Marked Paths and Sustainable Rural Development Marked Paths and Sustainable Rural Development PERSON RESPONSIBLE FOR THE STUDY: JOSÉ MARÍA NASARRE SARMIENTO CHIEF RESEARCHERS: LÁZARO MEDIAVILLA SALDAÑA PEDRO MANUEL MILLÁN DEL ROSARIO RESEARCHERS: CARLOS FERRIS GIL VICENTE MANUEL ZAPATA HERNÁNDEZ ANTONIO ALBA MORATILLA PEDRO BRAVO DOMÍNGUEZ ANTONIO JOAQUÍN SÁNCHEZ SÁNCHEZ MARÍA RUIPÉREZ GONZÁLEZ PAU PÉREZ DE PEDRO ANTONIO TURMO ARNAL JUAN JESÚS IBÁÑEZ MARTÍN DESIGN AND LAYOUT: CHEMI CABALEIRO WWW.CREATECNIA.ES PHOTOGRAPHY: ALL PHOTOS ARE PART OF THE FILE CREATED BY THE AUTHORS OF THIS STUDY. ©FEDME. 2012. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. NO PART OF THIS STUDY MAY BE REPRODUCED, IN ANY FORM WITHOUT THE EXPRESS CONSENT OF THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS. Marked Paths and Sustai- nable Rural Development Content Presentation 3 Introduction 5 Methodology 13 Characterisation of footpaths analysed 29 Study data 71 Qualitative data in the study 72 Quantitative data in the study 84 Conclusions and recommendations 93 Conclusions 94 Recommendations 98 Acknowledgements 103 The study in figures 105 Marked Paths and Sustainable Rural Development presentation 3 Trailwalking is one of the sports carried out under the supervision and direction of the Spanish Federation for Mountain and Climbing Sports and the Regional Mountaineering Federations, who are responsible for promoting and implementing trailwalking projects in Spain and have full com- petency in their respective regions. Ever since the first long-distance trail (GR) was marked in Spain in 1975, the network has continued to grow until the present day, thanks to the generosity and efforts of the mountain association affiliated to the mountaineering clubs. The development of this network of paths has gone hand in hand with spectacular growth in the number of walkers in Spain, with this sport now boasting the highest proportion of sportsmen and women practising the various mountain activities contempla- ted by the Federation. Walking is a sports activity that is perfect when it comes to meeting the requirements for low impact on the environment and respect for nature, and has recently become a major tourist attrac- tion. The marked paths recover and maintain trails that our ancestors used for trade and communi- cation. They run mainly through areas of high environmental value, revealing some veritable gems with regard to the flora and fauna, and often feature samples of local heritage of great historical value. Familiarity with the geography, topography and landscape, together with perception on the ground of the culture and customs of rural people, provide a significant wealth of knowledge of the first magnitude. Excellent planning of the trail network acts as a socio-economic catalyst in the rural areas the rou- tes pass through. It recovers the traditional communications network, creates the services sec- tor, distributes tourist flows in space and time, and fosters a model of sustainable development. Mountaineers have always been sensitive to the endemic problems suffered by many mountain villages that are often remote, with no amenities and located in rugged terrain, which in many ca- ses forces the inhabitants to leave, leading to the obvious deterioration of the environment. Such activities help to fix the population and create better standards of living for mountain dwellers and should therefore be given top priority by the authorities concerned, in conjunction with initiatives put forward by the rural population. We mountaineers will continue working to help bring these legitimate aspirations to fruition. The study presented today, drawn up by FEDME’s nature access committee with the decisive support of the General Directorate of Sustainable Rural Development of the Ministry of the Environment and Rural and Marine Affairs, is moving in this direction. In our opinion, the conclusions and recom- mendations ensuing from this study should be used to take a step forward in promoting walking and rambling in our society and to channel their positive effects in the conservation of the natural environment and in improving standard of living in Spanish rural areas. Juan Garrigós i Toro President of the Spanish Federation for Mountain and Climbing Sports The growing social demand for the chance to practise activities in direct contact with nature is a fact that needs to be taken into account by the public authorities with specific responsibilities for rural areas. Furthermore, the close relationship between the rural and natural environments offers great opportunities for socio-economic development in the case of the former, while ensuring sustainable use and adequate conservation of the resources of the latter. In this context, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Environment