Imagine...

Bas Pedroli
Secretary of Civilscape

NGOs for the European Landscape Convention. A veil of mist seems to dissolve the white frosted meadows, wide and flat. An unexpectedly powerful sun brightly illumines everything that is white. A half distant group of seagulls flies in a glittering performance towards something interesting, and then simply vanishes. On the horizon I discern some white house-fronts between trees. Besides these, isolated groups of alders, their feet in the mist, irregular branches silhouetted black against the pale grey sky.

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Conclusions of the seminar on the future Law of Agrarian Spaces of Catalonia

On 17 and 18 January Girona University was host to a Seminar on the Future Law of Agrarian Spaces of Catalonia, organised by the Professor of Geography and Territorial Thinking of Girona University and the Fundació Agroterritori, in collaboration with the Territorial Agrarian Chamber of Girona and the Unió de Pagesos (Farmer's Union) and with the support of the Environment Institute of Girona University, the Provincial Government of Girona and three Ministries of the Government of Catalonia (Town and Country Planning and Public Works, Environment and Housing and Agriculture, Food and Rural Action). A total of 108 people took part in the talks and debate over the Future Law of Agrarian Spaces of Catalonia, including those attending, speakers and VIPs, among them Joan Nogué representing the Landscape Observatory. The conclusions of this forum can be read here.

Barcelona hosts the Third Meeting of the RECEP Executive Committee

Representatives of more than thirty regional and local authorities from all over Europe met on 18 February at the Ministry of Town and Country Planning and Public Works of the Government of Catalonia, in Barcelona, for the Third Meeting of the Executive Committee of the Network of Local and Regional Authorities for the Implementation of the European Landscape Convention (RECEP). The Network, with its headquarters in Strasbourg, France, is an international NGO comprising 37 European local and regional authorities, among which is Catalonia. The principal objectives of RECEP are to encourage knowledge and the implementation of the European Landscape Convention at local and regional level and to promote an exchange of experiences and knowledge among its members in landscape matters. Catalonia, through the Landscape Observatory, has a co-leadership role in the RECEP network, in being a member of its Management Council. It should be noted that the political and institutional representation of the Network corresponds to the Government of Catalonia.

Announcement of the 5th Rosa Barba European Landscape Prize

The 5th Rosa Barba European Landscape Prize is open for entries, in the framework of the 5th European Landscape Biennial, 'Storm & stress', which will take place on 25, 26 and 27 September 2008 in Barcelona. The Rosa Barba Prize distinguishes the best landscape projects carried out in Europe during the last four years (2003-2007) with the purpose of an in-depth study and debate on interventions in the landscape, both from the viewpoint of landscape architecture and from other disciplinary fields linked with its study and evolution. A first selection of the works submitted will be collected into an exhibition which will serve as a basis for later publication of the international catalogue of the Fifth Biennial. The final date for submission of the documentation of projects is 28 March and the winner will be announced during the holding of the symposium. More information here.

The 'País de paisatges' exhibition comes to Olot

The exhibition 'Country of landscapes', an initiative of the Ministry of Town and Country Planning and Public Works and the Presidential Department of the Government of Catalonia with the collaboration of the Landscape Observatory of Catalonia will be on show at the Garrotxa District Museum in Olot from 29 February to 13 April 2008.
The exhibition displays the extraordinary diversity and richness of landscapes in Catalonia and how the civic organisations and authorities act today over the landscape, manage it and promote knowledge of it, including also the artistic view in relation to landscape and the different ways of perceiving it.
In parallel, the Landscape Observatory and the Garrotxa District Museum have organised a series of activities which are supplementary to the exhibition, with films, talks and guided visits, with the aim of promoting reflection over the transformations taking place in the landscape.

The Civilscape platform is set up

On 23 February the Civilscape platform was officially started up in Florence, formed by NGOs from all around Europe. Its main objective is to contribute the views of civil society in the implementation of the European Landscape Convention.
The initiative for starting up this platform came from the Landscape Manifesto Group of The Netherlands, which works to promote international cooperation in matters of landscape.

Aranjuez Declaration. 1st International Conference on the Alliance of Cultural Landscapes World Heritage

Manifest of the 1st International Conference of the Alliance of Cultural Landscapes which took place at Aranjuez from 13 to 15 December 2007. This declaration is intended to emphasise the challenges in managing the assets declared as World Heritage by UNESCO.

The Spanish State ratifies the European Landscape Convention

Publication in the Official State Journal, no. 31 of 05-02-08, of the ratification by the Spanish State of the European Landscape Convention on 6 November 2007. The Convention comes into force on 1 March 2008.

'Nostalgia por el paisaje perdido'

Article by Rosa M. Bosch, published in La Vanguardia on Sunday 30 December 2007, on the value of landscape and its effects on health. The newspaper's editorial that Sunday is attached.

Groundswell

Web of the exhibition organised by the Museum of Modern Art of New York (MOMA) in 2005 under the title 'Groundswell. Constructing The Contemporary Landscape'. The exhibition presents a selection of projects which have been carried out recently in various cities with the objective of rehabilitating degraded areas and converting them into new leisure areas.

Areaciega

Project combining various multidisciplinary groups in a space for reflection on the transformation phenomena which characterise contemporary city centres, starting with Madrid.

» Events of March and April