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Project Goal: The objectives of the project are the following: Evaluate the environmental and socioeconomic effectiveness of 5 Spanish networks of terrestrial protected areas and 1 marine protected area; Discriminate the protective effect of legislation and the management of protected areas; Identify and collect perceptions from social groups affected by the protection of protected areas in Spain; Propose legislative, scientific, managerial and educational recommendations for sustainable territorial management based on protected areas
Current Stage: http://proyectos.cchs.csic.es/sostpark/inicio
Project Goal: The objectives of the project are the following: Develop a simplified integrated assessment system for national parks in Spain (SIAPA); Design a system for monitoring and evaluating the sustainability of the municipalities included in and around national parks (SASMU); simulate future land uses (2030) under one trend scenario and another green scenario.
Current Stage: http://proyectos.cchs.csic.es/disesglob/inicio
Los ecosistemas litorales están fuertemente amenazados por el aumento del nivel del mar, las inundaciones y la litoralización de la población. Aunque se ha intensificado el esfuerzo por declarar áreas protegidas costeras, estas quedan fragmentadas en teselas circundadas por territorios artificalizados. La conectividad entre estas áreas protegidas es por tanto la garantía de la continuidad de los servicios ecosistémicos que proveen. Se propone un modelo para la evaluación de la eficacia potencial del sistema continuo de las áreas protegidas costeras en base al conocimiento de su flora y vegetación. El grado de efectividad pretende ser un indicador para la adopción de medidas de planificación territorial conducentes al fortalecimiento de la red como medida de salvaguarda de la biodiversidad. Para probar el modelo propuesto se ha elegido la costa de Andalucía (S de España), territorio bañado por el Mediterráneo y el Atlántico, susceptible de importantes impactos. Este segmento de costa ha sido sometido durante los últimos 60 años a fuertes presiones de origen antrópico.que han fragmentado y alterado la estructura, composición y funcionalidad de los ecosistemas litorales. Todo ello pone en riesgo tanto los valores que sirvieron para la declaración de un status de protección como la conectividad entre ecosistemas que garanticen la persistencia de sus servicios ecosistémicos. La metodología propuesta para medir la eficacia potencial del sistema se sustenta en el grado de protección legal, el valor fitocenótico y el grado de artificialización. A partir de la integración de los valores obtenidos se ha calculado la consistencia de los nodos y en definitiva la efectividad en red. La aplicación de este método pone de relevancia cuales son las áreas protegidas más vulnerables ante las deficiencias de la red, en especial por las dificultades de conectividad.
Ángel Enrique Salvo Tierra; Jaime Pereña Ortiz; Álvaro Cortes-Molino; David Rodríguez Rodríguez; Javier Martínez-Vega. Modelo de evaluación de la efectividad, continuidad y conectividad del sistema de áreas protegidas costeras mediante el análisis de su flora y vegetación. Botanica Complutensis 2020, 44, 73 -95.
AMA StyleÁngel Enrique Salvo Tierra, Jaime Pereña Ortiz, Álvaro Cortes-Molino, David Rodríguez Rodríguez, Javier Martínez-Vega. Modelo de evaluación de la efectividad, continuidad y conectividad del sistema de áreas protegidas costeras mediante el análisis de su flora y vegetación. Botanica Complutensis. 2020; 44 ():73-95.
Chicago/Turabian StyleÁngel Enrique Salvo Tierra; Jaime Pereña Ortiz; Álvaro Cortes-Molino; David Rodríguez Rodríguez; Javier Martínez-Vega. 2020. "Modelo de evaluación de la efectividad, continuidad y conectividad del sistema de áreas protegidas costeras mediante el análisis de su flora y vegetación." Botanica Complutensis 44, no. : 73-95.
It is usually considered that Protected Areas (PAs) are an efficient tool for policies to conserve biodiversity. However, there is evidence that some pressures and threats arise from processes taking place both inside them and in their surroundings territories—habitat loss, changes in land use, fragmentation of natural ecosystems. In this paper, we aim to test the hypothesis that municipalities located in the Socioeconomic Influence Zones (SIZs) of the fifteen National Parks (NPs) in Spain are more sustainable than those in their surroundings or, conversely, that the municipalities of their surroundings are more unsustainable. To measure their sustainability, we propose a system for assessment using fifteen indicators selected by experts. The methodology is based on the normalization of the data of each indicator, comparing them with a desirable target value defined in terms of sector policies and strategies. We then aggregate the indicators for each group in three indices that cover the classic dimensions of sustainability—environmental, economic and social. On a network scale, the results show that municipalities inside the SIZs are 1.594 points more sustainable environmentally, 0.108 economically and 0.068 socially than those of their surroundings. A system for assessment of the sustainability of municipalities (SASMU) may be a useful tool for NP managers, and for local and regional administrations, when setting priorities for policies, projects and compensation for regulatory restrictions related to NPs.
