The Heritagization of A Mediterranean Vernacular Mountain Landscape Concepts Problems and Processes
The Heritagization of A Mediterranean Vernacular Mountain Landscape Concepts Problems and Processes
To cite this article: Pablo Altaba Tena & Juan A. García-Esparza (2018) The Heritagization of a
Mediterranean Vernacular Mountain Landscape: Concepts, Problems and Processes, Heritage
& Society, 11:3, 189-210, DOI: 10.1080/2159032X.2019.1670533
Introduction
In some Mediterranean regions, rural spaces are transformed from spaces for production
and life to become spaces for consumption and conservation (Holmes 2012). It is possible
to find an axiomatic contradiction at the heart of the technical, theoretical, and scientific
disciplines currently studying landscapes: the intersection of the material reality of land-
scape and the collective cultural image which one wishes to transmit. At the same time,
a disconnect is observed between the perspective held by landscape specialists, most
of the society living in these landscapes, and occasional visitors. The multifunctional
and multidisciplinary nature of the landscape has led landscape researchers and analysts
to find a methodology of study that can define the disconnect between what can be seen
and what is desired.
The current situation in heritage landscapes is linked to a cultural shift that has led to
understanding the intrinsic values of abandonment as a social construct (Parkinson, Scott,
and Redmond 2016). In keeping with this, the values of the landscape are understood to
be, by definition, mutable. New types of values appear while others are grouped together
or simply disappear (De la Torre 2013). This rigid system results in an incomplete under-
standing of values (Fredheim and Khalaf 2016). While values are seen as mutable adaptive
concepts, the concepts of integrity and authenticity also adjust to new perspectives
(García-Esparza 2016). In this regard, ICOMOS (1994) highlighted the need for conceptual
change and evolution to find a broader vision of the authenticity of cultural assets. Auth-
enticity, commonly understood in opposition to thematization, is associated with the pres-
ervation of functions and meanings (Silva and Fernández 2017), viewing heritage as an
experience and as social and cultural representation with which people are actively
involved (Smith 2011). Equally, the fact that places may have inherent qualities without
cultural significance is defended (De la Torre 2013), adding that individuals recognize
values in a specific location based on their own needs or desires, and shape these
based on their social, cultural, or economic circumstances (Spennermann 2006). It
should thus be stressed that the conservation of a place must identify and take into con-
sideration all aspects of its cultural and natural significance, avoiding unwarranted empha-
sis to the detriment of others (ICOMOS 2000).
Integrity should also be included as a quantifiable factor in studies of the landscape.
Gullino and Larcher (2013) mention the different perspectives and degrees of integrity
based on the fields of knowledge from which landscape is evaluated. They support multi-
disciplinarity as the middle ground for the assessment of the integrity of landscapes as
integrity is connected with conservation. However, the given value in itself is not a
quality. Instead the fabric, object, or medium is the carrier of a specific cultural or historic
meaning imposed externally and based on the dominant frameworks of a specific period
(Pendlebury and Gibson 2009).
In terms of cultural significance, the landscape is a key element in the identity of a
specific area or region. This idea refers to the concept of attachment and the traditional
aspects of attachment to the place of origin and dependence (Hammitt, Kyle, and Oh
2009). Some researchers added other dimensions such as affective attachment (Kyle,
Mowen, and Tarrant 2004), social ties (Kyle, Graefe, and Manning 2005) and familiarity,
belonging, and roots (Hammitt, Backlund, and Bixler 2006). This identification can be
linked to a specific element of the landscape, the historical relationship between a local
community and its surroundings. Identity is not necessarily linked to a particularly striking
landscape but can be linked to an ordinary or deteriorated landscape (Council of Europe
2000; Plottu and Plottu 2012). Thus, heritage and landscape represent the individual iden-
tity and idiosyncrasy of local communities.
Another situation to be taken into account when attempting to deconstruct a land-
scape is the perhaps unsuitably termed “cultural identity.” Given that identity and
culture are complementary concepts, confusion leads to them being sometimes used
synonymously. Culture refers to routine practices, beliefs, and meanings which are
strongly established, while identity refers to feelings of belonging to a place or collective.
