ABSTRACT
In the previous chapter, we saw how agriculture is becoming increasingly focused in the lowland areas of the Mediterranean, and that there is a continuing move to urban and industrial centres located on the coasts. The reverse side of this story is that the upland zones, and others considered to be less productive, are becoming increasingly abandoned. This process is not new – it has occurred on numerous occasions in (pre)history, and the present phase has its roots in the nineteenth century in the northern Mediterranean – but is characterized on this occasion by its extent, and continuation through time. As these zones become less managed, there are significant consequences on the anthropic landscapes that have developed in the uplands.
