Effects of Legal Designation and Management of a Multiple-Use Protected Area on Local Sustainability Articles uri icon

authors

  • RODRIGUEZ RODRIGUEZ, DAVID
  • LOPEZ PARDO, IVAN

publication date

  • September 2018

start page

  • 1

end page

  • 12

issue

  • 9

volume

  • 10

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

  • 2071-1050

abstract

  • The designation of protected areas (PAs) entails environmental, social, and economic
    effects to local stakeholders through access restriction to natural resources. We used a mixed
    methods research framework that combines time series analysis and stakeholder surveys to
    elicit objective and subjective effects of legal and managerial designation of Sierra Cabrera-Bedar
    Natura 2000 site on local sustainability in south-eastern Spain. Firstly, 47 environmental, social,
    and economic variables for which official time series data were available were assessed using
    a multiple-paired-Before-After-Control-Impact research design, where 'Impacts” were: (1) legal
    designation of Sierra Cabrera-Bedar as a Site of Community Importance (SCI); and (2) management
    implementation of the site as an Special Area of Conservation (SAC). The two municipalities having
    most of their territories in Sierra Cabrera-Bedar SCI/SAC were selected as ‘Cases", whereas two
    similar municipalities outside the PA were chosen as ‘Controls". Additionally, 13 local organisations
    pertaining to 11 socioeconomic guilds from case municipalities were surveyed on their perceived
    effects of the designation Sierra Cabrera-Bedar as an SAC on 28 social and economic variables.
    The effects of legal and managerial protection of the site on local sustainability were unclear
    although greater SAC sustainability is suggested, even though limited time series availability for
    the SAC period increases uncertainty. Local organisations perceived mostly limited and negative
    socioeconomic effects from SAC designation. Disagreement between statistical and perceptual results
    suggests use of time series analyses for accurate assessment of socioeconomic effects of PAs in Spain.

subjects

  • Environment
  • Sociology

keywords

  • stakeholder survey; organisation; baci design; time series; natura 2000; spain