Reflections two years later 275(8) Cultural symbols across the region.Inthis case the information was pro-
vided but, uncharacteristically, it took a very long time to appear. I later
learned that in an ongoing election process the main political party
opposed to the interests of many of my contacts was recommending
the expansion of cultural symbols.With the benefit of two years of reflection plus three subsequent visits to the
region and conversations with a range of people, I would have added or increased
emphasis on the following issues. These are details. The plan presented, both in
concept and in specifics, is almost exactly as I would present it now in hindsight:
(A) If I had visited the rural tourism areas outside the Barcelona region,
minor changes in the Tordera portion would have been made.
(B) Iwould have pointed out the value of wildlife reintroductions, as suc-
cessfully done for fallow deer, stork, and otter in a large park northeast
of the Barcelona region.
(C) Agriculture--nature parks were highlighted for protecting rare migratory
birds, but the large natural areas are especially important to protect rare
resident Catalan birds.
(D) Protected estuaries by river outlets and deltas, such as of the Llobregat
and Tordera rivers, are normally important nursery sources for many
shellfish and fish along the coast.
(E) The France--Vic--Madrid highway under construction will relieve some
truck traffic from metropolitan-area highways, but will place a large
industrialization and urbanization pressure tending to degrade agricul-
tural, water, and natural resources of the Vic Valley.
(F) An infrequent major wildfire, such as the 1994 Castelltallat fire, on the
steep slopes around the three Ter River reservoirs could cause large
erosion, sedimentation, water quality, and water capacity problems.
(G) Ahigh-speed train station at Vilafranca, rather than at El Vendrell,
would place large industrialization and urbanization pressures tending
to degrade the valuable Penedes wine-growing area.
(H) Aproposednewhighway with tunnels north--south across the Collserola
Park, is likely to cause fragmentation and degradation of its multiple
resources so valuable to the Barcelona population and its future.
(I) The rather large Montnegre and El Corredor natural areas are still con-
nected by surviving, but unprotected, woodland, which represents a
strategic protection priority.
(J) Time constraints prevented real consideration of greenspaces within the
City of Barcelona, where, in a European context, greenspace usable by