La protezione di un territorio rurale fragile: Parque Natural da Serra da Estrela (Portogallo)

Abstract The Protection of a Fragile Rural Territory: Parque Natural da Serra da Estrela (Portugal) Protected areas are not only characterized as laboratory spaces for the conservation of the environment but also freed from human presence; rather, they are territories where it is essential to guarantee the balance between the protection regime and local socio-economic and cultural activities. This is especially relevant in areas where human presence is constantly shrinking, often associated with a continuous remodeling of the use of space. This paper explores the evolution of protected areas in Portugal, focusing on the Parque Natural da Serra da Estrela, in order to understand the relationship between the establishment of the protected area and the rural vocation that has historically characterized the territory of the most important Portuguese mountain range.