The problem in theory stems from the provable empirical fact that the cultural limits do
not always coincide with those of identity. In a social group with which all members ident-
ify there is not necessarily cultural homogeneity (Grimson 2010). On the one hand, there
HERITAGE & SOCIETY 191
are identities which are not outlined and could be the basic identities transmitted from
one generation to the next, while on the other there are identities that are imposed or out-
lined and created by the administration (provinces, states …) (Mira 2007).
A landscape can be recognized as cultural by different collectives or communities,
although only some of these will recognize it as identitarian (Silva and Fernández 2017).
Therefore, the identity tends to be homogeneous but the perception of each observer
makes the rest of the values heterogeneous according to their own subjectivity. One of
the most important aspects of the notion of identity of the landscape is that it provides
an idea of the subtle balance between aggregation and segregation. It can unite people
in a feeling of attachment to their region. This can lead to interest and involvement in
the conservation and development of the spatial and existential characteristics of the land-
scape. A multidisciplinary holistic interpretation of these processes could lead to the cre-
ation of a collective conscience in search of common objectives (Stobbelaar and Pedroli
2011) or as Watson and Waterton (2010) hold, the creation of a heritage community.
extensively farmed. A similar process is found in many European countries with socioeco-
nomic and environmental implications such as depopulation and the decline of agrarian
ecosystems, with the subsequent loss of biodiversity (Figure 1).
This landscape can be well linked to the autotopic construction of space. It escapes
from the heterotopic or idealistic constructed scenarios of the past (Fairclough 2012),
and further reinforces the idea of conserving those habitats created by the ethnicities
of autochthonous rural dwellers, what in turn forces new interpretations on the cultural
diversity of the unplannable or informal in landscape values. These autotopias (Berger
2015) refer to past and present spatial practices where the role of the non-expert is
empathized, where ordinary residents participate in the intellectual and material construc-
tion of “informal” places (García-Esparza 2018). Although this autotopic landscape suffers
from decay, abandonment, and deterioration, it transmits the social truth of a modest
population. The current loss of inhabitants together with the relative abandonment of
this type of pseudo-indigenous rural life not only poses a relative threat to specific pres-
ervation criteria but also sets interesting challenges for the economic, cultural, and
environmental viability of the place (Agnoletti 2014).
Research in the entanglements of this landscape took into account the positive and
negative factors which could condition the perception of the material reality of the terri-
tory. During workshops, we discussed about stakeholders’ interpretation of these informal
landscapes and we noticed how they were confronting the heterotopic and autotopic ima-
ginaries in the search for values. For this purpose, the research team and other people
Figure 1. Example of area under study. In the foreground, a masía, a traditional farm house with a
spontaneous display of a religious symbols linked to the pilgrimage values.
HERITAGE & SOCIETY 193
linked directly to the landscape observed and cataloged the different ethnographic
elements and agricultural architecture, connected with water use: masías, mills, almazaras,
wheels, fountains, bridges, etc., which can still be found, albeit abandoned or no longer in
use (Altaba 2018). This architecture is linked to the landscape and strategically placed to
make the best possible use of environmental conditions. In addition, this network of itin-
eraries links rivers, municipalities, and the hermitage at the foot of Mount Penyagolosa
which has been the destination of pilgrimages since the Middle Ages.
The anthropic landscape used dry stone for a combination of reasons: for modifying the
permeability of mountains in order to retain water, to make land profitable, to denote the
boundaries of plots, to retain livestock or to make constructions where to keep tools and
agricultural implements. The presence of essential water resources was observed, com-
bined with great biodiversity, and spontaneous displays of need and faith, highlighting
the specific values of this sociocultural setting (see Figure 1). The landscape thus contained
vernacular settlements in areas near water sources or rivers and creeks; even models which
use the agricultural-forest landscape to build masías reflecting the fervent religiosity that
still coexists with the other values of the landscape.
Connotations of sustainable environments rely on specific aspects of places, including
population numbers, the division of different local, regional or national actors, and how
they assume the responsibility which results from attempts to balance the concepts of
ecology, economy, and socialization of spaces. Currently, the conservation policies of
these heritage spaces are geared towards the fossilization of the landscape through
strict protection to conserve the wealth of vernacular architecture in the region (Figure 2).
