Richard Forman's Plan for the Barcelona Metropolitan Region

In the last few days, I have read the growth management plan for the Barcelona Metropolitan Region written by Richard Forman (Harvard University, Graduate School of Design). Unlike traditional plans, Forman remains focused on the big picture. He avoids being bogged down in details, and has the amazing capacity to cut through complexity to propose a coherent growth plan that is founded on basic principles in Landscape Ecology. In particular, Forman is concerned with protecting water pathways, in what he calls: blue-green corridors (these are all my own translations since the document is published in Spanish). Rivers and streams serve as natural corridors for biodiversity, vegetation, water and recreation. He emphasizes protecting the main rivers in the Barcelona area: The Llobregat, Besos, Ter, Tordera, and Foix.

Furthermore, Forman had enough foresight so as to propose 3 different plans: (1) an ideal plan, (2) a middle of the road version, and (3) a minimal plan. The objective of each plan is to protect ecosystem services and the ecological integrity of the landscape. At the same time, he highlights mid-sized towns where compact development would do the least damage to the landscape ecology. These include El Vendrell, Igualada, Manresa, Vic and Mataro. He proposed only limited development in Vilafranca del Penedes, and emphasized the value of the agricultural land in the Penedes wine country. It was reassuring to see an outsider confirm the value of this agricultural land. Personally, I have seen the pressure to urbanize Vilafranca, and I am concerned that it may drastically reduce the quality of life for local residents.

Forman also recommends separating the stormwater system from the wastewater treatment system. He accurately points out that stormwater overflows release untreated sewage into Catalan Rivers. Clearly, this issue needs to be addressed. At the same time, perhaps it is not worth investing in new infrastructure to transport stormwater. Instead, Spain should "leapfrog" stormwater technology, and move directly to on-site storwater treatment technology, or rainwater harvesting. In the Boston Metropolitan area, organizations like the Charles River Watershed Association promote reducing stormwater runoff at the site level. On site treatment of stormwater is the most vanguard and ecologically sensitive form of urban development. Planners in the Barcelona metropolitan region should look into rain gardens, rainwater harvesting, and other low-impact development designs, instead of simply creating a new engineered stormwater system. Still, regardless of the approach used, addressing the raw sewage that runs in Spains rivers is one that urgently needs attention.