Anna Ribas

Landscaping patterns and sociodemographic profiles in suburban areas: Implications for water conservation along the Mediterranean coast

The act of watering a garden greatly increases domestic water consumption in residential areas. This issue has caused local governments and managers to become concerned over how homeowners shape and maintain their gardens. This subject is critical along the Mediterranean coast, where residential urban sprawl has expanded over the last few decades and water resources are scarce. Suburban residents from the Girona region of Catalonia, Spain were surveyed to determine the main landscaping typologies used on suburban properties. Four garden typologies were identified and characterised: ornamental, vegetable, lawn and tree. Furthermore, a multinomial logistic regression analysis revealed how each landscaping pattern is associated with particular sociodemographic characteristics of the households (e.g., age, size, unemployment, length of residency). Management guidelines for water users, real estate companies and local governments are provided in the conclusions, focused on raising awareness and cooperation.

JARDINES PRIVADOS Y CONSUMO DE AGUA EN LAS PERIFERIAS URBANAS DE LA COMARCA DE LA SELVA (GIRONA)

Private landscaping and water consumption in suburban developments in La Selva County (Girona). In the suburban low-density areas, the landscaping typology becomes a relevant factor in regards to the average domestic water consumption per household. Firstly, in this study we applied a cluster analysis in order to find out the main landscaping typologies in this specific urban context in La Selva County. We used the information from a survey of 240 households, in the suburban low-density areas of 9 of the municipalities in this county. Results show 4 main garden typologies: ornamental, vegetable, lawn and tree. The study also intends to explore how the landscaping patterns obtained in the previous analysis are associated with particular sociodemographic characteristics of the households. Furthermore, a multinomial logistic regression analysis revealed how each landscaping pattern is associated with particular sociodemographic characteristics of the households, e.g., age, garden interest, household size or type of residential occupation.

Attitudes and behaviours towards water conservation on the Mediterranean coast: the role of socio-demographic and place-attachment factors

Previous research has suggested that a range of socio-demographic and place-attachment attributes might indicate the willingness of households to take direct action on water conservation. Based on a study of suburban residents from the Girona region of Spain, this article seeks to determine whether such variables are associated with pro-environmental water-conservation attitudes and behaviours. Results show no significant or consistent relationships between these predictors and a suite of attitudinal and behavioural variables, suggesting that the characteristics and descriptors of place attachment and pro-environmental behaviour may need further discrimination if relationships between the two are to be used to inform policy and intervention.

Qualifying irrigation system sustainability by means of stakeholder perceptions and concerns: lessons from the Segarra‐Garrigues Canal, Spain

When planning interventions, water and land resource managers increasingly need to take the opinions of stakeholders into account. In the present study, stakeholders’ concerns in a multifunctional water system are assessed, with a focus on the debate about the sustainability of irrigation projects in stressed and competing water contexts. The selected case study pertains to the Segarra-Garrigues irrigation canal (Spain), the promotion of which has generated social debate and mobilization, as well as pronouncements from European authorities for ensuring its environmental sustainability. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews and analysed by means of a new codification system for identifying the affinities and conflicts arising from existing water demands. Results show that sustainability concepts are more present in civil society than in public administration and private services or the rural community. However, social sustainability and environmental sustainability are a priority for most stakeholders, while the economic perspective of sustainable development has been conditioned by the first two. These results can be used by relevant authorities as a first step in customizing their interventions, as they provide a clear initial idea of what stakeholder priorities are in the framework of sustainable development.

Flood policy in Spain: a review for the period 1983-2013

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to assess the main changes regarding flood policy in Spain during the period 1983-2013, that is right after the large and very damaging episodes of 1982-1983 in Valencia, Catalonia and the Basque Country. Design/methodology/approach – This is above all a review paper that looks retrospectively at flood policy in Spain during the past three decades. In order to collect and organize the information the authors follow the methodology of the IPCC regarding vulnerability studies. That is, the authors provide evidence for an overall assessment of the evolution of exposure, sensibility and adaptive capacity to floods in Spain for the period of reference. The authors approach these issues through the own experience and expertise on this subject as noted in the reference list. Findings – While exposure to floods has generally increased (especially after the massive growth of urbanization in flood prone land of the 1990s and early 2000s) overall flood policy has contributed to...

Watering the garden: preferences for alternative sources in suburban areas of the Mediterranean coast

Gardening has become a relevant contributor to the quality of life of suburbanites, as a source of leisure, to build a relationship with nature or to express a particular social identity. Nevertheless, water scarcity in the Mediterranean region has increased concerns about how demand should be managed to face future uncertainties, and watering the gardens has become an element for discussion in urban planning. This contribution presents the findings of a survey of permanent residents and secondary homeowners (n = 230) in the suburban areas surrounding the city of Girona in the northeast of Catalonia (Spain). The area is a popular national and international tourist destination and a preferred place for second-home owners. We explore the main socio-demographic drivers for choosing an alternative watering source and we analyse if water-harvesting tank sizes properly meet net irrigation requirements. Results show that many water-harvesting tanks are oversized. The percentage of unemployed or retired household members, the estimated irrigation water needs of the garden and the education level directly influence the search for alternative sources of water. Moreover, social variables like interest in gardening, water conservation attitudes and household income indirectly influence the search for alternative sources of water.

