Human Impact on Spanish Vegetation and Environment

Human Intervention in Spanish Vegetation

Human impact on the vegetation cover began when societies started farming. During the Roman era, forests saw few changes, but Roman agricultural management converted large forest areas into land suitable for plowing to supply grain, wine, and oil to Rome. During the period of the Reconquista, although many forests remained, vegetation cover decreased due to a new culture based on cereal farming.

Forestry in the Modern Age and Post-Civil War

During the modern age, many forests were devastated by logging for the army and domestic use, as well as to expand acreage. After the Civil War, reforestation began to achieve self-sufficiency and reduce dependence on foreign wood. This reforestation was primarily carried out with pine, extending coniferous forests. However, the achievements were poor because non-native species were used.

Sustainable Development and Environmental Issues

In Spain, there is widespread concern about environmental degradation. The country aspires to a more harmonious relationship between society and the environment. This is the expression of a philosophy of sustainable development: using goods offered by nature while ensuring its renewability for future generations. Two main problems affect the geographical space, with evident effects on the landscape: pollution and the improper use of the medium and extraction of resources.

Pollution and Environmental Impacts

With regard to pollution, the following are highlighted:

• Urban and industrial waste, where selective waste collection is now imposed.
• Wastewater and air pollution caused by the impacts of heating, transport, and industry.
• Noise pollution and the pollution of marine waters.

Among the environmental impacts, we highlight:

• Impacts produced by extractive activities such as mining and quarrying.
• Impacts produced by agriculture, including deforestation and erosion caused by intensive tillage and the use of fertilizers.
• Forest fires causing the loss of forests and wildlife; figures are alarming as half of these fires are due to negligence.
• Aggressive and speculative urban development along the Spanish coastline, which lacks proper management and leads to the loss of beach sectors, altering valuable environments.

Nature Protection and National Parks

In Spain, nature protection has its antecedents in the National Parks Act of 1916. In 1975, the Law on Protected Natural Areas was promulgated. Later, other laws were enacted, establishing two forms of protection:

• National Parks: These protect primitive ecosystems in sparsely populated mountain areas of high ecological interest and importance.
• Parks: These areas are sparsely transformed by human action and possess significant environmental values.

The region with the largest protected area in Spain is Andalusia.