has extensive experience in using the resources the rural environment has to offer to meet the growing importance of “green tourism”. A programme of non-motorised itineraries or nature trails has been in the works since 1993 with the recovery of thousands of miles of infrastructure that had fallen into disuse, such as cattle trails, towpaths, old railway lines, etc. This has generated a new source of wealth for the surrounding area after their original purpose has subsided, and has given them a “new lease of life” by adapting them to the demands of present-day tracks and trails, boosted by other activities that aim to showcase existing natural and cultural resources, as is the case of the interpretative signage in place along the various routes. All public and private organisations involved in construction activities and waymarking for this type of route are greatly concerned to ascertain the real impact such activities have on the socio- economic situation of the rural environment they pass through, in order to optimise the use of public resources, which are always so limited. This study aims to cover the need to obtain valid conclusions for taking decisions about tracks and trails in rural areas, based on the systematic analysis of the experience culled from similar infrastructure. In this study, the Spanish Federation for Mountain and Climbing Sports offers an in-depth analysis of a heterogeneous set of existing trails in our country along with their socio-economic impact, and presents a number of conclusions and recommendations, which will almost certainly prove to be an extremely useful tool for everyone involved in the task of combining economic development with the valuation of natural resources. Begoña Nieto Gilarte Director General for Rural Development and Forest Policy Marked Paths and Sustainable Rural Development and SustainableRural Development Paths Marked FEADER introduction 5 introduction 6 Essential Ninety per cent of the land in Spain is rural, but it is home to only twenty per cent of the popu- evolution of rural lation. The gradual decline in the number of inhabitants in rural areas in recent decades makes areas it necessary to take measures to make it more attractive to stay, and to generate future poten- tial. For this reason, it is imperative to redress the imbalances that have arisen, particularly in terms of amenities and quality of life, so as to offer the same opportunities that can be found in a town. To do so, we need complex, multisector, active policies combining small actions linked to the region with a broader, comprehensive vision, in partnership with the organisations uphol- ding the social fabric. While powers in this area basically belong to the regional authorities, it befalls the statewide administrations and organisations to promote activities for guidance, coordination and large-scale design. This is the function of the Ministry of Environment, and Rural and Marine Affairs (hereinafter referred to as MARM from the Spanish Ministerio de Medio Ambiente y Medio Rural y Marino), along with the Spanish Federation for Mountain and Climbing Sports (hereinafter referred to as FEDME) insofar as they are responsible, who will endeavour to offer guidance and coordination for the regional federations that form part of their membership. A legal In the face of what is now seen as a need in the early 21st century, Law 45/2007, of 13 Decem- framework for ber, for sustainable rural development, aims to boost the socio-economic fabric of rural areas sustainable and offer access to public amenities that are adequate in both quantity and quality. Article 2 rural develop- sets out the general aims of the law as follows: ment a) To maintain and broaden the economic base of rural areas by preserving competitive and multifunctional activities, and diversifying their economy with the incorporation of new activi- ties that are compatible with sustained development. b) To maintain and improve conditions in the towns and villages and raise the standard of living among the inhabitants, by guaranteeing basic public amenities that are both adequate and sufficient to ensure equal opportunities and non-discrimination, particularly for the population that is most vulnerable or at risk of exclusion. c) To conserve and restore heritage and cultural and natural resources in rural areas through both public and private initiatives that are consistent with sustainable development. The study on footpaths and sustainable rural development is built on these general objectives and is Marked Paths and Sustainable Rural Development 7 channelled through the First Sustainable Rural Development Programme. Trailwalking, which is a sports phenomenon that first appeared over twenty years ago (in 1975) and has been developing since then solely