Javier Martínez-Vega; David Rodríguez-Rodríguez; Francisco Fernández-Latorre; Paloma Ibarra; Maite Echeverría; Pilar Echavarría. Proposal of a System for Assessment of the Sustainability of Municipalities (Sasmu) Included in the Spanish Network of National Parks and Their Surroundings. Geosciences 2020, 10, 298 .
AMA StyleJavier Martínez-Vega, David Rodríguez-Rodríguez, Francisco Fernández-Latorre, Paloma Ibarra, Maite Echeverría, Pilar Echavarría. Proposal of a System for Assessment of the Sustainability of Municipalities (Sasmu) Included in the Spanish Network of National Parks and Their Surroundings. Geosciences. 2020; 10 (8):298.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJavier Martínez-Vega; David Rodríguez-Rodríguez; Francisco Fernández-Latorre; Paloma Ibarra; Maite Echeverría; Pilar Echavarría. 2020. "Proposal of a System for Assessment of the Sustainability of Municipalities (Sasmu) Included in the Spanish Network of National Parks and Their Surroundings." Geosciences 10, no. 8: 298.
Protected areas (PAs) aim at safeguarding biodiversity and ecosystem services in the long‐term. Despite the remarkable growth in area covered by PAs in recent years, biodiversity trends continue to worsen as a result of serious global pressures such as habitat destruction and degradation. One main cause of habitat destruction and degradation is land development that implies the replacement of natural land uses‐land covers with artificial ones. Here, we assessed the effectiveness of four PA networks at preventing land development in Spain, a biodiversity‐rich country that has experienced recent rapid environmental transformations, using two models of increased validity: an Original Model and a Bio‐physically Enhanced Model (BEM). We applied a Before‐After‐Control‐Impact (BACI) design whereby Absolute Artificial Area Increase (AAI) and Relative Artificial Area Increase (RAI) were compared across PA categories (Nature Reserves –NRs‐; Nature Parks –NPs‐; Sites of Community Importance –SCIs‐; and Special Protection Areas –SPAs‐), study zones (coastal and inland), and climates (Atlantic and Mediterranean) using CORINE Land Cover data and two control zones: 1km buffers and 5km buffers around protected polygons (PPs). NRs prevented land development, whereas other categories reduced it moderately to very substantially in the assessed period. AAI was especially intense in inland SPAs and NPs. NRs and NPs were the most effective PA categories inland, whereas NRs and SPAs were the most effective ones on the coast. Land development was greater on the Spanish coast than inland inside and outside PAs, especially around Macaronesian and Mediterranean PAs and in Atlantic PAs, which experienced similar or greater land development values than surrounding areas. Our results are intended to guide future conservation efforts in Spain, chiefly on its heavily pressured coastal environment.
David Rodríguez-Rodríguez; Joana Sebastiao; Ángel Enrique Salvo Tierra; Javier Martínez-Vega. Effect of protected areas in reducing land development across geographic and climate conditions of a rapidly developing country, Spain. Land Degradation & Development 2019, 30, 991 -1005.
AMA StyleDavid Rodríguez-Rodríguez, Joana Sebastiao, Ángel Enrique Salvo Tierra, Javier Martínez-Vega. Effect of protected areas in reducing land development across geographic and climate conditions of a rapidly developing country, Spain. Land Degradation & Development. 2019; 30 (8):991-1005.
Chicago/Turabian StyleDavid Rodríguez-Rodríguez; Joana Sebastiao; Ángel Enrique Salvo Tierra; Javier Martínez-Vega. 2019. "Effect of protected areas in reducing land development across geographic and climate conditions of a rapidly developing country, Spain." Land Degradation & Development 30, no. 8: 991-1005.