RECREATIONAL USES AND MOTIVATIONS OF VISITORS IN SEASIDE WETLANDS OF COSTA BRAVA (SPAIN)

Seaside wetlands bring together a huge quantity of services and functions, especially ecological and social. All of them depend on the ecological quality of ecosystems and on the equipment and service that allow them to be enjoyed. Tourism is an economic segment, carrying an important weight in most coastal regions around the world. Hence a complete environmental management of seaside wetlands should include the touristic perspective. In this communication, we analyse usage and motivation in three seaside wetlands of the Costa Brava (Spain) through a survey realized in the months of the highest occurrence of visitors (from June to September 2015). From the results, we highlight the high number of visitors who use the sites for recreational purposes (49%), such as running or cycling, in comparison with visitors who stated aesthetic motivations (16%). Many visitors also stated no motivation for visiting the sites (31%); they use them as car parks to go to the beach or as a byway to other sites. On the other hand, most visitors stressed the landscape (30%) or the degree of naturalness (29%) as a positive element of seaside wetlands, while the majority of negative elements are linked to bad management of the site (36%). When we requested a landscape valuation in a five-point scale, a significant number of high values were shown. Furthermore, we found a link between evaluation and tourism typology (local, national or foreign, lodged or excursionist) and motivation for visit (recreational, aesthetic or without). The principal conclusion is that, despite the fact that the main uses of the seaside wetlands are recreational, tourists appreciate landscape quality and degree of naturalness in sites where they develop their activities. This assigns to tourism, especially seaside tourism, an active role in conservation of seaside wetlands.

What do people think about the flood risk? An experience with the residents of Talcahuano city, Chile

In the province of Concepción (Chile), floods are considered one of the main natural hazards. One of the most important cities of this area is Talcahuano. During the last years, Talcahuano has been affected by a number of flood episodes, as a consequence of an increase in the frequency of extraordinary atmospheric events, along with a higher exposure to the flood risk caused by an intense urban development. On 27 February 2010, an 8.8° earthquake (Richter scale) occurred in central southern Chile and originated the tsunami which flooded a large percentage of the residential area and military base of the Talcahuano city. This flood event affected a population higher than 180,000 people (including 23 casualties and invaluable economic and environmental losses). The objective of this study is to investigate the social perception and knowledge of Talcahuano residents affected by different types of flood, including tsunami, emphasizing which are their risks, vulnerability, resilience and coping capacity concepts. In addition, the kind of measures that have been proposed to improve their capacity to face floods after having suffered the natural disaster will be determined. This social assessment has been carried out based on a survey to permanent residents. Research results reveal that their endogenous and exogenous characteristics have resulted determinant to explain their perception.

Gestionar desde la territorialidad: ¿cómo integrar la multifuncionalidad y la participación social en la legitimación del regadío?

Resumen. La estrategia por gestionar el territorio, los recursos naturales y las demandas sociales ha tenido en el desarrollo del regadio un aliado fiel a lo largo de los anos. En paises como Espana, Francia e Italia la apuesta por el regadio da fe del vinculo indisociable entre toda actividad economico-productiva del agua y la vertebracion del territorio. Regiones como Cataluna, Midi-Pyrenees y Lombardia simbolizan, a su vez, el amplio bagaje cultural del regadio. En esta comunicacion se presentan tres casos de estudio (canal Segarra-Garrigues, canal de la Neste y canal de la Muzza) que afrontan la multifuncionalidad del regadio desde politicas, actuaciones y percepciones sociales distintas. A su vez, se presentan las bases dela gestion territorial del regadio como mecanismo de adaptacion a la complejidad que supone el trinomioformado por los recursos naturales disponibles, las demandas sociales cambiantes y la vertebracion del territorio. La aplicacion de dichas bases tiene por finalidad identificar las variables que justifican el (des)acuerdo entre la diversidad de discursos asociados a la promocion del regadio asi como determinar el perfil del actor dominante, legitimar el mismo o dilucidar las mejores estrategias y/o acciones para la gestion integrada del agua entre demandas en competencia. Palabras clave: territorio, multifuncionalidad, regadio, legitimacion. Abstract : The strategy to manage the territory, natural resources, and social demands has been supported by the development of irrigation along the years. In countries like Spain, France or Italy, the commitment on irrigation attests the inseparable link between all economic and productive water use and the structuring of the territory. Regions such as Catalonia, Midi-Pyrenees and Lombardy symbolize, in turn, the broad cultural background of irrigation. In this paper we present three case studies (Segarra-Garrigues irrigation canal, Neste irrigation canal, and Muzza irrigation canal) which face multifunctionality differing from irrigation policies, actions, and social perceptions. In turn, the bases of the territorial management of irrigation will be presented as a mechanism to adapt to the complexity to affront the trinomial relationship between availability of natural resources, changing social demands, and the structuring of the territory. The application of those bases is intended to identify variables to justify the (dis)agreement between the diversity of discourses associated with irrigation’ promotion, as well as to determine the dominant stakeholder’ profile, its degree of legitimacy, or ascertain the best strategies and/or actions for the integrated management of water resources between competing water demands. Keywords: territory, multifunctionality, irrigation, legitimacy. http://dx.doi.org/10.4995/ISL2014.2014.186

Uses and Preferences of Visitors to Coastal Wetlands in Tourism Destinations (Costa Brava, Spain)

The local development policies of coastal tourism destinations are frequently focused on popular resources, such as beaches, and tend to overlook coastal wetlands, which are often located in the interstitial spaces of urbanistic transformations caused by mass tourism and considered untended marginal sites. This article investigates the uses and preferences of visitors to these wetlands with the goal of increasing cultural sustainability, improving conservation and strengthening management policies. Although the results show that almost all the current uses of coastal wetlands are recreational (such as cycling, running and walking), visitors have indicated that the positive aspects of these sites are related to their landscape quality and degree of naturalness. The results also suggest that although repeat visitors are aware of wetlands’ value, increasing the consciousness of local inhabitants regarding their value is important for prioritising local policies designed to promote the conservation of wetlands located at coastal tourism destinations. Finally, our study results indicate that improving cultural sustainability is compatible with improving the ecological status of coastal wetlands.