Figure 2. The area under study is located in the province of Castellón, along the eastern Mediterranean
coast of Spain.
194 P. ALTABA TENA AND J. A. GARCÍA-ESPARZA
construction elements linked to the itineraries under study were cataloged. The state of
conservation of these elements was as follows: 28% in good condition; 47% in need of
urgent intervention due to the risk of collapse; and 25% in ruins. In these field days, the
team was guided by people from the municipalities of the area under study. Links
began to be forged between the technical team and the local population.
In order to learn more about the connection between society and the heritage land-
scape of Penyagolosa and its surroundings, a series of meetings were held to explain
the analyses being conducted.
To evaluate the perception of this vernacular, abandoned, and decaying cultural land-
scape, 100 residents of the eight municipalities in the area were survayed. The objective of
the survey was to establish the perception of the architecture linked to the landscape, to
the itineraries that connect the municipalities with Mount Penyagolosa, as well as ques-
tions about their traditions, their link with the territory and their references within the ver-
nacular cultural landscape.
Based on previous experience and broadening the field of environmental perception
and increasing the number of participants surveyed (400 people) it was decided to
carry out a photo-elicitation workshop asking also for concepts that were added to the
results of the first contact.
Two factors should be taken into account, the scale of what is perceived and the attach-
ment and identification mentioned earlier. Therefore, it must be added that the choice of
scale on which to interpret a certain element, a certain landscape or a certain territory is
crucial in order to transmit what kingdoms we find in them (Folch and Bru 2017). These
scales can be the following:
We will call this phenomenon a scale of perception (Riesco, Gómez, and Álvarez 2008),
in the case of photo-elicitation, to perceive the authenticity or state of conservation and a
concrete impression of an element, the first two scales were used.
A photo-elicitation workshop provided images of locations representative of the values
of the area in order to highlight their importance and analyses the ties people had with
their surroundings. Firstly, the research shows that photo-elicitation does not replace
studies based on conventional interviews and can be viewed as an adjunct to such
methods, providing additional validity and depth, and offering new viewpoints and oppor-
tunities (Arias 2011). As photo-elicitation is a relatively time-consuming activity (for
researchers and informants), it should preferably be adopted when it can provide an
effective contribution to the research. Secondly, photo-elicitation stimulates the infor-
mants’ ability to express their practical knowledge through the attribution and association
of meanings. In these activities, the informants will not only provide information but they
will also be asked to describe their perceptions of specific phenomena and the values they
attribute to them (Bignante 2010).
196 P. ALTABA TENA AND J. A. GARCÍA-ESPARZA
With these premises, it was asked about natural, historical, ethnographic, productive,
religious, and social values. This classification was obtained through fieldwork, consul-
tation with experts from the Penyagolosa natural park and through the first surveys of
the local population. Each of the values is defined below. The interpretations were
obtained through the study of the results of the following materials (Figures 3–5).
(1) Natural value: this value is made up of the biotic and abiotic elements that can be
found in the landscape,
(2) Ethnographic value: this value is made up of the elements related to vernacular archi-
tecture and the elements linked to it,
(3) Historical value: this value is composed of intangible elements that are reflected in the
vernacular tradition of the region,
(4) Social value: this value is made up of activities related to the territory, whether they be
sporting, recreational, or educational,
(5) Religious value: this value is made up of traditional representations such as pil-
grimages or the buildings in which they are represented (churches, hermitages, and
sanctuaries) and
(6) Productive value: this value is made up of the traditional activities linked to agriculture
and stockbreeding and the products derived from these activities.
At the core of cultural studies is the interpretation of signs. A common criticism of cul-
tural studies is that researchers often assume how audiences or a public define hegemonic
or other ideological messages. Photo elicitation offers a means for grounding cultural
studies in the mundane interpretations of culture users. Several photo-elicitation studies
focused on the meaning of local cultures. In these studies, a researcher takes photographs
of a group doing its normal round of activity. Surveys among the local population inspire
subjects to define how they interpret the elements represented (Harper 2002).
