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 Girona 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 Catalonia
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 Calonge Cassà de la Selva Castell-Platja d’Aro Celrà Corçà Girona 940 inhabitants Cruïlles-Monells-Sant Juià Interior Sadurní de l’Heura Llagostera Forallac Llambilles la Bisbal d’Empordà Madremanya Mont-ras Quart 300.000 inhabitants Palafrugell 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
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