The Huerta Agricultural Landscape in the Spanish Mediterranean Arc: One Landscape, Two Perspectives, Three Specific Huertas
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
land Article The Huerta Agricultural Landscape in the Spanish Mediterranean Arc: One Landscape, Two Perspectives, Three Specific Huertas Pablo Martí and Clara García-Mayor * Urban Design and Regional Planning Unit, Building Sciences and Urbanism Department, University of Alicante, E-03080 Alicante, Spain; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +34-965909568 Received: 13 October 2020; Accepted: 16 November 2020; Published: 18 November 2020 Abstract: The Huerta is recognised as one of the 13 specific agricultural landscapes in Europe, present in only three Mediterranean countries, namely Spain, Italy, and Greece. In the case of Spain, three areas fall within the established Huerta agricultural classification: the Huertas de Valencia, Murcia, and Vega Baja. While all of them share common landscape features, each Huerta has distinguishing singularities which are approached through two perspectives: firstly, the structural tangible elements, related to functional networks—water distribution, pathways networks, settlement patterns, and the agricultural production system; and secondly, the role of the intangible components—connotations of the word Huerta, water management, canal and path upkeep rules, and the administration of these territories. The analysis of the tangible elements and intangible components in the three Spanish Huertas shows these territories as complex and balanced systems that have historically counterbalanced the environmental drawbacks in one of the most arid European regions. Despite being a highly appreciated environmental and productive asset, these Huertas are under intense pressure from urban development in highly urbanized metropolitan areas. This study shows Huertas’ uniqueness through their historical role in the territorial planning and management strategies at the local level, finally depicting Huertas as a present strategical opportunity for reaching environmental goals in peri-urban areas. Keywords: Huerta landscape; water landscapes; peri-urban agricultural landscape; resilient landscape; immaterial heritage; Spanish Mediterranean Huertas 1. Introduction The Huerta is one of the 13 types of European agricultural landscapes identified in the compilation put forward by J.H.A. Meeus, M.P. Wijermans, and M.J. Vroom in 1990. It distinguishes specific areas resulting from research into the interaction between agriculture and landscape at a continental scale by focusing on climate, slope, and image. In the case of the Huerta agricultural landscape, they were all identified as open valleys in the Mediterranean area [1]. Despite the Huerta landscape having been well known at the local level from its inception, awareness of its uniqueness in Europe did not emerge until this map, reproduced in Figure1 left, was published in 1990. Only six territories—located in Spain, Italy, and Greece—belong to this landscape category, defined by “its origins and its regional context” [1]. The map indicates the present-day scarcity of the Huerta area as an agricultural structure in the European context, within the Mediterranean Arc countries. Subsequently, based on the aforementioned map, the European Environmental Agency in the Dobris Report [2] highlighted for the first time the various European landscapes, including the Land 2020, 9, 0460; doi:10.3390/land9110460 www.mdpi.com/journal/land Land 2020, 9, 0460 2 of 22 Huerta. The specific areas of Huerta along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea are grouped under the “Artificial Landscapes” heading (Figure1). Land 2020, 9, x FOR PEER REVIEW 2 of 22 (a) (b) FigureFigure 1. 1.(a)( aAgricultural) Agricultural landscapes landscapes in inEurope Europe [1] [1 (p.298);] (p.298); (b ()b )Dobris Dobris Report Report map map for for European European Landscapes,Landscapes, based based on on Meeus Meeus et etal. al. map map [2] [2. ].Note Note that that HuertaHuerta locationslocations are are highlighted highlighted in in dark dark-red-red shadedshaded spots. spots. TheThe HuertaHuerta LandscapeLandscape has has been been shaped shaped by by human human activities activities and and the the land land’s’s geo geo-morphological-morphological characteristics.characteristics. They They are are intensively intensively farmed farmed soils soils of of Europe Europe which which have have been been transfo transformedrmed and and exploitedexploited over over the the course course of centuries, of centuries, providing providing high high benefits benefits in terms in terms of the of quality, the quality, quantity, quantity, and varietyand variety of crops of crops[3]. Thus, [3]. Thus, from fromtheir theirinception, inception, the richness the richness and and mixture mixture of ofagricultural