Preserving and destroying soils, transforming landscapes. Soils and land-use changes (The Vallés county, Catalunya, 1853-2004)

Abstract

In this paper we analyze the relations between land or soil characteristics and their agrarian use, together with the agrarian landscape evolution in the Vallès county (Catalonia) since 1850. We have reconstructed in digital format the 1850s cadastral maps of three villages (Caldes, Castellar, and Polinyà). For the 2000 period we have used the available cadastral and land-use maps and also conducted field surveys. We have also evaluated the suitability of land for the main agricultural uses (grain, fodder, vineyards, olive and almond orchards) considering the different land-use systems of the 1850s and the 2000s. The results show that land characteristics influence land-use decision making and historical landscape changes. But the extension of agriculture to nonsuitable land in 1850 reflects the existence of deeper social conflicts which eventfully were solved trough a vast labour investment in soil conservation to grow vineyards by the poorest rural classes. The present importance of terraces in landscape terms, and the land-use alternatives to preserve them, are also suggested.