The environmental protection of landscapes in the high semiarid Mediterranean mountain of Sierra Nevada National Park (Spain): Historical evolution and future perspectives

► Massif with geographical features typical of high semiarid Mediterranean mountains. ► The terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems have a very high scientific value. ► We examine the historical impact and exploitation of the natural resources. ► We analyse the environmental policies implemented in Sierra Nevada. ► We propose new measures to better assess the scientific values of the summit landscape.