Laboratori d’Estudis Socials de l’Enginyeria Civil

Dealing with conflicts between conservation and

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

Elisabet Roca, Míriam Villares, Elisabeth Fernández

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 .

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1. The context: The policy conservation

• In Spain, conservation policies launched to protect

natural values during the 70s and 80s were
characterized for the designation of natural
protected areas in an isolated fashion.

• Nowadays, there is an understanding that it is

necessary to protect the functionality of these
areas and therefore, the creation of a network of
connected natural systems is basic.

• The network consolidation is often carried out

through normative instruments i.e. designation of new
protected areas which works as ecological corridors.

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1. The context: The policy conservation

Areas of special interest

Plan
Nature 2000 Net

Public forest

Wetlands

Geozones

Source: Territorial Plan of Empordà. 2006.

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1. The context: Ecological connectors among natural areas

Plan of areas of special interest

River connectors

Terrestrial connectors

Dificulty of connexion

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1. The context: Emergence of conflicts

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1. The context: Conflicts arisen

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1. The context: Conflicts arisen

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1. The context: Conflicts arisen

Plan of areas of special interest

River connectors

Terrestrial connectors

Dificulty of connexion

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2. Objective

The main objective is to explore public perceptions

related to this intervention in order to clarify the main
causes of social rejection.

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2. Methods

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

Stakeholders’ identification and their relationships

Reconstruction of the conflict background
Perception analysis
Lights and shadows on the conflict

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3. The study area

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3. The study area: Ecosystem functions

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3. The study area: Ecosystem functions

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3. The study area: Ecosystem functions

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3. The study area: Ecosystem functions

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3. The study area: Ecosystem functions

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3. The study area: Ecosystem functions

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4. Background of the 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 approved
the Law 21/1983 of October 28th and
declared Els Aiguamolls de l'Empordà 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 of the conflict

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5. Stakeholders’ identification
Type of actor Actor

National Ministry of the Environment, Rural and Marine Affairs. General Directorate of Coasts.

Department of Environment and Housing

Regional Department of Planning and Public Works
Department of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries
Public
Alt Empordà Regional Council
administration
Supra-local the Governing Board of the Park
Girona Provincial Council

The Municipalities of Sant Pere Pescador, Castello d'empuries

Local
Riumors, Palau-Saverdera, Peralada, Pau, Pedret i Marzá, L'Escala, Roses, L'Armentera.

Agriculture Farmers Union and Cooperatives

Socioeconomic activities
Camping Association of Sant Pere, the Tourist Board and nautical
Tourism
beach activities agencies
IADEN (The Alt Empordà Institution for the Study and Defense of
Environmental values
Nature

Territorial Lobbies Landowners Let’s Save Catalunya Platform

Hunting Association of Hunters of Castelló d'Empúries)

Diari de Girona
Mass media Written press
El Punt Girona
Universidad de Girona
Universities and
Experts Centro de Estudios Avanzados de Blanes
research centers
Universidad Politécnica de Catalunya
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6. Public perception analysis

Agriculture Sector perspective

• One of the most affected sectors and probably the most reluctant
to 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 new
appreciation 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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6. Public perception analysis

Tourist sector perspective

• 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 the
protection 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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6. Public perception analysis

Local authorities
• There is a shared vision: the park has been an island inside the
region
• Blame the park for this situation by its strict conservation policy
and the lack of dialogue and participation.
• Recognition that they have lived with their back turned to the
park. It has essentially opted for a sun and sand tourism and
has not been able to find synergies with other forms of tourism
that would go to the park searching nature.

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7. Lights and shadows on the conflict

• The conflict of interest between conservation and development is

accentuated in the coastal area because of the high
competence of uses.
• Since the origin of the designation Aiguamolls de l'Empordà as a
protected area in 1983, the relationships with the park has
been very complicated.
• The past management of the park was carried out in an isolated
way, excluding the rest of the territory. This fact has generated
suspicion and rejection of future actions.
• The historical ineffectiveness of the Managing Board have fuelled
the conflict.
• It is necessary to look for capabilities to combine attractives and
complicities between the model of sun and sand tourism and
eco-tourism, both present in the area but which ignore each
other.
• A management model that encourages participation and dialogue
and a stable and continuous cooperation of the different agents
in the territory. This has to facilitate greater integration of socio-
economic activities in a setting with great environmental values.

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 Thank you!

www.itt.upc.edu/lesec/
Elisabet.roca@upc.edu

Littoral 2010, 21-23 setembre 2010