The perception of the environment after francoism. The emergence of natural parks in Catalonia (1975-1990s)

© 2016 CSIC. In the 1970s in Catalonia, people’s perception of nature changed from being regarded as a source of raw materials or buildable surfaces to becoming natural heritage requiring conservation. In the middle of the decade, regional and local movements for the conservation of nature began to appear. The main objective of these was to disseminate the natural values of certain areas and their need for protection. These movements received the support of the national and international scientific communities, and the coverage and complicity of the media, permitting conflicts to reach the general public. This change in perception was also reflected later in laws that defined and developped new nature protection models.