Supra Local: Nansa Valley (Spain-State of the Art)
The research project for ‘Evaluation Proposal of the Regional Heritage of Nansa Valley’ is identified as the state of the art and the most methodologically compatible exemplar for the MaNet Strategic Plan. The Botín Foundation in Catabria has designed an innovative, successful, future-oriented and globally implemented research model of rural development and regional activation. Its strategic plan of action was prepared to achieve ‘community sustainability’ by proposing realistic alternatives for economic development and quality of life of the inhabitants. The programme succeeded in accomplishing its ultimate goals through the implementation and execution of several key decisions and methods. First and foremost, its philosophy is based on the contemporary approach of ‘regional intelligence’. Regional intelligence was used as a tool to strengthen both intangible aspects and the local business based on the region and to maximize their added value by implementing the regional strategy in accordance with the anticipated socioeconomic changes (Lecha-Marzo 2012:13-36; Richards & Hall 2010:1).
Taking the advantage of universal implementation of Nansa Valley’s action model, MaNet could transfer practices relatively straightforward. However, it is very important to note that legal, socio-economical and financial aspects differ between the regions in question. As a result, only the ‘key success points’ of the benchmarking are proposed as a means for improvement (Agora Urban Institute 2013):
