Nature sports in protected areas. The case of the Picos de Europa National Park (Spain)

This article explores the nature sports in the Picos de Europa National Park (Spain) based on an ethnography. The aim is firstly, to make progress in the analysis of the patrimonialization of nature and the tertiarization of rural mountainous areas and secondly, to undertake a more comprehensive study of the impact, management, perceptions, practices and narratives around sport activities in protected areas. Nowadays, the services sector is the largest part of the economy for the villages located inside and outside the Park area. In general terms, the main source of income is sports and nature tourism, which has become a distinctive feature in Picos de Europa and is the principal driver for local development.