Exploring Alpine landscapes as potential agricultural heritage systems
ISCAR Workshop
Venue
In 2002 FAO of the United Nations started an initiative aiming to safeguard and support the world’s Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS). They boast not only of outstanding landscapes, globally significant agricultural biodiversity, indigenous knowledge and resilient ecosystems, but also provide livelihood security for millions of family farmers. Safeguarding the social, cultural, economic and environmental goods and services for family farmers, indigenous peoples and local communities should be of utmost importance. These landscapes have multifunctional roles and are important for providing numerous ecosystem services which are identified as all benefits that people get from ecosystems and contribute to human well-being.
The aim of the workshop is to explore Alpine landscapes that are important for their agricultural heritage and assess those landscapes that fulfill criteria to be included in the GIHAS inventory. Beside existing traditional production systems, this worksop will also address the reactivation of former traditional practices and jointly the restoration of traditional landscape elements.