• fr
  • en

Transhumance as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage?

The wide range of practices, know-hows, skills, ethnographic elements, toponyms, festivals, gastronomy, and events linked to transhumance, together with its socio-environmental benefits, has prompted Italy, Austria and Greece to present Transhumance as a candidate for the UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list. But what is transhumance, and why is it so important to recognising it as Intangible Cultural Heritage?

Transhumance is a form of pastoralism based on the seasonal migration of people and their livestock. This recurrent migration can vary in distance and takes place between regions with different climatic conditions. By following drove routes, transhumant herders lead their animals to the best pasturelands all year round. This ensures both that the animals get the best feed possible and avoids overexploiting the area’s resources.

Such migratory movements require transhumant herders to have a broad and profound knowledge on, for instance: their animal’s needs and how to protect them; the characteristics of the different habitats and climate; and sustainable management of the land and its natural resources. A special bond with their animals is a must, as the herders do not only travel accompanied by livestock, but also by dogs, for protection, and pack animals. Moreover, being a transhumant herder requires not just all this knowledge, but also many practical skills necessary to ensure the well-being of their animals and themselves while on the road.

The drove roads themselves are a product of many centuries of use, and some countries like Spain have mapped the main network of drove roads crossing the country. Next to these roads, many historical settlements have been developed, together with stables, huts, and places of worship. The beginning and end of the transhumant period are often marked by the celebration of festivities and events, like the annual transhumance in the Schnalstal Valley (Italy).

Transhumance plays many social and environmental functions. On the environmental side, it shapes landscapes, helps preventing forest fires, and creates ecological corridors. It contributes to preserving and enhancing biodiversity, and has an important role in fighting climate change through a more sustainable use of natural resources. On the socio-cultural side, transhumance creates cultural identities and ties between communities, and provides with high-quality products such as cheese, meat, wool, and leather. This in turn plays an essential role in supporting peripheral economies in rural areas and fighting depopulation. Regarding the socio-environmental nexus, the EU LIFE Project Oreka Mendian, which Euromontana is a partner of, is working on sustainably balancing the conservation of pastureland with its socio-economic use.

Altogether, transhumance is more sustainable than intensive livestock farming, providing both important ecosystem services and increasing human well-being in manifold ways. It is not just cultural heritage, but a way of living through a sustainable relationship between humankind and nature. As such, it would surely deserve being enlisted as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. In November 2019, the governing Commission of UNESCO will make public their final decision the nomination.

Other mountainous countries are also interested in getting involved and giving transhumance this special denomination; what about yours?

 

Share
8 May 2019

Euromontana sur Facebook

1 day ago

Euromontana
Today in The Parliament Magazine's special issue on rural Europe, we look at important demographic issues for our regions, ageing being one of them!🌄 Our member organisations like Diputación de Teruel - DPT & Sodebur are already adapting to demographic change and at European level we are at work to make Europe's mountains good places to live for all, including older people 👇library.myebook.com/theparliament/the-parliament-magazine-issue-558-april-2023-the-rural-edition/...🗞 We are in the pages of today's issue of The Parliament Magazine dedicated to rural Europe ! 🇪🇺Our partner Euromontana tells us how important it is for mountain areas to mitigate the effects of demographic change by adapting now to an ageing population.Read more about the actions of Programas.UE - DPT & Sodebur in this opinion piece! ⬇️library.myebook.com/theparliament/the-parliament-magazine-issue-558-april-2023-the-rural-edition/... ... See MoreSee Less
View on Facebook

