摘要：The town of Alesd is an urban centre whose economic evolution is determining for the area it polarizes whilst playing the part of coordinator of local development. The administrative surface of the town is quite large (7,195 ha) as rural places such as Tinaud, Pestis and Padurea Neagra, the latter of these being situated at a 20 km distance from Alesd were added. Pădurea Neagră, appertaining to the town of Alesd, holds a privileged position within the administrative territory, as it lies in an attractive mountain relief, more specifically in the Plopis Mountains. The settlement is first linked to the setting-up of the Glass Manufacturing Factory in the early 19th century, but which has ceased its activity at present. The economic revival, which was triggered by the development of the ‘lohn’-type industry that started in 1999, as a result of the inclusion of Alesd in an underprivileged area scheme, is not however apparent in Pădurea Neagră as well. So far, only the existence of some rural Bed&Breakfast pensions is to be noted. A random development, in the absence of strategies for durable development, could trigger the thwarting of drive and determination, indeed of incentive, the decrease of the offer and demand of the area, and eventually the undermining of perspectives for development in the long term. The current expansion of the town is of a rather spontaneous nature and it is being accomplished at present pre-eminently by the increase of its touristic function. The anticipation and control of this phenomenon with a view to durable development can only be achieved by planned extension that should take into account the existent potential and dysfunction. Under these circumstances, the evaluation of the inhabitable potential of the area proves crucial to the activity of territorial planning. Given that the mineral resources, as well as the human task force (i.e. the highly qualified work force) have dwindled considerably, the special touristic potential – along with the infrastructure potential – represents the main basis for future development.
