Adirondack Issues in Spain?

I thought the chapter in Schneider on “The Global Park” was really interesting.  It is really easy to get caught up in the Park as its own little world, but in reality it is a microcosm, reflecting broader global issues.  This became especially apparent to me recently as I was researching a current event for my Spanish presentation.  There is a park in Spain that is currently facing issues that are parallel to the issues presently facing the park.  10% of the park is an estate owned by the Spanish government called La Almoraima.  It is about 35,000 acres and the government wants to sell it for $376 million as a resort.  The idea is to build a five star hotel, two golf courses, polo fields, an equestrian center, and an airport on the property, which is home to the largest cork forests in Europe, as well as being home to a vibrant array of ecology.  The government wants to sell the land to help boost the currently failing Spanish economy, but it is receiving significant pushback form environmentalists and locals who believe that the land should belong to the Spanish people and that its ecological value is greater than its financial value. 

Although the sale of La Almoraima is controversial, the government has legitimate financial concerns to consider.  The estate has cost the government $2.8 million in subsidies to maintain this past year alone.  The government believes that selling the estate and creating a resort will stimulate tourism and construction.  Many wealthy buyers have been interested in the estate, hoping to purchase it as a private residence, instead as a resort.  They hope to make it a place for the wealthy to hunt game and recreate, as opposed to opening it to the public.  One potential buyer is Salma Hayek and her billionaire French husband. 

Local residents and politicians oppose the idea of the government selling the land and have made their opinions clear at town hall meetings.  They want to protect the land, and believe that the government has an opportunity to preserve an emblematic and untouched estate.  They want the estate to be included in the park in order to save the oaks, pines, and wild olive trees, believing that ecological preservation would promote tourism.  If the estate became part of the park then the planned development of the resort would be prohibited.  The residents do not believe that the financial benefits that the government is anticipating will reach them and that the jobs will go to outsiders.  They would like the estate to be a place for locals and tourism.  They would like the land and the economy to serve the citizens, not large corporations.  Finally, they are looking to preserve the land for their children and grandchildren. 

These opinions are all reminiscent of perspectives we have discussed in class.  The conflict between economics and the environment is very similar to that in the Adirondacks.  What surprises me about this case is the reaction of the locals.  Unlike those in Tupper Lake, these locals are very much against development and in favor of the forest’s preservation for the benefit of the ecology and future generations.  This is a more progressive and farsighted view than the locals have in Tupper Lake.  I would argue that the Spanish locals are more realistic.  What is the cause of these different views?  What can Adirondackers and the Spanish learn from each other?  I think that one of the best ways to improve management of the Adirondacks is to learn from similar situations from the Park’s history and from outside the park.  When analyzing issues within the Park, it is vital to look for answers outside the Blue Line.