Findings
Perception of Integrity and Authenticity
When residents were asked to describe the condition of the architecture the terms most
frequently used were “poor or unesthetic,” an option selected by 100% of interviewees in
one of the municipalities. In seven of the eight municipalities “poor or unesthetic” was the
most frequent choice. In contrast, the least common result was that describing the aban-
donment as “good or aesthetic,” an option only featured in three of the eight municipa-
lities and always in less than 10% of cases. Finally, the option of “indifferent or logical”
was used in all municipalities except in one where it matched the option “poor or unes-
thetic” (Figure 6).
For the second survey, the aim was to ascertain the criteria of the locals regarding the
authenticity of landscape. Responses were divided into three groups: (a) the landscape
contains and conserves the original anthropic use, (b) the landscape contains the use
but due to abandonment some anthropic components are not visible and (c) the land-
scape has completely lost all signs of past uses (Figure 7). Although the results are practi-
cally the same for options (a) and (b), it is worth noting the perception on the use of
HERITAGE & SOCIETY 197
Figure 3. Material used for the photo-elicitation workshop. Figure 3 provides 5 of the images referring
to the natural value evaluated by the population.
landscape in municipalities 2 and 6, with 75% and 85% of the population respectively
seeing the original anthropic use in its surroundings. The fact that in all cases except
one the original use of the landscape was perceived by over 40% of those surveyed is
198 P. ALTABA TENA AND J. A. GARCÍA-ESPARZA
Figure 4. Material used for the photo-elicitation workshop. Figure 4 is the rubric used to record the
results.
positive as a significant exercise in the collective memory for the research. Secondly, for
option (b), the results are around 50% of the total of the survey, although it should be
noted that in two of these municipalities the results are above the average, more aware-
ness exists in the abandoned of local ecosystems. Finally, option (c) was not selected in 5 of
HERITAGE & SOCIETY 199
Figure 5. Photograph of the workshop with inhabitants of the study area. The perception of the
landscape values.
Figure 6. Percentages of responses in the eight villages on the perceptions of the visual quality of
abandoned vernacular architecture.
the 8 municipalities, and was below 10% in two municipalities, only reaching 18% in one
case.
Comparison of the results of both surveys shows two notable inverse trends: abandon-
ment of architectural elements is considered negative, while the visual quality of the land-
scape is perceived as positive.
200 P. ALTABA TENA AND J. A. GARCÍA-ESPARZA
The first element in which to assess attachment and identification was an almost dere-
lict small-scale building. On it, residents identify the traditional way of life, as if it could be
traced back representing links of familiarity, belonging, or attachment (Hammitt, Backlund,
and Bixler 2006). Nonetheless they also identified the element linked to a negative view of
evolution, losing historical, cultural, and ethnographic values which became vestiges of
past time (Figure 8).
Figure 8. First picture of the ethnographic elements at the photo-elicitation survey. As shown in
Figure 3.
HERITAGE & SOCIETY 201
While buildings tend to deteriorate, landscape adapts to the climate and production
circumstances imposed on it. However, the surveys showed that apart from the negative
perspective of the surroundings, environmental changes are ignored while the parts of the
landscape which transmit positive values are highlighted. Therefore, the social connection
(Kyle, Graefe, and Manning 2005) which landscape creates with residents continues to
exist, although with current uses and customs.
of the landscape (e.g., Figure 1 or Figure 8) and the perception of its recent history (Figures
6, 7 and 9) show that values are complementary and connected. In other words, without a
natural value there would be no ethnographic value, and without it there would be no pro-
ductive value. The disconnection or different evolution of these values in the study area is
evident in the physical environment (Figures 1 and 8), but the social perception of these
values contradicts this assertion.
In all municipalities, it was clearly seen that for the conservation of the landscape past cul-
tural memory are of great value. It is assumed that there could be a disconnection from
values due to the importance attached to historic, cultural, or ethnographic values but evi-
dence supported of the outputs of Figure 9, shows that these values can be recognized
among the population. Equally, the attachments or connection of society to the natural
values are also present, although it is more surprising when socioeconomic values appear
in last place, just because those values may generate resources such as rural tourism, or agri-
culture and livestock. In this context it is possible to see a single circumstance which validates
the heritagization of the territory. Tradition is understood as a trigger for the future, making
natural and cultural values necessary for boosting socioeconomic values.
