Andorra's National Landscape Strategy

Francesc Camp
Minister of Tourism and the Environment of Andorra

During the 7th Council of Europe Conference on the European Landscape Convention held in Strasbourg this past March, I had the honour of presenting Andorra's National Landscape Strategy on behalf of the Government and within the framework of Andorra's Presidency of the Council of Europe.

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Definitive approval of the Alt Pirineu i Aran Landscape Catalogue

Last April 3rd, the Government of Catalonia definitively approved the Alt Pirineu i Aran Landscape Catalogue, the fifth of the seven catalogues the Landscape Observatory of Catalonia is preparing. This approval came by means of the Edict dated April 9th on the resolution for the definitive approval of the Catalogue, published in the official gazette, DOGC, number 6365 on April 29, 2013.
The content of this catalogue can be consulted on the Landscape Observatory's website. The Landscape Observatory delivered the Alt Pirineu i Aran Landscape Catalogue to the Ministry of Land and Sustainability on 29th July 2011, and the Ministry then made it available to the public for consultation from May 30th to July 30th that year.

Cerdanya's cross-border landscape. A shared future project

The Cerdanya County Council, the Communauté de Communes Pyrénées-Cerdagne, the European Grouping for Territorial Cooperation Pyrenees-Cerdagne (EGTC), the Parc Naturel Régional des Pyrénées Catalanes and the Landscape Observatory of Catalonia are well aware that both sides of the border share the same landscape, Cerdanya, and are convinced about the importance of preserving and improving it. These entities have thus decided to combine their efforts to establish the base on which to raise awareness about the shared cross-border landscape with complicity from the area's leading social and economic players. The first result of this initiative is the booklet, El paisatge transfronterer de la Cerdanya. Un projecte de futur en comú ("Cerdanya's cross-border landscape. A shared future project") which describes the Vall Cerdana landscape and the first steps taken together on both sides of the border. Amongst other initiatives, the participants aim to draft a shared map of the area, a document detailing the traits of this cross-border landscape and the future strategy to be adopted, along with a programme of educational, awareness-raising and promotional actions.

7th Study Conference to Preserve Dry Stone Heritage

Les Preses Town Hall and the Pedra Tosca Association, in collaboration with the Landscape Observatory of Catalonia, the Garrotxa Volcanic Zone Natural Park and the La Garrotxa Institute of Olot, have organised the 7th Study Conference to Preserve Dry Stone Heritage, to be held in the town of Les Preses from May 17th to 19th. The aim of this conference is to raise awareness about dry stone heritage in Catalan-speaking territories as promoted by the organisation, Coordinadora d'Entitats per la Pedra Seca ("Coordinator of Entities for Dry Stone"), for over ten years. In this edition, four specific issues will be addressed: the vocabulary or place names associated to dry stone, the cataloguing of this heritage as an important tool to preserve and manage it, construction traits of the various dry-stone architectural elements and the landscape that has been created through these constructions as well as their associated values (aesthetic, social, identity, etc.) and the biodiversity linked to them. These topics will be discussed in presentations and workshops, ending with a roundtable discussion to reflect on the future of this heritage. Those interested in taking part can register via the conference website.

Presentation of the European Landscape Convention Information System (ELCIS) with participation by the Landscape Observatory

The European Landscape Convention Information System (ELCIS) was officially presented last March 26th within the 7th Council of Europe Conference on the European Landscape Convention held in Strasbourg. During the Conference, Norway and Montenegro assumed the Convention's chairmanship and deputy chairmanship respectively. ELCIS is a European-wide tool which enables monitoring the European Landscape Convention's application by all the countries that have thus far ratified it. In 2011, Catalonia was invited by the Council of Europe to assess this tool during its preliminary implementation phase, though the Landscape Observatory had already been participating in the work group centred on creating the ELCIS since January 2009.

Switzerland ratifies the European Landscape Convention

The Swiss Government ratified the European Landscape Convention on February 22nd which will enter into effect in that country on June 1st of this year. This Convention can be ratified by Council of Europe member countries, though other members of the European Union and other European countries can also adhere to it. However, Switzerland doubted over its ratification until a strong, civil society campaign in its favour marked the country's course. Switzerland signed the Convention in 2000 along with the other first 17 signees. Today, 38 member countries in the Council of Europe have gone further and ratified the Convention, including Spain. Only two countries, Iceland and Malta, have signed the Convention but not ratified their adherence. Worth noting is that the Parliament of Catalonia adhered to the Convention in December 2000, just two months after it was approved in Florence.

