Know the cultural and natural heritage of Spain with LandsCare
Interactive and geolocated tourist guide of Spain that lets you get the most out of a territory
Source: Android description (translated)
Useful information
Download: Android 2.3.3 (16MB) / iOS 6.0 (14.6MB) / web (working on an English version)
Price: free
Language: Spanish
Runs offline: no
Last update: Android 20/06/2016 – iOS 13/02/2015
Website of the developer: LandsCare
Notes: article updated on 26/06/2016
Description
This mobile application for Android and iOS devices allows you to better understand the natural and cultural wealth of Spain thanks to its system of geolocation, showing the most valuable places of the environment in which you find yourself. The interesting thing about this application is that it includes also spaces preserved through land stewardship mechanisms, which is a set of strategies and tools to engage the owner in the good management of natural, cultural and landscape resources. Custodians assigned to LandsCare, besides protecting the enclave, serve as guides to visitors, may receive a voluntary payment through application like a support for their work. This economic contribution is made through the purchase of a virtual stamp by Paypal. Similarly, the application allows you to take advantage of offers on services and nearby shops attached to the network.
To use this application you have two options: to register as a user or entering as a guest. The main differences between the two alternatives is that the former option allows you to have a traveler passport in which you can collect the stamps of the places where you’ve been (necessary to enjoy offers in shops) or provide new enclaves of interest.
Tourism resources included in LandsCare are divided into 7 main categories: nature, culture, routes and roads, where to eat, where to sleep, what else to do and local products, plus another additional category of “Hosts”. As it has exposed above, once selected the category of interest and as long as the GPS of the mobile device is active, the application will show the closest relevant spaces or joined to the network. For each of them, there is a data sheet from which you can acquire the corresponding stamp, know who custody the place (this information is not always available) and see some of the main features of the site related to the landscape, wildlife, flora, the physical environment, history, architecture, etc.
The sidebar also displays different tabs from which you access the list of custodians, routes or tutorials that show how the application works. It should underline Landswhere and Landsdare options, that incorporate games to develop outdoor (treasure hunt, challenges, etc.), and Landscart, which is an approach to the natural environment from the perspective of art.
More information
LandsCare, a social network specialized in the conservation of nature
Images: Screenshots 26/06/2016. ©LandsCare
Rating
Analysis
Land stewardship and payment for environmental services are two strategies of nature conservation which have as final objective to value the environment in a way in which you can understand that its destruction poses a greater loss than its maintenance. Land stewardship is usually applied in those areas where the management capacity of the public authorities don’t reach, being individuals or associations who secure their conservation. In the case of LandsCare, this strategy is also combined with the payment for environmental services, which rewards the owner or manager of the enclave with a small economic contribution as recognition system for maintain unchanged the ecosystem services provided by nature. The materialization of this initiative in an app to which is added a touristic perspective involves an extremely attractive idea to publicize a territory.
The last update made in the application has improved its performance, correcting several operation failures like, for example, the maps that were not seen or the redirection of “Home”option. However, together with the routes of Spain, they still appear itineraries of other countries without any type of classification. The side menu only includes links to the section of routes, being the rest of resources accessible only through a search by name or from the home screen. Nor is it clear if in the spaces in which there are no custodian assigned you can make a payment for services. If so, it would be appropriate to point out what is the fate of money and the identity of the recipient. It would be desirable to also explain what is the figure of the “host” added in the latest update.
User Review
( votes)Judit Urquijo
Técnico de medio ambiente, community manager y content curator especializada en temas de medioambiente - Environmental technician, community manager and content curator specialised in environmental issues
