THE GAVARRES CASE IN THE CONTEXT OF THE CATALAN PROTECTED AREAS

ORIOL ARMET UNZETA

[This seminary is possible thanks to the support obtained by the Universities of and the Balearic Islands for the consolidation of Projects of Excellence (Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports Resolution of 4 December 2015, Case No. CEI15-09)] The Gavarres case, in the context of Catalan protected areas.

Connecting Natural & Cultural Heritage seminar

Oriol Armet Unzeta Catalan context

Catalunya Population: 7 508 106 Area: 32 108 km2 Main ecosystems: • Forests and meadows (63%), crop lands (29%), • Coast (580 km) Fauna and flora: • 30 000 species • Mediterranean hotspot Main pressures: • 7 milions in 30% territory • Intense industrial activity • 20 milion tourists/year • Dens road infrastructure Different level of administrations and legislation

Natural protected area in

NPA: 1.106.181 Ha (Nº: 184)

NAEP: 311.873 Ha (Nº: 19)

Category V & II Governance of Natural protected area in Catalonia

39% have a management body “Let me tell you an story about nature & culture”

6 Introduction: humanized nature

Once upon a time … Introduction: humanized nature

The megalithic age: 4.800 a 1.300 B.C.

The oldest human remains of Gavarres Introduction: humanized nature

Middle age The maximum population level was reached during this age Introduction: A humanized nature

18th – 20th century  The golden age of cork • Expansion of the French wine industry

• A cork industry emerged arround gavarres

• The cork forest and vineyard surface increases a lot

• Phylloxera  vineyards desapeared  new cork plantations

Introduction: A humanized nature

20th century  forests overexplotation and abandonment

• Postwar periode: Cut all over the woods

• Appearance of fossil fuels: • Depopulation • Forest abandonment

Chapter 1: NATURE

And then in 1992 …..

• ANI  Natura 2000 network • Surface: 28.672 ha • One of the biggest natural protected area in Catalonia NATURE

. Diversity of forest ecosystems (Quercus suber / Pinus pinaster)

• 93 % forests

• 103 Habitats

. Excellent reserve of Mediterranean flora and fauna populations

• 33 sp. vertebrates

• 1.200 sp of flora Chapter 2: CULTURE

Two years later, in 1994-1996 …

• The first inventory of cultural heritage was carried out Chapter 2: CULTURE

1400 elements of 76 different typologies

Ethnologic Archaeological

Religious Historic Consorci Gavarres

…. And finally, in 1998 something magical happened in terms of governance …

A BOTTOM UP DECISION Consorci Gavarres

Main objectives:

• Protection, restoration and enhancement of the natural & cultural heritage • Public use management • Environmental education and scientific research • Local development and sustainable use of natural resources

Members: • 24 public administration • 2 association of land owners (Gavarres and Catalonia)

Estructure

• Government estructure: President, Plenary and Executive Council • Consultive organs: Cooperation council • Technical office: Manager, 2 biologists, historian and office clerk Consorci Gavarres

• Fragmentation

GIRONÈS • Diverse perception

• High antropic pressure BAIX EMPORDÀ

Baix Empordà Gironès Cassà de la Selva Castell-Platja d’Aro Celrà Corçà Girona 940 inhabitants Cruïlles-Monells-Sant Juià Interior Sadurní de l’Heura Llambilles la Bisbal d’Empordà Mont-ras Quart 300.000 inhabitants Sant Martí Vell periferia Palamós Santa Cristina d’Aro Torrent Vall-llobrega Consorci Gavarres

. 1.- Conservation and promotion of natural heritage

Consorci Gavarres

. 2.- Conservation and promotion of cultural heritage

Consorci Gavarres

. Ethnologic heritage

Consorci Gavarres

. Ethnologic heritage

Consorci Gavarres

. Ethnologic heritage

Consorci Gavarres

. Intangible heritage (Ethnologic): Charcoal popular celebrations

Consorci Gavarres

. Intangible heritage (Ethnologic): Tile popular workshop

Consorci Gavarres

. Intangible heritage (Ethnologic): Popular architecture workshops

Consorci Gavarres

. Religious heritage: Sant Cebrià dels Alls, a church in stewarship

Consorci Gavarres

. Religious heritage

Consorci Gavarres

. Intangible heritage (religious): religious cerimony and a popular party

Consorci Gavarres

. Archaeological heritage

• Research • Archaeological digs • Restoration • Interpretation and promotion Consorci Gavarres

. Gavarres intangible heritage inventory

• What do you prefere? • To look a partiture, visit an empty church, touch a book or ... • Listen a song, live a religious celebration or that someone could tell you an story?

• As we’ve seen, tangible and intangible heritage they enrich each other and one does not make sense without the other. Every song needs a partiture, a religious celebration needs a kind building and if you write an story you ensure its persistence in time.

