ABSTRACT
Asturias is a small region in the North of Spain in Southwestern Europe. This region of the Iberian Peninsula is quite special due to the climatic conditions caused by the proximity of the Cantabrian Mountain Range to the coastline, with peaks reaching altitudes higher than 2,500 meters above sea level. The main human-mediated change in the Nalon River basin occurred during the industrial revolution. Industrial development was supported by coal mining as a source of energy, and agriculture in the region involved the use of pesticides and artificial fertilizers. Coal mining in the Nalon River basin caused a large economic and demographic growth that went hand in hand with a huge urban and industrial development. Asturias has a temperate, warm and rainy climate that provide very favorable conditions for deciduous forest development. The spatial distribution of the woodlands is linked to several factors, both natural and human.