Updated and harmonized land cover (LC) data is essential for wildfire estimation in fire-prone areas as is the case in southern Europe. CORINE Land cover (CLC) and ESA Climate Change Initiative Land Cover (CCI-LC) maps have been analyzed and compared their performance in the estimation of wildfire occurrence in Europe at regional and local scales for the period 2010–2014. LC maps legends were harmonized and similarities and discrepancies were compared. Overall agreement between the two maps for the whole Europe was ˜75%. Forest and agriculture showed the largest agreement, while shrubland and grassland the lowest. Quantity and allocation disagreements were calculated including exchange and shift components (Pontius and Santacruz, 2014) which provided detailed information about the contribution of each class to the overall disagreement. Spatial discrepancies were found in areas where grassland and shrubland were the dominant classes as in United Kingdom or East Turkey. Land Use and Coverage Area frame Survey (LUCAS) was used as ground truth for validation purposes. The agreement with LUCAS was slightly higher for CCI-LC (59%) than for CLC (56%). Generalized Linear Models (GLM), based on presence-absence of wildfires, were used to estimate wildfire occurrence at 3 × 3 km grid cell resolution from both LC maps at the European scale. LC interfaces and climatic variables (temperature and precipitation) where used as explicative variables while fires from European Forest Fire Information System EFFIS (2010–2014 period) were used as response variable. Wildfire occurrence was also estimated with the two maps at local scale in a test region (Zamora, Spain) using a more precise location of the response variable (x, y fire ignition points). At the European scale models obtained within the two maps showed similar results. CCI-LC model sensitivity was 77.26%, specificity 25.89% and omission error 22.74% while CLC model sensitivity was 75.68%, specificity 29.99% and omission error 24.32%. However, CLC performed slightly better in terms of the percent correct classification (62%). In the test region the models achieved better results in terms of specificity (66.07% and 68.93% for CCI-LC and CLC models respectively) and percent correct classification (˜68% for CLC model). At local scale CLC model performed better than CCI-LC model. Wildfire occurrence estimation was more accurate at local scale because of the differences in the spatial accuracy of the response variable used.
L. Vilar; J. Garrido; P. Echavarría; J. Martínez-Vega; M. Pilar Martin. Comparative analysis of CORINE and climate change initiative land cover maps in Europe: Implications for wildfire occurrence estimation at regional and local scales. International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation 2019, 78, 102 -117.
AMA StyleL. Vilar, J. Garrido, P. Echavarría, J. Martínez-Vega, M. Pilar Martin. Comparative analysis of CORINE and climate change initiative land cover maps in Europe: Implications for wildfire occurrence estimation at regional and local scales. International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation. 2019; 78 ():102-117.
Chicago/Turabian StyleL. Vilar; J. Garrido; P. Echavarría; J. Martínez-Vega; M. Pilar Martin. 2019. "Comparative analysis of CORINE and climate change initiative land cover maps in Europe: Implications for wildfire occurrence estimation at regional and local scales." International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation 78, no. : 102-117.
Natural habitat fragmentation in and isolation of protected areas (PAs) are two ancillary but common threats that may have serious consequences to biodiversity conservation in the long term. They were assessed in four PA networks of diverse legal and managerial regimes across a highly biodiverse country, Spain, between 1987 and 2006, a period of intense development in the country: Nature Reserves (NRs), Nature Parks (NPs), Sites of Community Importance (SCIs) and Special Protection Areas (SPAs). ‘Contagion edge proportion’ was used to assess inner PA fragmentation by artificial land uses-land covers (LULCs), whereas two PA isolation indicators were compared: (a) increased proportion of artificial LULCs in the 500 m-buffers surrounding each protected polygon (PP); and (b) shortest distance to the nearest PA in 2006. In those 19 years, fragmentation increased in all PA networks except in Nature Reserves (NRs), which likely reflects high conservation effectiveness of stringent legislation. Isolation by artificial LULCs also increased in that period for all PA categories. NPs were the PA category with the highest values of fragmentation and isolation by 2006. Nevertheless, fragmentation and isolation values were still low on average by 2006 for all PA categories, although fine-scale fragmentation and isolation could not be assessed. Both PA isolation indicators yielded different results and were thus complementary. ‘Distance to major cities’ was the most strongly correlated variable with both pressures, which suggests that greater attention should be paid to such pressures to peri-urban PAs by territorial planners.
David Rodríguez-Rodríguez; Javier Martínez-Vega. Analysing subtle threats to conservation: A nineteen year assessment of fragmentation and isolation of Spanish protected areas. Landscape and Urban Planning 2019, 185, 107 -116.
AMA StyleDavid Rodríguez-Rodríguez, Javier Martínez-Vega. Analysing subtle threats to conservation: A nineteen year assessment of fragmentation and isolation of Spanish protected areas. Landscape and Urban Planning. 2019; 185 ():107-116.
Chicago/Turabian StyleDavid Rodríguez-Rodríguez; Javier Martínez-Vega. 2019. "Analysing subtle threats to conservation: A nineteen year assessment of fragmentation and isolation of Spanish protected areas." Landscape and Urban Planning 185, no. : 107-116.
