“THESE STONES” ("AQUESTES PEDRES")
On 14 August 2022, a dry storm led to the discharge of large electrical discharges. Subsequently, one of the lightning strikes caused a huge fire that lasted for two weeks and impacted a significant portion of the inland valleys of Marina Alta and part of Vall de Xeta in the neighbouring Comtat region.
The wildfire damaged 13,000 hectares of valuable landscape and environment. The Marina Alta region is abundant in natural spaces, earning it the recognition as one of the most biodiverse areas on the Iberian Peninsula. This area harbours a noteworthy portion of Valencian flora and fauna species. Denia and Jávea rank seventh and eighth, respectively, for the municipalities that possess the highest number of species in Valencian territory, trailing only Alcoy within the Valencia region, according to data from the Biodiversity Data Bank (BdB).
The Environmental and Tourism Plan of the Marina Valleys is a proactive and participative document that focuses on the territory and tourism.
- What type of tourism are we discussing? There are two divergent approaches to tourism, namely, touristification and sustainability. Our plan is directed towards creating suggestions that pertain to sustainable and responsible tourism.
- What exactly does "sustainable and responsible tourism" signify? This definition is guided by the carrying capacity of the land in question.
- This represents the maximum number of individuals who can utilise a given area, partake in heritage tourism, engage in recreational activities, or tour the location without negatively impacting the landscape, real estate costs, standard of living, and the various economic opportunities associated with the local land.
- Sustainable tourism is determined by the carrying capacity of the activities or uses offered. The territory must support them without damaging its landscape, changing its appearance, or compromising people's ability to live and work there in humane conditions with a good quality of life.
- This type of tourism model generates quality proposals closely linked to the territory and its inhabitants. When tourism complements and implements a responsible model of territory, which regards the people who live there, their resources and the heritage and landscape, it can contribute to creating a sustainable territory.
- The main focus should be on the people and the territory, as well as the trades, heritage, small economy, and landscape, as they are the key players in the territorial model and, as such, also in tourism.
Without high-quality main attractions, sustainable tourism would not be possible. These attractions are essential for visitors to gain a true understanding of our region, and are the main reason why they choose to visit us.
