248 The Barcelona Region’s land mosaic
landscape ecology and other fields were succinctly stated (also see Chapter9).
These range from habitat conservation and stream corridors to transportation,
development, and landscape change.
The basic principles point to a vision, effectively a set of flexible land patterns
tosustain natural systems and people at a high level in the GBRegion (Forman
2002a). Scattered glimpses of the vision resemble a ‘‘wish list” of desirable char-
acteristics. The vision is not to perpetuate existing conditions, which will surely
change markedly under any scenario. Rather, it is something to rest our ladder
on, and climb toward.
The principles are meshed with the distinctive existing patterns and processes
of the Greater Barcelona Region. The first step selects the ‘‘primary” principles,
those offering the greatest overall benefits. The second step portrays the primary
principles as simple spatial models or diagrams, which are applied or compared
with specific patterns in the region to identify promising options. Usually two
to four options for each principle are evaluated by simply listing the benefits
and disadvantages. The third step, basically a best-judgment iterative process,
thencombines the preferred options (most benefits, least disadvantages).
These general steps lead tothree comprehensive spatial solutionsforthe GBRegion,
each of which should achieve the original stated objective (Forman 2004a). Also
each solution is considered to lie in the envelope of feasibility. For convenience,
thethree options are labeled the ‘‘Most-promising Plan,” the ‘‘Solid Plan,” and
the ‘‘Minimal Plan.” Rather than being three alternatives with quite-different
central themes, the three plans have common central themes and differ in how
much or how strong proposed changes will be. Thus the three are presented
flexibly, so decision-makers and the public can add or subtract pieces from any
of the plans.
Finally, all three plans provide a mosaic of land uses for the whole urban
region, as well as for each portion and piece within it. In this way one can easily
see how changes or non-changes for the individual pieces fit into the big picture.
Thus a trajectory of implementation could be established for the whole region.
Or portions or pieces of the region could be addressed in the context of the big
picture and its trajectory.Nature, food, and water
Now weturn to the sevenprimary themesthat emerged from this pro-
cess and are incorporated in the plans and solutions for the Greater Barcelona
Region. These represent the conceptual heart of the project. The first four:
(1) emerald network, (2) major food areas for the future, (3) water for nature