Identity
Although the above results may be culturally conditioned, identity depends at least partly
on collectives, not merely on cultures. Different cultures and the same identity can coexist
within a collective (Grimson 2010). Collective identity is developed from a collective
process of conscious “seduction” or creation (Mira and Sanmartín 2007). Identity is a
process developed from the bottom up and entails discovery, interpretation and so,
understanding (Tilden 1957).
One hypothesis is that the rural changes currently occurring in this type of area create
microidentities (Paniagua 2014) based on localisms. Participants ruled out this option in
the participatory meetings, as long as, it was established that most people continue to
feel attached to their origins or connected to the settlement from which their ancestors
originally came, either the municipality or buildings scattered around it. It was demon-
strated by the high percentage of response on the recognition of ethnographic, historical,
and religious values of the landscape (Figure 9). Most people felt they were represented by
the heritage elements of their municipality, except in the case of mount Penyagolosa and
its church. The mountain is seen as a symbolic identitarian element in all the municipali-
ties. Life in the masías, with their architecture, tradition, nature, etc., lead to a shared land-
scape which facilitates a joint cultural image. It should be noted that as these data reflect a
connection between the settlers and represent a feeling of belonging to a category, they
are a key element in the culture of the region confirming the initial hypothesis. The limits
of culture do not always coincide with those of identity and identities as outlined by
administrations or created from the bottom up are not always respected socially or cultu-
rally (first value to Figure 9).
conceptualization is generated both from the locality and through institutions, whether
governmental or NGO’s (Clark and Drury 2000). Depending on the heritagization
process which legitimates them, heritage landscapes are either those which provide an
identity for their inhabitants and are assessed at a local level, or those recognized by insti-
tutions which assign them a value which is not merely local but based on regional,
national, or international values (Silva and Fernández 2017). A heritage location will not
completely reflect its cultural resources and values if the inhabitants living within it are
not involved in the heritagization process (Stephens and Tiwari 2015).
In connection with this, it is worth referencing the rural gentrification processes closely
linked to the identity of one class versus the power of another (Sorando and Ardura 2016).
Alonso (2017) explains the awareness of this process within large urban areas, which
appears so gradually in predominantly rural areas that it is not assimilated until it is
fully consolidated. In addition to lacking a full acknowledgement of the values of the cul-
tural landscape, gentrification can eventually lead to an emphasis on the tourism economy
and a loss of authenticity or traditional trades.
Heritage landscapes are currently seen as an economic resource, rather than the com-
bination of all the factors which have determined the history, culture, and identity of a
given geographical region. According to this interpretation, heritage becomes an econ-
omic resource, a consumer good (Hernández 2009). The development of capitalist
society has created basic consumer needs based on leisure and the tourist offer which
have led to heritagization processes becoming part of a context of economic and social
profitability (Urtizberea, Hernández, and Andreu 2016).
Heritage processes should be seen as gradual, tentative, intermittent, and inseparable
from everyday life. The area under study reflects numerous conditioning factors and vari-
ables which require a process of reflection in order to understand the flow of tangible and
intangible elements which make it up. For instance, there is a tendency to pass judgement
from an individual standpoint on how everyday life will be affected by the changes stem-
ming from heritagization. Heritagization processes are not usually altruistic, they all entail
interests. They can even be valued from the uncertainty of future actions. It should be
stressed that rather than results, what is truly important is the process which determines
the future reality of the cultural landscape. Therefore, it can be concluded that there is no
optimum heritagization process. Relationships and interactions between agents or actors
must be as horizontal as possible, it must be an ethical task which ensures covering both
the objective and subjective interpretations of the landscape. The long-term trajectory of
the heritage phenomenon must be recognized, comprehended, and accepted (Harvey
2001) to eventually be understood in depth.
that, regardless of the state of tangible resources in the landscape, intangible aspects con-
tinue to make sense of the landscape for residents. That is, recent theories consider that
dynamic authenticity is based on current perception, action, experience, and social prac-
tice, as well as the values of time and place (Pendlebury and Gibson 2009). These are
objects that make or transform space, and are no longer part of it (Crang 2001). The auth-
entically dynamic object is directly affected by contemporary decision-making processes
and is the result of accumulated sociocultural reconstructions of modest cultures. Its value,
therefore, lies in how objects reflect circumstances rather than their own importance
(García-Esparza 2018).