Agriculture is increasingly facing major challenges such as climate change, scarcity of natural resources and changing societal demands. To tackle these challenges there is a pressing need to evolve towards more sustainable agricultural practices. As a result, sustainability stands among the most relevant topics in agricultural research worldwide, and Spain is no exception. Agricultural sustainability has been analysed in Spain mainly at a national and farm scale. This contribution aims at assessing agricultural sustainability in Spain at a provincial scale, allowing the scrutiny of regional variability induced by the existing differences in extension, relevance and policies of the agricultural activity at this level. The sustainability assessment performed is based on a selection of twenty-two indicators covering the three classical dimensions of sustainability—environmental, economic and social. The methodology implemented is based on normalising and aggregating selected indicators according to three composite indicators for the fifty Spanish provinces. Numerous statistical and cartographic sources are used. Cluster analysis establishes four different groups of provinces according to their performance in terms of agricultural sustainability. Higher economic sustainability in provincial agriculture seems to be mostly associated with more intensive use of agricultural labour and agricultural machinery and faster wealth growth. Social sustainability seems to be linked to greater diversification of economic activities and to quality productions under Protected Designations of Origin (PDO) and Protected Geographical Indications (PGI). Best environmental sustainability is achieved where extension of agricultural land is larger, less agricultural area is burned, and carbon stock and sequestration by agricultural ecosystems is better. It is expected that the results could improve the policy coherence and decision-making for more sustainable agricultural systems in Spanish regions.
Samir Mili; Javier Martínez-Vega. Accounting for Regional Heterogeneity of Agricultural Sustainability in Spain. Sustainability 2019, 11, 299 .
AMA StyleSamir Mili, Javier Martínez-Vega. Accounting for Regional Heterogeneity of Agricultural Sustainability in Spain. Sustainability. 2019; 11 (2):299.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSamir Mili; Javier Martínez-Vega. 2019. "Accounting for Regional Heterogeneity of Agricultural Sustainability in Spain." Sustainability 11, no. 2: 299.
Spain has experienced massive recent socioeconomic changes that have had an influence on biodiversity and landscapes through land use-land cover (LULC) changes. Protected areas (PAs) seek to conserve biodiversity by establishing a legal and, sometimes, managerial regime that forbids or restricts LULC changes that are damaging to biodiversity. Here, we used CORINE Land Cover (CLC) data between 1987 and 2006 to assess differences in LULC changes and processes of change as metrics of effectiveness in four PA networks of clear legal and managerial characteristics in Spain: Nature reserves (NRs), Nature parks (NPs), Sites of Community Importance (SCIs) and Special Protection Areas (SPAs). We also compared LULC changes and processes of change around each PA network applying a modified Before-After-Control-Impact (BACI) research design with two increasingly distant control areas and two models of increased validity. The four PA networks were more environmentally sustainable than their surrounding areas although an effectiveness gradient was shown: NRs > SCIs > SPAs > NPs, suggesting little influence of PA management on LULC changes overall. Another gradient of environmental sustainability of control areas was evident: SCIs > SPAs > NPs > NRs. Proximal controls were more sustainable than distant ones. The main LULC increases inside PAs affected agro-forestry areas and transitional woodland-shrub, whereas artificial surfaces, permanently irrigated lands and burned areas prevailed in the proximal and distant controls. Three main LULC processes of change inside and around Spanish PAs outstood: forest succession, land development, and new irrigated areas, the two former chiefly affecting surrounding areas and posing serious threats to effective biodiversity conservation.
David Rodríguez-Rodríguez; Javier Martínez-Vega; Pilar Echavarría. A twenty year GIS-based assessment of environmental sustainability of land use changes in and around protected areas of a fast developing country: Spain. International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation 2018, 74, 169 -179.
AMA StyleDavid Rodríguez-Rodríguez, Javier Martínez-Vega, Pilar Echavarría. A twenty year GIS-based assessment of environmental sustainability of land use changes in and around protected areas of a fast developing country: Spain. International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation. 2018; 74 ():169-179.
Chicago/Turabian StyleDavid Rodríguez-Rodríguez; Javier Martínez-Vega; Pilar Echavarría. 2018. "A twenty year GIS-based assessment of environmental sustainability of land use changes in and around protected areas of a fast developing country: Spain." International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation 74, no. : 169-179.
David Rodríguez-Rodríguez; Javier Martínez-Vega. Preface: Special Issue on Sustainable Territorial Management. Environments 2018, 5, 90 .
AMA StyleDavid Rodríguez-Rodríguez, Javier Martínez-Vega. Preface: Special Issue on Sustainable Territorial Management. Environments. 2018; 5 (8):90.
