The main priority was to alternate the idea of using peri-urban municipality areas to develop an environmental project that contributed to the preservation, restoration and improvement of these areas and that responded to the demands of a society sector that was claiming leisure areas.

Monte Deva is today a natural park of more than 200 hectares.Therefore station started by Gijón's City Council more than 10 years ago, within the Environmental Arc Project (already carried out in an area of 40 hectares), the Astronomic Observatory, the Apiary, or the Nature Interpretation Center,together with the recreational areas and park facilities have become attractive elements and reasons why nature lovers, walkers and mountain bike enthusiasts go to this natural park.

Beneficiaries

The whole population of the city and area, tourism.

Resources

Technical and financial:The project was designed and lead by the City Council of Gijón by means of its own technical teams and equipment and financed with its own resources. Later on, the partners got involved.  The following entities participated in the development: The Water Municipality Company, the Municipality Foundation for Culture, the Hydrographic Confederation and the Principality of Asturias.Sustainability is guaranteed by the implementation of a30-year plan which foresees the allocation of external and Municipality resources.There will be economic subsidies and collaboration agreements with other institutions as well as own investments. Other  previous experiences:Many experiences have been taken into account to develop this initiative:reforestation, leisure uses,or other environmental activities. Some of them,for example the Italian experience "il bosco in citta" or "ecomuseums" are are widely known. Ecomuseums pretend to preserve in situ, or create ad hoc areas, to recreate these areas.