J. Garciaguinea et al., PROPOSAL OF FOOTPATH INTO AN ECOLOGICAL A ND MONUMENTAL AREA - GASCO VALLEY, MADRID, SPAIN, REV CHIL HN, 70(4), 1997, pp. 491-505
The ecosystem of the Gasco Valley and the historical monuments found t
herein, the Roman bridge of Alconzorra (1st century AD), the bridge of
Herreno (1557), the marble cutting watermill (circa 1550), the Gasco
dam and the Guadarrama canal (1799) are described. The valley is at pr
esent overgrown and the monuments have fallen into disrepair. In recen
t years several modern eyesores have also been built encroaching on th
e otherwise idyllic valley. Despite these problems, on the whole the G
asco valley is in surprisingly good condition. Being only 30 km from M
adrid it is a perfect site for both tourism and didactic trips. For th
is reason, it should be preserved as an ecological, cultural and histo
rical footpath in Mediterranean and Riverside flora environments. Seve
ral possibilities for maintenance and restoration are proposed. This i
nitiative could lead to a new Spanish policy for setting up footpaths
which are typical of other densely populated areas of Europe.