The Garraf Park presents the Stonewallsforlife project

The Garraf Park has organised two meetings within the framework of the European Stonewallsforlife project, one with the local councils of the Garraf Park and the Olèrdola Park (26 January) and the other with local agents (23 February) to seek complicity and invite them to participate. The aim of the project is to use dry stone walls as a tool for climate change adaptation for different purposes.

The Stonewallsforlife project aims to promote dry stone walls as a tool for adapting to climate change for multiple purposes. By recovering and repairing dry stone walls and ensuring their long-term maintenance, the aim is to protect the territory and its residents against the effects of extreme weather events. Dry stone walls are therefore relevant from an environmental point of view, as they can effectively improve the territory’s resilience to climate change.

This project, promoted by the Cinque Terre National Park (Italy), highlights the social and cultural value of dry stone walls and supports their restoration by bringing together expert builders, volunteers and groups of unemployed or disadvantaged people, with migrants and unemployed people, thus facilitating their social and labour inclusion.

Seeking complicity

The presentations on the second day (video) were given by Josep Tarin, Deputy Delegate for Mobility, Natural Areas and Forest Fire Prevention; Juana Barber, Head of the Technical Office of Natural Parks and Coordinator of the Project at the Barcelona Provincial Council; and Xavier Roget, from the Natural Areas Services Management.

Emanuele Raso, main director of the Stonewallsforlife project, spoke about the general characteristics of the Cinque Terre National Park and more specifically about the European project, whose international partner is the Area of Infrastructures and Natural Spaces of the Diputació de Barcelona.

Presentation to local stakeholders

In front of about 40 attendants, the director of the Garraf Park, Santiago Laguna, explained the objectives of the project and the actions planned. Abraham Guillén and Montserrat Traver, anthropologists and biologists from the Institute of Penedesencs Studies (IEP) described the research work they have done on dry stone at the Can Grau property in Olivella, one of the project’s repicability areas.

Three local entities explained their actions. Ramon Artigas, member of the Association for Dry Stone and Traditional Architecture (APSAT), explained the cataloguing of dry stone structures and the Wikipedra project, while Carles Lluch and Xavier Ribas (Casa rural la Caseta) focused on the documentation of structures and the use of water, as well as wine tourism. Finally, Lluis Barnés, coordinator-manager of Brins d’Oportunitats (Caritas) spoke about the opportunities for occupational training and inclusion to close the circle of the benefits that the project can bring to the Garraf Park.