STONEWALLSFORLIFE and TERRACESCAPE

The Stonewallsforlife project managers on behalf of the leader, Cinque Terre National Park, were invited to present the results achieved so far and the future prospects at the final event of the LIFE Terracescape project, held at the Faculty of Natural Sciences of the University of Athens between late June and early July.

It represented an opportunity to compare two different models of terraced landscape conservation and development: the greek experience has matured through the resumption of cultivation of barley, wheat, aromatic herbs on the pilot site of the island of Andros, in the Aegean Sea (Cyclades), and the reconstruction of the walls took place according to particular construction techniques that prefer the use of large shale slabs used together with smaller lithoid elements with a primary goal to decrease the amount of stone material needed: in addition to the sporadic high intensity rains, wind and animals (in particular, the numerous wild goats) represent important instability factors for the dry stone walls bounding the edge of agricultural terraces and the border between land properties.

The final phase of the project, between the results obtained and the difficulties encountered along the way, was therefore a precious opportunity for growth and comparison for the objectives set by the Stonewallsforlife project.

A special thanks goes to Professor Theodora Petanidou, project manager on behalf of the University of the Aegean, and the biologist Tasos Dimalexis for the availability shown during the visit to the pilot site.