Conservation-development Duality: The Biosphere Reserve Sierra de Grazalema After 40 Years in the MaB Programme

Abstract

Since 1971 the programme Man and the Biosphere (MaB) of UNESCO has been dedicated to promoting Protected Areas in which conservation of nature is closely linked to territorial development that is beneficial to local communities. In Spain the first area declared as a Biosphere Reserve was Sierra de Grazalema (1977). The history of the management of this Protected Area is now significant enough to analyze how the applied initiatives aimed at conservation have harmonized with those most directly committed to social and economic development. This paper provides an extensive review of the conservation and development programmes and associated measures implemented in the last ten years in Sierra de Grazalema.