Chicago/Turabian StyleDavid Rodríguez-Rodríguez; Javier Martínez-Vega. 2018. "Preface: Special Issue on Sustainable Territorial Management." Environments 5, no. 8: 90.
Protected areas are entrusted long-term biodiversity conservation, but measures of their effectiveness are limited, methodologically diverse and, sometimes, of improvable accuracy. Using a semi-experimental BACI research design, this study assesses the environmental effectiveness of two highly related multiple-use protected area (PA) categories of European relevance at preventing land development: Sites of Community Importance (SCIs) and Special Areas of Conservation (SACs). The non-overlapping SCI and SAC polygon networks of a northern Spanish region (Navarra) were used as the best possible case studies in the country because their main difference is implementation of active management (in the case of SACs). One kilometre outer buffer areas were created to serve as controls for each of the two PA networks. Three spatial-statistical models that progessively consider exclusion areas according to additional land protection legislation and biophysical covariates were tested to maximise their accurateness. Percentual increases of land development were compared for each of the four groups: SCIs, SCI-Buffers, SACs and SAC-Buffers, using Corine Land Cover (CLC) data from 2006 and 2012. Results show that SACs have been fully effective at preventing land development in the Navarra region whereas some exceptional development occurred in SCIs, even though their biophysical characteristics made them less prone to development than their buffer areas. Additional legislation seems to slightly add to protection inside PAs and provides clear protection to surrounding buffer areas. Residential uses were minor among the new artificial uses around Navarra’s PAs.
David Rodríguez-Rodríguez; Javier Martínez-Vega. Effect of legal protection and management of protected areas at preventing land development: a Spanish case study. Regional Environmental Change 2018, 18, 2483 -2494.
AMA StyleDavid Rodríguez-Rodríguez, Javier Martínez-Vega. Effect of legal protection and management of protected areas at preventing land development: a Spanish case study. Regional Environmental Change. 2018; 18 (8):2483-2494.
Chicago/Turabian StyleDavid Rodríguez-Rodríguez; Javier Martínez-Vega. 2018. "Effect of legal protection and management of protected areas at preventing land development: a Spanish case study." Regional Environmental Change 18, no. 8: 2483-2494.
David Rodríguez-Rodríguez; Javier Martínez-Vega. A Centennial Path Towards Sustainability in Spanish National Parks: Biodiversity Conservation and Socioeconomic Development (1918-2018). National Parks - Management and Conservation 2018, 1 .
AMA StyleDavid Rodríguez-Rodríguez, Javier Martínez-Vega. A Centennial Path Towards Sustainability in Spanish National Parks: Biodiversity Conservation and Socioeconomic Development (1918-2018). National Parks - Management and Conservation. 2018; ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleDavid Rodríguez-Rodríguez; Javier Martínez-Vega. 2018. "A Centennial Path Towards Sustainability in Spanish National Parks: Biodiversity Conservation and Socioeconomic Development (1918-2018)." National Parks - Management and Conservation , no. : 1.
Land use-land cover (LULC) changes towards artificial covers are one of the main global threats to biodiversity conservation. In this comprehensive study, we tested a number of methodological and research hypotheses, and a new covariate control technique in order to address common protected area (PA) assessment issues and accurately assess whether different PA networks have had an effect at preventing development of artificial LULCs in Spain, a highly biodiverse country that has experienced massive socioeconomic transformations in the past two decades. We used digital census data for four PA networks designated between 1990 and 2000: Nature Reserves (NRs), Nature Parks (NPs), Sites of Community Importance (SCIs) and Special Protection Areas (SPAs). We analysed the effect of explanatory variables on the ecological effectiveness of protected polygons (PPs): Legislation stringency, cummulative legal designations, management, size, age and bio-physical characteristics. A multiple Before-After-Control-Impact (BACI) semi-experimental research design was used whereby artificial land cover increase (ALCI) and proportional artificial land cover increase (PALCI) results were compared inside and outside PAs, using 1 km and 5 km buffer areas surrounding PAs as controls. LULC data were retrieved from Corine Land Cover (CLC) 1990 and 2006 data. Results from three spatial-statistical models using progressively restrictive criteria to select control areas increasingly more accurate and similar to the assessed PPs were compared. PAs were a generally effective territorial policy to prevent land development in Spain. NRs were the most effective PA category, with no new artificial land covers in the assessed period, although exact causality could not be attributed due to legal overlaps. SPAs were the least effective category, with worse ALCI data than their control areas. Legal protection was effective against land development, which was influenced by most bio-physical variables. However, cumulative legal designations and PA management did not seem to influence land development. The spatial-statistical technique used to make cases and control environmentally similar did not produce consistent outcomes and should be refined.
