María Hernández

La funcionalidad de los medios rurales en las sociedades urbanas

Rural areas in development countries have undergone remarkable changes on functions held by them since 1950. As opposed to areas where rural activities and rural way of life were dominated, in the last few decades, it is noticed a gradual appearance of new uses found on their tertiaritation. Unification of behaviour rules and diffusion of urban way of life make difficult to separate urban from rural society. This article reflects on different processes (the depopulation of the countryside, rural development policies, mass media, etc.) that have taken part in these changes and have favoured the unification of ways of life between the country and the city. Nevertheless, it is necessary to insist that

Percepción de recursos convencionales y no convencionales en áreas sujetas a estrés hídrico: el caso de Alicante

RESUMEN Los denominados recursos hidricos convencionales se encuentran crecientemente y a nivel global sujetos a una confrontacion social debido a sus impactos ambientales y socioeconomicos. En paralelo se estan implementando con fuerza recursos alternativos como la desalacion y la reutilizacion de aguas residuales depuradas. A pesar del gran potencial que pueden presentar, tambien pueden ser rechazados por la poblacion, y en este sentido contamos con un conocimiento limitado acerca de como estos recursos alternativos son percibidos por la poblacion. El presente articulo utiliza el caso de la provincia de Alicante, un area sujeta a un fragil equilibrio hidrico en la costa mediterranea espanola, para explorar la percepcion ciudadana de distintas alternativas hidricas, con especial enfasis en la reutilizacion de aguas depuradas. Ello se ha llevado a cabo a traves de una encuesta efectuada a una muestra de 450 residentes de diez municipios alicantinos. Los principales resultados obtenidos muestran que, la desalacion, la estrategia principal llevada a cabo en Espana para sustituir a los trasvases, no goza de gran preferencia entre la poblacion y es superada por las aguas pluviales y la reutilizacion de aguas regeneradas. La encuesta nos muestra que esta ultima alternativa, con un gran potencial de suministro, estaria ampliamente aceptada para usos que no impliquen contacto directo con el cuerpo humano.

Mutaciones de los usos del agua en la agricultura española durante la primera década del siglo XXI

Este articulo se inserta en el Proyecto de investigacion «Modelos de desarrollo territorial y tipologias de consumo de agua potable en espacios turistico residenciales del litoral alicantino» (CSO2009-12772-C03-03) financiado por el Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnologia.

Balance de las políticas de desarrollo rural en la Comunidad Valenciana (1991-2006)

Territorial dynamics that have been developed in Valencian areas benefited with regional development policies (leader and proder) since 1991 are analysed. These ones are related with new rural areas functionality and, particularly, the increasing importance that tourist activities have acquired in these inner areas, from economic criterion. Taking care of measures and performance lines of these programs contemplate, a balance of the repercussions of these policies on their socioeconomic structure is analysed too.

Desarrollo local, geografía y análisis territorial integrado : algunos ejemplos aplicados

The changes produced in the current economic, social and political position turn into a land reorganization at every scale. Facing this world-wide extension process, it is generated a remarkable enlargement of researches that have to do with local scale. The land, understood as the area of relationships and interdependences among different factors, is one of the elements that strengthen and consolidate Geography’s significance and function. The analysis of ecological and socio-economic structure is essential in every proceeding linked to development. In these studies, ought to prevail the integrated condition, nevertheless, studies where approaches relating to a particular sector or ones resulted of a simple addition of elements are very common.

Assessing the impact of EU rural development programs on tourism

ABSTRACT In many areas, rural development programs represent the main driver of tourism. Evaluation is essential to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of the resources allocated. However, although evaluation is mandatory under the European Commission, the methods proposed to date have paid insufficient attention to the impact of tourism. The aim of this paper is to examine the methodological tools used by the European Union to evaluate rural development programs. We conducted an analysis of European Union working documents concerning evaluation, and also performed a literature search in the main scientific databases. A total of 75 documents were studied and categorized into: (a) studies analyzing methodology, (b) descriptive studies and funding analyses, (c) contributions on the evaluation process, and (d) tourism-related studies. Although several methods have been proposed to improve the European Union’s evaluation systems, few studies have assessed the impact of tourism generated by rural development programs.ABSTRACTIn many areas, rural development programs represent the main driver of tourism. Evaluation is essential to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of the resources allocated. However, although evaluation is mandatory under the European Commission, the methods proposed to date have paid insufficient attention to the impact of tourism. The aim of this paper is to examine the methodological tools used by the European Union to evaluate rural development programs. We conducted an analysis of European Union working documents concerning evaluation, and also performed a literature search in the main scientific databases. A total of 75 documents were studied and categorized into: (a) studies analyzing methodology, (b) descriptive studies and funding analyses, (c) contributions on the evaluation process, and (d) tourism-related studies. Although several methods have been proposed to improve the European Union’s evaluation systems, few studies have assessed the impact of tourism generated by rural developmen...

