Reformulating the social–ecological system in a cultural rural mountain landscape in the Picos de Europa region (northern Spain)

We analysed the changes that had taken place in the last 45 years in the spatial structure of the landscape, in the demographic tendencies of the local population and in the socioeconomic structure, in order to describe the current state and possible evolution of the social–ecological system in a mountain rural landscape in northern Spain. We conducted a series of interviews-questionnaires with the local population, which enabled us to define their profile and to evaluate their perception of the landscape and changes therein, thus establishing trends of territorial development and integrating history, culture, technology and environmental parameters, under different management perspectives. We observed a change in the spatial configuration of the landscape and modification of the territory, associated with rural abandonment, all of which gives rise to tensions among the components of the social–ecological system. The recovery and continuity in time of this system would be more viable under certain patterns of adaptive management and with the active participation of the local population in the decision-taking process, aimed at maintaining the (historic) landscape, which is characterised by its persistence and presents acceptable levels of biological and spatial diversity and productivity. This landscape would, in turn, maintain the development of tourism, one of the current pillars of the local economy, as it creates great demand for rural, natural and cultural tourism.