David Rodríguez-Rodríguez; Javier Martínez-Vega. Protected area effectiveness against land development in Spain. Journal of Environmental Management 2018, 215, 345 -357.
AMA StyleDavid Rodríguez-Rodríguez, Javier Martínez-Vega. Protected area effectiveness against land development in Spain. Journal of Environmental Management. 2018; 215 ():345-357.
Chicago/Turabian StyleDavid Rodríguez-Rodríguez; Javier Martínez-Vega. 2018. "Protected area effectiveness against land development in Spain." Journal of Environmental Management 215, no. : 345-357.
D Rodríguez-Rodríguez; J Martínez-Vega. Representation and protection of threatened biodiversity by the largest Spanish regional network of protected areas. Endangered Species Research 2018, 35, 125 -139.
AMA StyleD Rodríguez-Rodríguez, J Martínez-Vega. Representation and protection of threatened biodiversity by the largest Spanish regional network of protected areas. Endangered Species Research. 2018; 35 ():125-139.
Chicago/Turabian StyleD Rodríguez-Rodríguez; J Martínez-Vega. 2018. "Representation and protection of threatened biodiversity by the largest Spanish regional network of protected areas." Endangered Species Research 35, no. : 125-139.
David Rodríguez-Rodríguez; Javier Martínez-Vega. Assessing recent environmental sustainability in the Spanish network of National Parks and their statutory peripheral areas. Applied Geography 2017, 89, 22 -31.
AMA StyleDavid Rodríguez-Rodríguez, Javier Martínez-Vega. Assessing recent environmental sustainability in the Spanish network of National Parks and their statutory peripheral areas. Applied Geography. 2017; 89 ():22-31.
Chicago/Turabian StyleDavid Rodríguez-Rodríguez; Javier Martínez-Vega. 2017. "Assessing recent environmental sustainability in the Spanish network of National Parks and their statutory peripheral areas." Applied Geography 89, no. : 22-31.
Land Use-Cover Changes (LUCCs) are one of the main problems for the preservation of biodiversity. Protected Areas (PAs) do not escape this threat. Some processes, such as intensive recreational use, forest fires or the expansion of artificial areas taking place inside and around them in response to their appeal, question their environmental sustainability and their efficiency. In this paper, we analyze the LUCCs that took place between 1990 and 2006 in two National Parks (NPs) belonging to the Spanish network and in their surroundings: Ordesa and Monte Perdido (Ordesa NP) and Sierra de Guadarrama (Guadarrama NP). We also simulate land use changes between 2006 and 2030 by means of Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs), taking into account two scenarios: trend and green. Finally, we perform a multi-temporal analysis of natural habitat fragmentation in each NP. The results show that the NPs analyzed are well-preserved and have seen hardly any significant LUCCs inside them. However, Socioeconomic Influence Zones (SIZs) and buffers are subject to different dynamics. In the SIZ and buffer of the Ordesa NP, there has been an expansion of built-up areas (annual rate of change = +1.19) around small urban hubs and ski resorts. There has also been a gradual recovery of natural areas, which had been interrupted by forest fires. The invasion of sub-alpine grasslands by shrubs is clear (+2735 ha). The SIZ and buffer of the Guadarrama NP are subject to urban sprawl in forest areas and to the construction of road infrastructures (+5549 ha and an annual rate of change = +1.20). Industrial area has multiplied by 3.3 in 20 years. The consequences are an increase in the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI), greater risk of forest fires and greater fragmentation of natural habitats (+0.04 in SIZ). In the change scenarios, if conditions change as expected, the specific threats facing each NP can be expected to increase. There are substantial differences between the scenarios depending on whether or not incentives are accepted and legal restrictions are respected.
Javier Martínez-Vega; Andrés Díaz; José Miguel Nava; Marta Gallardo; Pilar Echavarría. Assessing Land Use-Cover Changes and Modelling Change Scenarios in Two Mountain Spanish National Parks. Environments 2017, 4, 79 .
AMA StyleJavier Martínez-Vega, Andrés Díaz, José Miguel Nava, Marta Gallardo, Pilar Echavarría. Assessing Land Use-Cover Changes and Modelling Change Scenarios in Two Mountain Spanish National Parks. Environments. 2017; 4 (4):79.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJavier Martínez-Vega; Andrés Díaz; José Miguel Nava; Marta Gallardo; Pilar Echavarría. 2017. "Assessing Land Use-Cover Changes and Modelling Change Scenarios in Two Mountain Spanish National Parks." Environments 4, no. 4: 79.
