The project was started by the UNESCO Center in Catalonia, a non-governmental organization, and aims to identify intangible cultural heritage within a biosphere reserve and create inventories of it.
Ethnology and traditional Catalan culture project were undertaken in collaboration with local stakeholders and institutions within an area of the Montseny Biosphere Reserve and National Park in the Autonomous Community of Catalonia.
There were three objectives of the project: developing a method for establishing the presence and nature of intangible cultural heritage, preparing an inventory, and preparing a document detailing the contributions of intangible culture to sustainable development.
A nature reserve is a protected area in a natural or wilderness preserve that is specifically established and managed with the purpose of preserving and managing the flora, fauna, or features of geological or other interest. A nature reserve is also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bio reserve, or natural or nature preserve. Governmental institutions may designate nature reserves in some countries, or private landowners, such as research institutions or charities.
A methodology developed for this project will be useful for countries with a natural and intangible heritage that want to improve their conditions without compromising the opportunities for future generations. This methodology is suitable for developing countries, as it can be applied at the regional and international levels. The observations about intangible cultural heritage and sustainable development are also helpful for countries that have a natural and intangible heritage and are looking for ways to improve their conditions.
Montseny, however, is a massif of great historical-cultural value, as man has taken part in shaping its landscape full of masias, the predominant architectural type in this area. Currently, there are sixteen national parks in Spain: eleven in the Iberian Peninsula, four in the Canary Islands, and one in the Balearic Islands. Twelve of the seventeen autonomous communities of Spain have national parks.
Nowadays, forestry and agricultural, animal, and farming activities have lost considerable weight in the area in favor of the services sector (rural tourism, restaurants, and hotels), which has become one of the main economic driving forces of the area. The park offers a whole series of activities related to nature (itineraries on foot, guided horse-riding excursions, climbing walls, quad bike, and 4-wheel drive routes, paintballing, and mountain bike routes.
References
(https://ich.unesco.org/en/BSP/methodology-for-inventorying-intangible-cultural-heritage-in-biosphere-reserves-the-experience-of-montseny-00648) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_national_parks_of_Spain) (https://www.catalunya.com/montseny-nature-reserve-8-1-92?language=en)