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Inspired, they say, by the similarity of the landscapes of Madrid's Sierra Norte to the spots in New Zealand used to represent Tolkien's imaginary world in the Lord of the Rings films, over half of the area's mayors have agreed to launch a project called, appropriately, Little Middle Earth. The idea is that each of the villages in the sierra will take the role of one of the places in the films or books, all together making a kind of huge, ride-less theme park. Read more.El País reports that the project could create 5,000 jobs in the area (which has a population not much greater than that in its 42 boroughs). The idea for the project came, it seems, from a group of Tolkien fans made up of biologists and others with an interest in the conservation of the area, threatened by rural neglect and depression. Local mayors have embraced the idea with cautious enthusiasm, although some of the proposals are outlandish and others downright wild. That Buitrago de Lozoya, one of the larger villages, should be Bree (where the inn is), or La Hiruela would be Rivvendel (where the elves live), and so on, seems entirely reasonable. That they should market Riwendel Honey on the same basis is a little crazier, at least to my mind. And that a University of Elvish should teach that invented language is so insane I really hope it happens.
