Musealised landscapes in rural areas. The case on Cabo Tiñoso Natural Park (Cartagena, Spain)

Abstract

The agroforestry landscape of the "La Muela, Cabo Tiñoso and Roldán" Natural Park (Cartagena-Spain), is been modelled as a result of the historical adaptation to local cultures. Based on a qualitative analysis of interviews with local agents, experts and territorial managers, this article makes a case for the relevance of the socioterritorial activity related to the risk of ‘musealization’ of the rural landscape. The new visitors and settlers, many of them foreigners, develop new functions in the territory, while the active management of the local population as is getting less important. The sharp increase in the demand for sleepy and holiday´s residencies, due to the proximity to the city of Cartagena and the beauty of its landscapes, contrasts with the traditional distribution of population adjusted to the topography and the agrarian possibilities. The rise of ecotourism and, above all, sports in nature, takes part in a different way respect to traditional agricultural activities, according to the lack of agricultural profitability and the difficulties of generational replacement. The management and planning policies of the Natural Park have not developed participatory instruments to reverse the process of "musealization", ignoring that maintaining the socioeconomy activity is essential for its conservation.