Ivó Vinuesa reflects on landscape transformation in the documentary, Velocitat

In this documentary, the director, Ivó Vinuesa, reflects on the poetic force of speed in transforming lives and landscapes and how dialogue is created between all that's new and old. Vinuesa consulted with the Landscape Observatory during the initial phase of his film, graphically documenting the construction of the high-speed train lines to Alt Empordà and how the neighbours experienced the transformation of their day-to-day landscape. The documentary avoids political, economic and environmental debates in favour or against the infrastructure, applying an ethnological vision instead, interested in the life systems affected and the transformations brought about.

The Landscape Observatory participates in a seminar organised by the Fondazione Benetton Studi Ricerche

On February 14th and 15th, the Fondazione Benetton Studi Ricerche organised international seminars in Treviso (Italy), called "The Study and Care of Places". Joan Nogué, Director of the Landscape Observatory, offered a presentation during this seminar. These seminars aim to create a space for debate, exchange and knowledge between landscape specialists. In this, the ninth edition, the focus was on the concept of assuming responsibility to care for landscapes. Specifically, the organisers wanted to give emphasis to the change in society with respect to landscape protection in the accelerated modernisation process which began in the 1960s and which, in the last thirty years, has been linked to new awareness about the need to protect our natural and cultural heritage.

The Landscape Observatory participates in the Landscape and History in Catalonia conference

The Landscape Observatory participated in the Landscape and History in Catalonia conference organised in Barcelona by the Institute of Catalan Studies on April 4th. Specifically, Joan Nogué, Director of the Observatory, was in charge of inaugurating the event with a presentation entitled, La traça històrica. Paisatge, patrimoni i polítiques públiques ("Historical Traces. Landscape, Heritage and Public Policies"). The conference aimed to determine the status of landscape studies carried out in Catalonia from a historical perspective and in dialogue with geography and the environment. It also aimed to raise questions and generate a rich, multidisciplinary dialogue. In addition to Nogué, other participants included experts from different areas such as Jordi Bolòs, Albert Pèlachs, Marta Prevosti and Martí Boada.

The Observatory has organised a conference dedicated to industrial landscapes and heritage in Igualada

The Landscape Observatory and the Igualada and Anoia County Leather Museum have organised the conference "Landscape and Industrial Heritage" to be held in Igualada (Barcelona) on May 31st. The Catalan Minister of Territory and Sustainability, Santi Vila, will attend this conference which will also serve to present the digital dossier of industrial landscapes prepared by the Landscape Observatory of Catalonia.

Italian civil society calls for its politicians to give greater consideration to landscapes

With the past February general elections in Italy as the backdrop, two initiatives were launched to make politicians see the importance of taking the landscape issue into consideration. The first of these, the Fondo Ambiente Italiano (FAI) ("Italian Environmental Fund") carried out an online survey called Primarie della cultura ("Cultural Primaries"). The aim was for citizens to be able to choose the issues that they felt were a priority and should be included in parties' political programmes. From amongst the 15 topics proposed, the ones receiving the most votes were the need to revise landscape protection laws, set limits on land use and increase sanctions for illegal construction projects. The second initiative, "Let's Save the Landscape" (Salviamo il Paesaggio), a network of organisations committed to the landscape, presented a list of questions just before the elections related to controlling the use of land and preserving landscape. This initiative asked political candidates to make a firm commitment to protecting landscapes. Those who did so can be consulted on Salviamo il Paesaggio's website, allowing all to have a clear idea of the Italian politicians who were and are committed to this issue.

Cornwall Landscape Character. Best practice guidance

Best practice guide on landscape character by the Cornwall Council.

Appellations d'origine contrôlée & paysages

This report explores the possible contributions to landscape protection and management as a result of the creation of the Controlled Denominations of Origin by the French Ministry of Agriculture and Fishing and INAO (National Institute of Origins and Quality.

European Acoustic Heritage

The project is aimed at discovering and enhancing the soundscapes of Europe, the different sounds that make up the imaginary world and personality of the places and environments as a part of the European common cultural heritage. The project provides bibliographical references about the audible aspects of the cities, recordings of different soundscapes as well as documents that analyse the gathered material.

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