3 days ago

Euromontana
Registration is still open for our LIFE Shepforbio event in May! 📆Farmers, shepherds, pastoral schools, nature park managers and many public and private actors in the pastoral sector will meet in Florac to discuss the role of pastoral schools in the management of natural habitats🌱🌄ℹ️ Logistics - agenda - registration form available here 👇www.euromontana.org/en/events/shepforbio-1st-international-conference-the-role-of-pastoral-school...📣 Save the date! First LIFE Shepforbio conference on pastoralism & natural habitats!📆 10 & 11 May 2023📌 Florac (France)You are involved in pastoralism or mountain habitat management? Manager of a natural site or a pastoral school? 🐑🌱Join us! ⤵️www.euromontana.org/en/events/shepforbio-1st-international-conference-the-role-of-pastoral-school...LIFE Programme DREAm Italia Parco Nazionale Foreste Casentinesi Regione Toscana Unione dei Comuni del Pratomagno Unione di Comuni Valdarno e Valdisieve Unione dei Comuni Montani del Casentino DAGRI UNIFI Sapienza Università di Roma LIFE Programme ... See MoreSee Less
View on Facebook

2 weeks ago

Euromontana
This morning we were at the first 🇪🇺 EU CAP Network Thematic Group on Forest-Dominant Rural Areas and Municipalities!🌲A key issue in the mountains for:🪵 local wood chains🌱 unique biodiversity🔥 forest fires, which we are currently addressing with Fire-ResElena Feo (Euromontana) shared the outputs of her group: The need to take a multi-actor approach, which is under-represented compared to agriculture 👥Forestry should be integrated in the innovation system #AKIS 🤔Find out more: bit.ly/tg1forest ... See MoreSee Less
View on Facebook

2 weeks ago

Euromontana
🆕 FIRE-RES published its first deliverable!It goes through the lessons learned from Extreme Wildfires and creates a common basis for action to improve resilience to fire 🔥🌲 Check it out! ⤵fire-res.eu/fire-res-publishes-its-first-deliverable-on-lessons-learned-on-extreme-wildfire-events/Centre de Ciència i Tecnologia Forestal de Catalunya, CTFC Instituto Superior de Agronomia CEF - Centro de Estudos Florestais CEABN InBIO European Forest Institute (EFI) Tecnosylva Πανεπιστήμιο Αιγαίου Ειδικός Κονδυλίων Έρευνας Πανεπιστημίου Αιγαίου CoLAB ForestWISE INRAE Cnrs.fr Tiems Escola Nacional de Bombeiros Euromontana Wageningen University & Research Agenzia Regionale Forestas VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research NIBIO Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa Institut i Geològic de Catalunya CONAF INESC TEC Spire Global TESAF Dipartimento Territorio e Sistemi Agro-Forestali UNIPD Autoridade Nacional de Emergência e Proteção Civil Corma Chile ... See MoreSee Less
View on Facebook

Euromontana sur Twitter

Today in @Parlimag, we look at important demographic issues for our regions, #ageing being one of them!

🌄 Our member regions are already adapting to #DemographicChange & at 🇪🇺 level we are at work to make Europe's mountains good places to live for all, including older people👇

Pour les régions de montagne et l'espace rural, l'économie #circulaire présente de nombreux avantages. #montagna, la revue du #SAB, présente des réalisations et des démarches inspirantes. #economiecirculaire
https://t.co/33WUFUDVdW

The 🇪🇺 @EU_CoR calls for place-based policies to tackle #BrainDrain and #depopulation!

We advocate for
1️⃣ economic diversification and quality of life
2️⃣ #RuralProofing to avoid harming these areas
3️⃣ analysing labour and population flows
https://t.co/eU9wbdo9dM

Join our May event on #pastoralism!

Plenaries, workshops & study visits to explore the role of pastoral schools in managing natural #habitats🌱🌄

ℹ️ Logistics - agenda - registration👇
https://t.co/HEyJZERSFp
@DREAm_Italia_EU @MOVINGH2020 @pastoralisme @IYRP2026 @PASTRES_erc

Today is #WorldWaterDay! Freshwater from mountains is fundamental for achieving global food security, as it is used by farmers to irrigate crops in many lowland agricultural regions. #MountainsMatter

https://t.co/OCdnyhl5y4

Load More...