The region studied seeks future international recognition of the values found within this
Mediterranean mountain cultural landscape. To do so, the material reality of the landscape
must first be merged with its cultural image, focusing on four main aspects:
The structure proposed to start off the heritagization process covered all the initial con-
cepts, all the opinions and contradictions generated by a landscape: Analysis of the funda-
mental values, criteria of authenticity and integrity, identity and belonging to the place
and analysis of the elements that compose the area of study. With this in mind, before
working on the guidelines to be followed, as indicated in (3) above, the question arose
as to how heritagization ought to be approached. The analysis of the cultural landscape
on the Penyagolosa region has shown how the combination of values which could be
described as “past” are still found among the population. It is, therefore, necessary to
recognize the fabric of values, guaranteeing a balanced degree of integrity and authen-
ticity both for the natural and cultural aspects of the landscape and the elements
within it, in order to preserve resident’s definition of the cultural heritage of the landscape.
There is an on-going discussion in critical theory about the appropriate evolution of cul-
tural landscapes (García-Esparza 2016). This is why the management of heritage spaces has
to be reflected in improved protection, even when it remains unclear how the concepts of
integrity and authenticity can become innovative and more dynamic in the
anthropic landscape. It is may be preferable for certain resources to conserve evidence
of their historical origin rather than their full integrity, thus maintaining an active role in
society, the economy and the landscape as a whole (Agnoletti 2014). The methodologies
of Virtudes and Almeida (2016) in Portugal, Ferreti and Comino (2015), Ferreti, Bottero, and
Mondini (2014) in Italy or van der Vaart (2005) in the Netherlands among others have tried
to guarantee these different degrees of cultural resource integrity.
Therefore, basic concepts are established for the rediscovery, understanding and rein-
terpretation of the cultural landscape. Using these as a starting point requires an under-
standing of the sociocultural perspective on the landscape. The success of valorization
or heritagization is greatly dependent on the social perspective attached to it, not in
terms of literal reconstruction, fossilization, or scenic reinterpretation (Olwig et al. 2016)
and scenic landscape, but in terms of the importance of identity and culture in the collec-
tive memory of communities.
HERITAGE & SOCIETY 205
In order to secure the empowerment of the population, there was a need to highlight
values that were not obvious or were of little importance to them. Activities proposed
included the Jornadas de Centros Históricos (in the years 2016, 2017 and 2018) where
locals showed their vernacular homes and some ethnographic elements and organized
tours around the town. Following consultation, the decision was made to work on
uniting historical, ethnographic, cultural, and natural values with social and economic
values. Promoting the cultural landscape, even a deteriorated one, provides numerous
valuable and appealing factors. This ensures that everyday elements of surroundings
are valued and their character is recognized, creating the fabric of values mentioned in
the introduction: democratizing the landscape (Vik 2017) and making it transversal and
understandable. These meetings with local residents highlighted how with the necessary
respect between agents, the different perspectives created a joint understanding where
everybody can learn from everybody else (García-Esparza 2015) conferring depth and val-
idity to the concept of landscape and heritage. Attempts were made to unite the objective
and subjective through participation to ensure a harmonious heritagization between
users, neighbors and experts.
However, it was necessary to work on feedback to avoid participation being used as a
shield or simple validation method with no further implications (Sánchez-Carretero and
Jiménez-Esquinas 2016). Fluid contact, criticism, self-criticism, and understanding added
to the concepts introduced initially. It should be stressed that the administration and legis-
lation must be present in these processes for new heritage perspectives. A multidisciplinary
team should lead these processes, remain sensitive to them and the social groups who
support them and identify with the landscape. In order for this to be successful, the regional
government and NGOs are essential within the framework of the comprehensive restructur-
ing of landscape, while the fair distribution of loads and its benefits are key to success.
These landscapes which are now candidates for heritagization have been cared for and
shaped by residents and volunteers for centuries. Rather than an excuse for participation,
this is a source of knowledge of the territory (Mydland and Grahn 2012). The combination
of natural and cultural image to generate a new perspective of landscape includes the
study – as seen earlier – of authenticity and symbolism, as reflected in the core values
of residents and experts. This process for the recognition of past landscape is the
means to create, conserve, and manage the present cultural landscape and its varying
layers of values and meaning.
