflictbackground

Perceptionanalysis

Lightsand shadowsonthe conflict



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3. Thestudy area



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3. Thestudy area: Ecosystemfunctions



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4. Background ofthe conflict

Early seventies: a macro housing

development in the wetland was proposed

1977 Social movement against the plan

1978 Invalidation of the urban plan

1983, the Parliament of Catalonia approvedthe Law 21/1983 of October 28th and

declared Els Aiguamolls de l'Empord a

Natural Area of National Interest and

Zoological and Botanical Integral Reserve. 2008 New proposal to extend the park



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4. Background ofthe conflict



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6. Public perceptionanalysis

AgricultureSectorperspective

One of the most affected sectors and probably the most reluctantto the Natural Park.

Sector greatly affected by processes beyond the local scale so

they sees the park as an obstacle to developing their business

A loss of a future opportunity to change their land uses to other

more economically profitable. They blame the park to contribute to the deterioration of the

quality and balance of its natural systems: reintroduction of

species, the water management, the limitation on certain crops

or hunting restrictions.

Solution requires dialogue, collaboration and they defend a newappreciation of farmers. Beyond their productive activity, they

claim a higher valuation of their role in the protection of

landscape and the function of ecological and territorial

connectivity.



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Touristsectorperspective

Acknowledgement of the need to maintain environmental quality,which largely favors the attraction of tourists.

this sector has the perception that the park's conservation policy

is at the expense of limiting and reducing its activity and thus

compromising their future.

They claim recognition that their activity also contributes to theprotection of the area, both because they develop a soft activity

on the territory as well as attracting a type of conscious and

responsible tourist.




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Localauthorities

There is a shared vision: the park has been an island inside theregion

Blame the park for this situation by its strict conservation policyand the lack of dialogue and participation.

Recognition that they have lived with their back turned to thepark. It has essentially opted for a sun and sand tourism and has

not been able to find synergies with other forms of tourism thatwould go to the park searching nature.




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7. Lightsand shadowsonthe conflict

The conflict of interest between conservation and developmentisaccentuated inthe coastalareabecause of the highcompetence of uses.

Since the origin of the designation Aiguamolls de l'Empord as aprotected area in 1983, therelationshipswith the park hasbeenvery complicated.

The pastmanagementof the park was carried out in anisolated way, excluding the rest of the territory. This fact has

generated suspicion and rejection of future actions. The historical ineffectiveness of the anaging Board have

fuelled the conflict.

It is necessary to look for capabilities to combine attractives andcomplicitiesbetweenthemodelofsunand sand tourismand eco-tourism, both present in the area but which ignore

each other. A management model that encourages participation anddialogue and a stable and continuous cooperation of thedifferent agents in the territory. This has to facilitate greaterintegration of socio-economic activities in a setting with greatenvironmental values.



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Thank you!

www.itt.upc.edu/lesec/

[email protected]



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Lanlisi dels sistemes costaners

Economics

Demography

Biology

Ecology

Landscape

PlanningGoverance

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Documents

Roca, Villares, Fernandez - Littoral 2010 (Education Centre)