agricultural production, production, relatedrelated to tosoil, soil, climate, climate, and andwater water resou resources,rces, have contributed have contributed not only not to only define to the define spatiality the spatiality of each areaof— eachtangible area—tangible elements— elements—butbut also to alsodevelop to develop specific specific features features of ofthe the immaterial immaterial heritage heritage factorsfactors—intangible—intangible components components—all—all of of them them,, expressions expressions of of HuertaHuerta landscapelandscape characterization. characterization. ForFor centu centuries,ries, inhabitants inhabitants ofof these these regions regions made made this this fertile fertile ground ground their their most most precious precious asset asset andand ultimately ultimately it itbecame became the the backbone backbone of of the the local local economy. economy. The The HuertaHuerta entailsentails a agenuine genuine 10 10-century-century longlong process process of of agricultural agricultural tasks tasks based based on on the the management management of of the the scar scarcece water water to to produce produce intense intenselyly irrigatedirrigated cropping cropping [4] [4. ].It Itdevelops develops an an original original settlement settlement system system in in harmony harmony with with environmental environmental peculiarities,peculiarities, supported supported by by an an extensive extensive path path network network to to ensure ensure mobility mobility and and accessibility accessibility [5,6] [5,6].. InIn the the last last 25 25years years,, Europe Europe has hasundergone undergone many many changes changes at an atincredibly an incredibly rapid pace. rapid New pace. structuresNew structures have been have superimposed been superimposed onto ontoold systems old systems and andnew new policies policies have have been been developed developed and and implementedimplemented on on the the landscape, landscape, agriculture,agriculture, and and environment, environment, aff affectingecting each each territory territory distinctively distinctively [7–9 ]. [7–Landscapes9]. Landscapes are dynamic are dynamic and thereby and thereby change change is one of is their one properties.of their properties. However, theirHowever, evolution their is evolutionaffected notis affected only by not the only speed by and the scale speed of theirand transformationscale of their transformation but also by user but perceptions also by user and perceptionsaspirations and which, aspirations in turn, which determine, in turn users’, determine behaviour user [10s’]. behaviour Despite being [10]. initiallyDespite locatedbeing initially in rural locatedareas, in nowadays rural areas, these nowadays territories these are territories influenced are by influenced metropolitan by metropolitan agglomerations agglomerations that have evolved that havethrough evolved the processthrough of the extension process and of extension densification and of densification ancient urban of settlements ancient urban [11]. settlements Now, these fertile[11]. Nowareas, these are fading fertile inareas the peri-urbanare fading fringe,in the whereperi-urban empty fringe, spaces where and abandoned empty spaces agricultural and abandon plotsed are increasingly emerging [7,12–14]. Notwithstanding the above, Huertas’ location and extension make agricultural plots are increasingly emerging [7,12–14]. Notwithstanding the above, Huertas’ location them a tactical asset for reaching European Union urban and peri-urban agriculture goals—UPUA [15]. and extension make them a tactical asset for reaching European Union urban and peri-urban Recently, some of the most relevant issues for the EU policies agenda are related to agriculture in agriculture goals—UPUA [15]. the EU, specifically urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPUA). This is a highly diverse phenomenon, Recently, some of the most relevant issues for the EU policies agenda are related to agriculture which links territory, society, economic transformations, EU strategic objectives on regional food system in the EU, specifically urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPUA). This is a highly diverse phenomenon, which links territory, society, economic transformations, EU strategic objectives on regional food system approaches, environmental issues, and public health, among others. It has been over the last decades when UPUA has gained increasing awareness and several European research projects have arisen. There has been an investment of 142,872,500 € of European public funds within 41 research projects and initiatives in the period comprised between 2001 and 2022—some of them are ongoing programs [15]. A systematic understanding of how these specific Huerta territories are Land 2020, 9, 0460 3 of 22 Land 2020, 9, x FOR PEER REVIEW 3 of 22 approaches, environmental issues, and