Trascendencia socio-económica del trasvase Tajo Segura tras 30 años de su funcionamiento en la provincia de Alicante

Socio-economic signifi cance of Tagus-Segura transfer after 30 years of bringing into service in the province of Alicante (Spain) The remarkable change of irrigation areas, happened from middle of the seventies in the south of Alicante province, has produced a radical transformation, which has affected not only to the distribution of crops, but also to land property structures and exploitation attributes. The aim of this article is to reveal social and economic repercussions derived from water available resources enlargement.

Análisis de la dinámica turística y su incidencia en el consumo de agua en los grupos de acción local de la Comunidad Valenciana

It is analyzed territorial dynamics that have been developed in Valencian areas benefited with regional development policies (LEADER and PRODER) since 1991. These ones are related with new rural areas functionality and, particularly, the increasing importance that tourist activities have acquired in these inner areas, from economic criterion. The analysis of these dynamics allows establishing, in a later phase, repercussions of economic diversification policies on water demand. Fixed present situation of tourist and residential activities, it will be elaborated hypotheses about economic sector increase. It will allow proposing tendencies and estimations of water consumption according to horizons and incidences of new demands.

Las aguas pluviales y de tormenta: del abandono de un recurso híbrido con finalidad agrícola a su implantación como recurso no convencional en ámbitos urbanos

espanolLas aguas de turbias desempenaron un papel fundamental en los paisajes agrarios tradicionales del sureste peninsular. En ellos, la escasez de precipitaciones unido a su torrencialidad, obligo a la adopcion de una sistematizacion de laderas y barrancos para aprovechar al maximo los caudales circulantes asociados a precipitaciones de cierta intensidad. Estos sistemas, que van a entrar en un proceso de abandono y desarticulacion a partir de mediados del siglo XX, han sido objeto de un interes creciente vinculado a cuestiones ambientales y patrimoniales. A estas se une recientemente su posible utilizacion como recursos no convencionales asociados a las politicas de sostenibilidad ambiental y de adecuacion de la calidad de las aguas segun su uso (fit for purpose). El objetivo de este articulo es examinar, teniendo en cuenta el significado patrimonial y ambiental que estos recursos de agua desempenaron en las sociedades agrarias tradicionales, su recuperacion, desde el punto de vista de iniciativas a escala local y de sostenibilidad ambiental. Para ello se analizan las actuaciones llevadas a cabo en ambitos como los municipios litorales de la provincia de Alicante y el area metropolitana de Cataluna. EnglishStormwater played a fundamental role in the traditional agricultural landscapes of Southeastern Spain. Relatively rare but violent outbursts of precipitation forced traditional agriculture to build a sophisticated system of slope and ravine management to take advantage of flows associated with intense rainfall. These systems, which will be entering a process of abandonment and disbandment from the middle of the 20th century onwards, have been the subject of growing interest linked to environmental and landscape conservation issues. On the other hand, rainwater flows also regain their importance in urban areas as local, alternative resources able to provide for the needs of certain uses such as garden irrigation after the concept of fit for purpose. The aim of this paper is to examine, initiatives aiming at the recovery of rainwater flows under the same philosophy of traditional agrarian societies but this time directed to the urban sphere. To this effect we will present cases in the coastal municipalities of the province of Alicante and the metropolitan area of Barcelona where rainwater and other alternative water flows are increasingly used.

DELGADO VIÑAS, C. y PLAZA GUTIÉRREZ, J.I. (eds.) (2012): Territorio y paisaje en las montañas españolas. Estructuras y dinámicas espaciales. Santander, Editorial Estudio, 249 pp.

Coordinada por Carmen Delgado Vinas y Juan Ignacio Plaza Gutierrez, la monografia Territorio y paisaje en las montanas espanolas es una obra conjunta elaborada por los profesores Bachiller Martinez, Delgado Vinas, Fernandez Alvarez, Fernandez Garcia, Galdos Urrutia, Hortelano Minguez, Martin Jimenez, Martinez Fernandez, Maya Frades, Maceda Rubio, Plaza Gutierrez, Porcal Gonzalo, Ruiz Urrestarazu, San Roman Rodriguez y Sanchez Munoz. Todos ellos con una vasta trayectoria de investigacion en los espacios de montana. Adscritos a las Universidades de Cantabria, Leon, Oviedo, Pais Vasco, Salamanca y Valladolid, configuran uno de de los grupos interuniversitarios con mas tradicion en la Geografia espanola sobre esta tematica.