Los parques naturales como factor de atracción de la población. Un estudio exploratorio sobre el fenómeno de la naturbanización en Andalucía

Abstract

This paper analyses new dynamics in rural areas of Andalusia belonging to protectedenvironments. These dynamics relate to demographic developments that havebeen taken place over the past twenty years, and their repercussion on changes in the use of land and regional planning in a wider context. The writer calls this processnaturbanisation, building on the work of Berry and Champion on the concept ofcounterurbanization (BERRY, B. J., 1976; CHAMPION, A., 1989). Whilet most of thework on demographic movements and re-structuring in rural areas is based on thetrends set by city dwellers, this work aims to show the importance of environmentalconditions on human behaviour and how this can have medium and long term repercussionson the population dynamics of rural areas in Andalusia. The main results ofthis study show clear evidence of a nature urbanisation process, as measured by arelative population development, in rural areas where protected natural areas are present.There are however also clear differences in the population growth rates thatsupport the presence of a naturbanisation process between natural parks.Apparently, the presence of protected nature is not the only factor determiningthe attractiveness of a rural area as a place to live.The naturbanisation in rural areas can negative implications for the ecological,landscape and social values of rural areas and therefore need careful policy attention.