Land use change due to human activity can have serious, often irreversible effects on the environment. It affects ecosystem functions and the sustainability of protected natural areas. Problems such as fragmentation, low habitat connectivity or a decline in a territory’s ability to capture carbon are some of its consequences. By studying past land use trends we can simulate future land uses, and modeling such trends is essential if a preventive approach to the management of protected areas is to be adopted. The aim of this chapter is to simulate different change scenarios in protected natural areas in the urban region of Madrid, from National and Nature Parks to Special Areas of Conservation and Special Protection Areas. To this end we study land use changes both inside and around these protected areas. CORINE Land Cover maps from 1990, 2000 and 2006 are used. Cross-tabulation techniques are applied in order to study trends in land use change. Three scenarios are designed: a baseline or trend scenario, an economic crisis scenario and a green scenario. The CLUE model (based on logistic regression) is used. LCM (based on neural networks) is also used but only in the trend scenario. Biophysical, socio-economic and accessibility factors and incentives and restrictions are considered. FRAGSTATS and GUIDOS are used to analyse the effect of infrastructure and built-up land growth on connectivity and fragmentation. In recent decades, the region of Madrid has experienced intense urban and infrastructure development (48,332 ha). Protected areas have been affected by this urbanization process. Built-up areas have grown at an average annual rate of 5.52% in protected areas and around them. According to the trend scenario, the built-up area will increase by 28,000 ha over the period 2006–2025 to 7.6% of the study area. No fragmentation processes are expected in the National Park. However, fragmentation of agricultural and natural habitats around protected areas is expected to increase by 7.2% during this period. These findings should alert land use planners and the managers of protected areas to the potential threats.
M. Gallardo; J. Martínez-Vega. Modeling Land-Use Scenarios in Protected Areas of an Urban Region in Spain. Lecture Notes in Geoinformation and Cartography 2017, 307 -328.
AMA StyleM. Gallardo, J. Martínez-Vega. Modeling Land-Use Scenarios in Protected Areas of an Urban Region in Spain. Lecture Notes in Geoinformation and Cartography. 2017; ():307-328.
Chicago/Turabian StyleM. Gallardo; J. Martínez-Vega. 2017. "Modeling Land-Use Scenarios in Protected Areas of an Urban Region in Spain." Lecture Notes in Geoinformation and Cartography , no. : 307-328.
Effective protected area (PA) conservation relies heavily on positive social perception, attitude and values, especially by the stakeholders most affected by PA regulations. Random samples of residents around (n = 401) and quota samples of visitors to (n = 542) two emblematic, environmentally similar National Parks (NPs) in Spain: Ordesa y Monte Perdido NP (Ordesa NP) and Sierra de Guadarrama NP (Guadarrama NP) were surveyed on their attitudes, perceptions and values using structured questionnaires. The results show similarities and differences between stakeholder groups and NPs. Most differences can be explained by the different geographic, historical and socioeconomic contexts. Residents near Guadarrama NP visited it less frequently, whereas non-residents visited the NP more frequently than Ordesa NP. Residents’ and visitors’ perception on the conservation state was better for Ordesa NP than for Guadarrama NP. The main perceived threats by both groups were wildfires, massive visitation and insufficient environmental awareness. Local participation in management was deemed improvable in both NPs. Stated importance on both NPs was similarly high for both stakeholder groups. Half of residents and over two-thirds of visitors to both NPs were willing to pay an entrance fee. A daily fee of 3 € per person would be acceptable to most. Willingness to pay (WTP) was negatively correlated with ‘frequency of visits’ in Guadarrama NP. WTP increased substantially with measures that ensure equity, transparency and accountability. These results present PA managers with updated key stakeholders’ attitudes and perceptions, and provide a feasible alternative to regulate massive visitation and enhance financial sustainability of Spanish NPs.
D. Rodríguez-Rodríguez; P. Ibarra; M. Echeverría; J. Martínez-Vega. Perceptions, attitudes and values of two key stakeholders on the oldest and newest Spanish national parks. Environment, Development and Sustainability 2017, 21, 1053 -1073.
AMA StyleD. Rodríguez-Rodríguez, P. Ibarra, M. Echeverría, J. Martínez-Vega. Perceptions, attitudes and values of two key stakeholders on the oldest and newest Spanish national parks. Environment, Development and Sustainability. 2017; 21 (2):1053-1073.
