This sub can often circlejerk itself into a strongly anti-rural stance (I myself am often enough guilty of this) so let us not forget some of the costs of rural depopulation. Between an exodus of people from rural areas and the regrowth of drier, more flammable vegetation as a result of climate change, wildfires in Spain and Portugal have become significantly stronger and more dangerous. In addition as it is the youth who are leaving rural communities in search of better economic opportunities, this leaves the elderly folk who remain in these areas the most vulnerable to the wildfires. As climate change continues to impact us all, there is a clear need for wildlife and ecosystem management where forests and densely grown areas are managed to reduce the risk of wildfire, which does require some rural population. As such, efforts towards revitalizing rural economies should not only be seen as beneficial to them but to all of us as they keep us more safe. That is to say, it is the suburbs which we must war with, not the villages 😛
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[archive link](https://archive.is/20250831051138/https://www.ft.com/content/16bc3ff9-83dd-454c-8560-68a0af74a1d1)
This sub can often circlejerk itself into a strongly anti-rural stance (I myself am often enough guilty of this) so let us not forget some of the costs of rural depopulation. Between an exodus of people from rural areas and the regrowth of drier, more flammable vegetation as a result of climate change, wildfires in Spain and Portugal have become significantly stronger and more dangerous. In addition as it is the youth who are leaving rural communities in search of better economic opportunities, this leaves the elderly folk who remain in these areas the most vulnerable to the wildfires. As climate change continues to impact us all, there is a clear need for wildlife and ecosystem management where forests and densely grown areas are managed to reduce the risk of wildfire, which does require some rural population. As such, efforts towards revitalizing rural economies should not only be seen as beneficial to them but to all of us as they keep us more safe. That is to say, it is the suburbs which we must war with, not the villages 😛
!ping ECO