Responsible Tourism in the Alpujarras, Spain

by Anne Hunt, Owner of Casa Ana

When I first stumbled upon Casa Ana in 2003 it was a slumbering, semi-ruined jumble of buildings tucked away in the tiny hamlet of Ferreirola in the Alpujarras, southern Spain. Once a large family home, the house had lain empty for some 35 years. We had to use a machete to clear the brambles before we could enter some of the buildings.

I fell in love with the house at first sight. As someone who is passionate about nature conservation (I was brought up in the Dartmoor National Park in the UK) I wanted to make a contribution to both the local community and to conservation in the Alpujarras by creating a centre where people could be in nature, appreciate the countryside, and undertake low-impact activity holidays such as walking, creative writing, cooking or painting.

The renovation of the building

With responsible tourism in mind:

• The house was renovated by local builders and craftsmen using locally produced materials where possible, including hand-made ceramic and terracotta tiles.
• The renovation was carried out in the traditional Moorish style which is unique to the Alpujarras, with flat mica roofs, chestnut beams, slate-topped chimneys and wide porches.
• I could have converted the property into holiday apartments but I chose to keep the house as one and decided to limit the number of guests to 12, so as to minimise the impact on the environment and enhance the beauty of the village.

Day to day contribution

As with all the Alpujarra villages, Ferreirola became seriously depopulated and impoverished in the aftermath of the Civil War. Casa Ana was the largest and most important house in Ferreirola and, now that it is in use again, it is helping to breathe life back into the village.

Casa Ana's contributions to the local culture, environment and community include:

• Helping to provide employment and income for local people who do not wish to leave the area.
• Buying local produce where possible, and shopping at local village stores. For example, Casa Ana's eggs come from Carmen or Sharon in Ferreirola, honey from Paco in Capileira, hand-made soap from Karin in Fondales, bread from nearby Trevelez, and organic vegetables from a local co-operative.
• Encouraging Casa Ana's guests to visit local shops, bars and restaurants, and thus contribute to the local economy.
• This year (2009) some neighbours and I started our own organic vegetable garden, growing Mediterranean vegetables and herbs including tomatoes, peppers, courgettes, lettuces, sweet corn, basil, oregano and rosemary, to name but a few.
• Providing guests with information on the area, including walks, flora and fauna, and history and culture, with the aim of encouraging and supporting appreciation of the Alpujarras, the Sierra Nevada National Park, and the Natural Park where Ferreirola is situated.
• Supporting local conservation charities concerned with tree-planting and water management. If you would like to support local conservation projects, by donation or by volunteering your help, please contact me, Anne, at info@casa-ana.com.

If you have not already done so, you might like to consider signing up with Climate Care: www.co2.org, tel (0044) 01865 244151.

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