Forest landscapes and sustainability. Myth and reality

Abstract

From the point ofview of geography which understands landscape mainly as a territory, this paper analyses recent evolution of some mountain forest landscapes Taking as a point of departure those transformations which are more visible, it is dealt with misunderstandings in alleged sustainable forest management forms which would be restoring naturality features to forest systems. This is called by some people a back lo nalure. Change opportunity is not denied, on the contrary; what is under discussion is the fact that it is giving raise to really sustainable landscapes. Actually, there are territorial dynamics (urbanizing, turistic, intensive farming) which pose problems difficult to solve. To follow this line ofreasoning the paper notes first the ways that have ch~racterized (and still characterize) the geographical view oflandscape; second the paradigms of forest management and the types of landscapes to which it has lead are analyzed. Finally the existence of some territorial and landscape contradictions of the forestal policies is suggested.