• For that reason, in 2017 we’ve started the Gavarres intangible heritage inventory in terms to catalogue all the different elements, interviewing local people, recording all different kind of interesting materials and writing a definitive report.

• The idea is that all the material will be published in our website: • www.immaterialgavarres.cat

• In a future we would like to link intangible heritage with local development

Consorci Gavarres

. A small example of culture & nature heritage conservation

Consorci Gavarres

. 3.- Public use management

Consorci Gavarres

. 4.- Environmental education and scientific research

Consorci Gavarres

. 5.- Sustainable local development

Consorci Gavarres

And suddenly, in 2011 the bad guy of the story appeared:

THE CRISIS !!!

70 % budget decrease + Nature – Culture (poor brothers) + Low political profile ______

In Danger of extinction (Critically Endangered, IUCN)

… and then the hero arrives…

Gavarres 2025 initiative

37 Gavarres 2025

Public adminsitration

University

Entreprise

3rd sector

Civil Society

Gavarres 2025

Challenge:

“To generate a new model of integral management of Gavarres by the horizon 2025 with the aim of conforming a territory adapted to the global changes Gavarres 2025

Final Purpose

 “For a living territory and a place where people could:

 “Live”

 “Work”

 “Enjoy”

 The concept of Nature & culture is consolidated

Gavarres 2025

GAVARRES 2025 LAB

• Sistemic action  impact investment

• Networking  Shared governance

• Operative groups prototyping

• Funds  We’ve doubled the funding for 2019

2 examples of Gavarres 2025 initiative

Candidature of Gavarres Cork Cultural Landscape World Heritage - UNESCO

Gavarres: as a Natural cork protected area

Suredes 16.900 (59 %)

Cork cultural heritage surrounding

Gavarres massif

Cork cultural heritage surrounding Gavarres massif

Urban development

Houses

Industry

Museum: tangible & intangible heritage Society

Infraestructures: trains, ports, electricity, etc. Candidature of Gavarres Cork Cultural Landscape World Heritage - UNESCO

Nominated property: Buffer zone: - NPA of Gavarres - 23 towns (20+3) - Tangible & intangible heritage

Candidatura Gavarres Paisatge Cultural Surer Patrimoni de la Humanitat - UNESCO First steps:

• Governance: Alliance between Consorci Gavarres and Cork Museum of Palafrugell

• We’ve written a first abstract of the candidature

• We’ve presented the inicial idea to the catalan government with a high acceptance: • Outstanding universal value • Authentcity and/or integrity • Governance: Consorci Gavarres - Cork Museum • An alive activity that needs to be preserved and promoted

• We’ve done a first inventory of the cork material heritage: • 357 elements 20 different categories (mainly industries and houses) • 85 are Public • 28 already have a protection figure

• 3 Final master or degree projects in collaboration with UdG: • Annabel Marín - Master Tourism & Heritage • Pere Noguera – Master Cultural & Natural Heritage • Andreu Cufí – Degree in Geography & History

• 2018-19: Presentation of the candidature to local stakeholders (Cork Network)

• 2020: Presentation of the candidature at a nacional or internacional level

Candidatura Gavarres Paisatge Cultural Surer Patrimoni de la Humanitat - UNESCO

Why?:

• Iniciative: • Transversal: Nature & Culture • Integrative: Align all the local stakeholders within the same purpose

• The process could be even more transformative than the final result

• The declaration will put in value the Gavarres territory

• We’ll generate new sustainable economies

• Help to conserve and promote the natural and cultural heritage of Les Gavarres

Festival Art & Gavarres Festival Art & Gavarres Festival Art & Gavarres Festival Art & Gavarres Festival Art & Gavarres Festival Art & Gavarres Festival Art & Gavarres Festival Art & Gavarres Festival Art & Gavarres

Why?

• Binomial: nature & culture

• Put in value Gavarres and other initiatives

• Reconnect society and Gavarres

• Establish a new model of sustainable and responsible tourism

• Futur: Replicate the Festival  transform the massif – Ask for a challenge (artists and citizens)  F. ex.: Climate change? – Reflect during the festival: Where we are now and we want to go? – Get some results – Act in consequence Conclusions • Nature & Culture is in our DNA (past, present & future)

– 1992: Declaration of Gavarres Area of Natural Interest

– 1994-96: Inventory of cultural heritage

– 1998: Consorci Gavarres was created and incorporates cultural heritage as one of the main purposes

– 2008: Set up a technical area of cultural heritage

– 2010: Declaration of Gavarres Zone of Ethnological Interest

– 2008-18: Several projects of the bionomial “nature & culture”

– 2017-18: Gavarres 2025

• Management: holistic & shared governance 60 ... and then they all lived happily ever after

Thank you

61