Chicago/Turabian StyleD. Rodríguez-Rodríguez; P. Ibarra; M. Echeverría; J. Martínez-Vega. 2017. "Perceptions, attitudes and values of two key stakeholders on the oldest and newest Spanish national parks." Environment, Development and Sustainability 21, no. 2: 1053-1073.
As global biodiversity trends worsen, protected area (PA) environmental effectiveness needs to be assessed to identify strengths and areas to improve. Through a participatory process including PA managers and scientists, we refined the System for the Integrated Assessment of Protected Areas (SIAPA), in order to increase its legitimacy, credibility and salience to end users in Spain. Then, we tested the optimised version of the SIAPA on two emblematic Spanish national parks (NPs): Ordesa y Monte Perdido NP (Ordesa NP) and Sierra de Guadarrama NP (Guadarrama NP). PA managers and scientists largely coincided in the ratings of SIAPA’s indicators and indices. Collaboration with Ordesa NP’s managers was regular, allowing a nearly complete evaluation of the NP. However, greater collaboration between PA managers and scientists remains a priority in Guadarrama NP. Results show that potential effectiveness is moderate for Ordesa NP and low for Guadarrama NP, according to the indicators that could be evaluated. For Ordesa NP, lack of data on focal habitats and other focal features determined a deficient valuation of its conservation state, although the remaining indicators in that category showed adequate or moderate values. The compilation of those data should be overriding in the NP. In contrast, only climate change posed a serious threat in that NP. The social perception and valuation of both NPs was good, suggesting broad support from local populations and eased management.
David Rodríguez-Rodríguez; Paloma Ibarra; Javier Martínez-Vega; Maite Echeverría; Pilar Echavarría. Fine-Tuning of a Protected Area Effectiveness Evaluation Tool: Implementation on Two Emblematic Spanish National Parks. Environments 2017, 4, 68 .
AMA StyleDavid Rodríguez-Rodríguez, Paloma Ibarra, Javier Martínez-Vega, Maite Echeverría, Pilar Echavarría. Fine-Tuning of a Protected Area Effectiveness Evaluation Tool: Implementation on Two Emblematic Spanish National Parks. Environments. 2017; 4 (4):68.
Chicago/Turabian StyleDavid Rodríguez-Rodríguez; Paloma Ibarra; Javier Martínez-Vega; Maite Echeverría; Pilar Echavarría. 2017. "Fine-Tuning of a Protected Area Effectiveness Evaluation Tool: Implementation on Two Emblematic Spanish National Parks." Environments 4, no. 4: 68.
The aim of this paper is the estimation of biophysical vegetation parameters from its optical properties. The variables Fuel Moisture Content (FMC), Canopy Water Content (CWC), Leaf Area Index (LAI), dry matter (Cm) and AboveGround Biomass (AGB) were estimated in the laboratory from vegetation samples collected simultaneously with the acquisition of spectral data from the Compact Airborne Spectrographic Imager (CASI) sensor and the field spectroradiometer ASD FieldSpec® 3. Spectral vegetation indices found in the literature were computed from hyperspectral data. Their linear relationships with the biophysical variables measured in the field were analysed. Results show consistent relationships between analysed biophysical parameters and spectral indices, mainly those using SWIR and red-egde bands which reveal the importance of these spectral regions for the estimation of biophysical variables in herbaceous covers. Determination coefficients (R2) above 0.91 and RRMSE of 21.4% have been obtained for the spectral indexes calculated whit ASD data, and 0.91 R2 and RRMSE of 15.5% for the spectral indexes calculated whit CASI data.
J. R. Melendo-Vega; M. P. Martín; L. Vilar Del Hoyo; J. Pacheco-Labrador; P. Echavarría; J. Martínez-Vega. Estimación de variables biofísicas del pastizal en un ecosistema de dehesa a partir de espectro-radiometría de campo e imágenes hiperespectrales aeroportadas. Revista de Teledetección 2017, 13 .
AMA StyleJ. R. Melendo-Vega, M. P. Martín, L. Vilar Del Hoyo, J. Pacheco-Labrador, P. Echavarría, J. Martínez-Vega. Estimación de variables biofísicas del pastizal en un ecosistema de dehesa a partir de espectro-radiometría de campo e imágenes hiperespectrales aeroportadas. Revista de Teledetección. 2017; (48):13.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJ. R. Melendo-Vega; M. P. Martín; L. Vilar Del Hoyo; J. Pacheco-Labrador; P. Echavarría; J. Martínez-Vega. 2017. "Estimación de variables biofísicas del pastizal en un ecosistema de dehesa a partir de espectro-radiometría de campo e imágenes hiperespectrales aeroportadas." Revista de Teledetección , no. 48: 13.