Publications
The Value Assessment and Planning of Industrial Mining Heritage as a Tourism Attraction: The Case of Las Médulas Cultural Space
Las Médulas, a historic gold mining site in Spain, exemplifies the challenges and opportunities of repurposing industrial heritage for tourism. Research reveals that while Las Médulas has enhanced its tourist value through its historical and cultural significance, fragmented management by multiple stakeholders and limited local community engagement hinder effective tourism planning. The study, combining documentary analysis, fieldwork, and surveys, identifies key factors influencing resident support for tourism development, including financial benefits and perceived impacts on the area's image. These findings provide actionable recommendations to address longstanding debates among stakeholders and optimize sustainable tourism strategies.
Espacios patrimoniales de intervención múltiple. Conflictos territoriales en torno al Plan de Dinamización Turística de las Médulas
Las Médulas faces significant challenges due to its status as a space of multiple interventions. The implementation of the Tourist Dynamics Plan for Las Médulas has exposed latent conflicts related to cultural and tourist functionality within the Archaeological Zone, disagreements among local actors, and mismanagement by the Plan's governance. These issues are exacerbated by overlapping sectoral protection figures, leading to complex territorial management problems. While efforts towards integral valorization and ordering instruments have been delayed, establishing a dedicated management body for Las Médulas could address these challenges effectively.
La Balouta exhumed karst: a Roman gold-mine-derived landscape within the Las Médulas UNESCO World Heritage Site (Spain)
Researchers have identified the La Balouta Valley, located within the Las Médulas UNESCO World Heritage Site in Spain, as a unique paleokarst landscape shaped by both natural and anthropogenic processes. This valley, once filled with red Miocene sediments, was later excavated during Roman gold mining activities over 2,000 years ago. The study reveals that the valley's current characteristics—such as limited surface water runoff, small cavities, and residual karst topography—stem from these historical mining practices. Gold particles found in sediment samples and similarities to other formations mined by the Romans support this conclusion. The findings highlight the interplay between natural geological processes and human activity, creating a distinctive cultural landscape that reflects systematic gold extraction on the NW Iberian Peninsula.
Beyond nature: The management of a productive cultural landscape in Las Médulas area (El Bierzo, León, Spain) during pre-Roman and Roman times
Research at Las Médulas, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Spain, reveals the complex interplay between human activity and landscape management during pre-Roman and Roman times. Analysis of plant remains—including seeds, fruits, charcoal, pollen, spores, and non-pollen palynomorphs—from two archaeological sites demonstrates that communities in this region diversified their use of the landscape through agriculture, animal husbandry, and mining. The study highlights how these activities shaped the environment, satisfying multiple needs while leaving a lasting imprint on the cultural landscape.
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