Multidisciplinarity, Citizen Participation and Geographic Information System, Cross-Cutting Strategies for Sustainable Development in Rural Heritage. The Case Study of Valverde de Burguillos (Spain)

Julia Rey-Pérez,Victoria Domínguez-Ruiz

doi:10.3390/su12229628

Abstract

The pace at which cities grow and its impact on heritage management has meant that those heritage assets not linked to the traditionally monumental have been directly doomed to oblivion. The purpose of this article is to present a research methodology backed up by multidisciplinarity and stakeholders’ diversity that allows us to highlight the values and singular aspects of this rural heritage. To achieve this, a methodology was devised that is divided into three phases: mapping of human, cultural, and natural resources based on studies undertaken by the Public Sector Administration, experts, and the citizens themselves. The second phase involved the establishment of what to protect amongst all the stakeholders involved. Finally, the third stage entails integration of the information within an urban development framework. In order to work on the development of a diagnosis from three highly different approaches, Geographic Information Systems was used as information management tools, as a means of contrasting it and performing a comprehensive analysis of the same. The development of such a holistic approach provided a patrimonial map of essential resources in the municipality to be taken into account to shape sustainable development strategies inherent to a rural environment of low density. The lack of this comprehensive approach when managing rural heritage in which citizens take on centre stage in decision-making processes unearths two fundamental issues: firstly, the ascertainment of the existence of cultural heritage hitherto abandoned, alongside the need to endow urban governance powers to the public administration, as it falls to them to spearhead this shift in public management.

Highlights

The 21st century entailed major challenges to contemporary urban planning
In order to work on the development of a diagnosis from three highly different approaches, Geographic Information Systems was used as information management tools, as a means of contrasting it and performing a comprehensive analysis of the same
The development of such a holistic approach provided a patrimonial map of essential resources in the municipality to be taken into account to shape sustainable development strategies inherent to a rural environment of low density. The lack of this comprehensive approach when managing rural heritage in which citizens take on centre stage in decision-making processes unearths two fundamental issues: firstly, the ascertainment of the existence of cultural heritage hitherto abandoned, alongside the need to endow urban governance powers to the public administration, as it falls to them to spearhead this shift in public management

Summary

Introduction

The 21st century entailed major challenges to contemporary urban planning. The pace of cities’ growth and the concentration of the population in therein, to the detriment of rural areas, constitute a phenomenon in which different world organisations have been stressing for some years [1]. The designation of heritage protection to monumental elements by the administration has considerably limited the possibilities of expansion of this cultural heritage This rural heritage is often unprotected, meaning tangible and intangible heritage values are increasingly unknown. The depopulation of municipalities in Spanish inland areas and the consequent deterioration of their cultural and natural resources is increasingly frequent and problematic. This entails the loss of important local knowledge that is really beneficial for the global society, which is in search and in the process of change in terms of food, health, natural contact, and human values [4] This entails the loss of important local knowledge that is really beneficial for the global society, which is in search and in the process of change in terms of food, health, natural contact, and human values [4] (p. 286), [5] (p. 23)

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