International Symposium "Governance and Territorial change: Comparative Experiences in Amenity Migration in America"

Postmodern trends in mountain communities and other places with natural and cultural features of high value have resulted in the existence of a high mobility of people, goods and capital that have decided to choose them as a place of temporary residence and/or permanent. This phenomenon refered as lifestyle migration or amenity migration has a variety of implications depending on the country where it develops. The private valuation of certain territories, is related to its ability to generate enjoyment, pleasure or well-being, which faces the public value perceived by the people collectively to decide what is valuable and a priority. The local public value is an intangible that must be determined by the communities themselves.

In Canada, much of the population growth of the western states of the country can be explained by this phenomenon. In Latin America has several externalities that affect the value of urban land and rural, access to resources for public use, loss of scenic values of lands of indigenous communities and changes in social and cultural structure of the localities involved in the process.

Since it has been poorly recognized in the municipal and provincial governance in Latin America, its consequences are dealt with sectoral and uncoordinated, which is why it deepens a dual society model, where losses are increasingly greater in terms of natural and simbolic and cultural heritage.

Governance principles are valuated because guarantee a well balance taking into account of all the needs, as well as the equitable distribution and lifespan of resources, thanks to partnership and participation. It designs and makes tools with the territorial actors who would like to develop their territories, whilst respecting ethical principles.

The territorial intelligence is a tool of governance by the valuation of the ways of decision, partnership and participative practices as well as the research-action which contributes to the fair and sustainable development of the territorial community.

The International Symposium: Governance and Territorial change: Comparative Experience in Amenity Migration in America will bring together scholars, Mayors of municipalities, Superintendents of protected areas, staff from city planning offices, private developers, environmental organizations, organizations of farmers, entrepreneurs, indigenous communities, chambers of commerce and tourism, graduate and degree students related to the topic in order to:

* Gather current research, researchers, civil servants and government officials in lifestyle or amenity migration in America for a better understanding of the social and economic forces that guide it. Analyzing issues and losses related to cultural values of communities, their natural heritage, welfare and quality of life of them. This will be a social space for knowledge building about the different impacts of this trend in American territories in general and especiallly focused in Latin America.

* To share strategies, policies, methods and tools for management and (planning) lifestyle or amenity migration on the basis of governance.

* To define guidelines for planning and effective management of lifestyle or amenity migration which promote sustainable development and community values.