Adopting a long-term strategy for the landscape of Penyagolosa is essential in order to
successfully contextualize contemporary change (Emanuelson 2009). Heritage is also a
process of communicating, transmitting, and updating knowledge and ideas. It is about
declaring and expressing identity, and re/creating the social and cultural values and mean-
ings which back this up. Identities and memory are not simply found, produced, or
reflected in the heritage places and moments. Instead, they are recreated and negotiated
continuously as people, communities, and institutions reinterpret, remember, forget, and
reassess the meaning of the past in the social, cultural, and political needs of the present
(Smith 2011). Just as heritage and landscape require lengthy and lasting management pro-
cesses, this management involves continuous study, prevention, and action. These areas
should either be kept alive and in a good state of conservation (Rossler 2012), or
balance economic parameters and human, social, and environmental wellbeing (Rivera
et al. 2018).
206 P. ALTABA TENA AND J. A. GARCÍA-ESPARZA
Conclusions
Although the collaborations between locals and academics did cause some degree of
tension (Pendlebury and Townshend 1999) due to differing interpretations of the same
territory, it still appears to be the best possible form of analysis.
The evidence observed through citizen participation shows that an analysis of land-
scape should be linked to both the objective and subjective perspectives. Debating and
learning more on an equal footing establishes transversal perspectives, creating heritage
fabric, and community. Ignoring subjectivity just because it is considered less realistic is to
simplify the concept of landscape.
This has shown that empowering the local population in the heritagization process,
making them participants in their surroundings, is to involve all collectives. Therefore,
when heritagizing a setting it is important to work on the landscape from a human stand-
point, focusing the process on the people who reside in the landscape and providing as
many perspectives as possible through other actors and interest groups. Most of all, ensur-
ing that this heritagization is gradual, even when its implementation is sorely needed,
it guarantees the integration of management within society, an understanding of the pro-
cesses, and the adaptation of landscape to new uses or the recovery of traditional uses, in
the end, consolidating collectively.
It should be remembered that the area shares with the rest of the Spanish state and
some regions of Europe some severe problems that condition the environments. In this
sense, using depopulation, environmental problems or the loss of heritage as a stimulus
to establish starting points helped to unify analytical criteria and to focus participation
as a debate in order to observe from within the attitude towards these problems and
propose measures to try to reverse them.
The results of this study present landscape as an enormous source of heritage always
connected to people. Returning to some of the current dynamics, redirecting them to
new heritage paradigms that are more human and sustainable requires further consider-
ation, study, and understanding of the character of landscape at all levels and in all social
strata.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Funding
This research has been developed with funding from the project “Intangible Cultural Heritage in
Penyagolosa” from the Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte and the Instituto del Patrimonio
Cultural in Spain [grant number CUL/1.A4/2018] and the project “Crafts and Artisans. Evaluation of
small municipalities to develop a Patrimonial Territorial Action Plan” from the Generalitat Valenciana,
Spain [grant number GV/2017/100].
Notes on contributors
Pablo Altaba Tena is a staff member of the Technology, Quality and Sustainability in Construction
research group at Universitat Jaume I in Spain. He received his PhD in Architecture, Building,
HERITAGE & SOCIETY 207
Urban Planning and Landscape from the Universitat Politècnica de València in 2019. Research is cur-
rently being carried out on the transformations of historic centres, cataloguing architectural heritage,
and mapping using GIS software. He is interested in the preservation of cultural heritage, its study,
local communities, and new visions of heritage.
Juan A. García Esparza is a Senior Lecturer at Universitat Jaume I where he teaches Heritage Con-
servation and Management. His interests in research rely on Heritage Science in a broad sense,
from cultural landscapes to buildings. The research he is currently conducting appraises the heritage
of commons in historic cities and villages. He is an editor of VITRUVIO – International Journal of Archi-
tectural Technology and Sustainability. He is an elected member of the Regional Committee on the
Intangible Heritage of Valencia Region, Spain, and an Associate Member of the International Com-
mittee on Historic Towns and Villages CIVVIH – ICOMOS.
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