Mallorca - Spain

the Department of Sustainability and Environment of Consell de Mallorca (Balearic Islands, Spain)

The island of Mallorca is a region with high variety and density of dry stone constructions, especially in the Serra de Tramuntana mountains, where man with the help of dry stone shaped an imposing cultural landscape. Dry stone terraces build to allow growing olive trees are the most iconic feature. For all this heritage, this natural area was included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 2011.

Cyprus

Department of Town Planning and Housing, Ministry of Interior, Republic of Cyprus

The responsibilities of the Department include spatial and urban planning, development control, cultural heritage conservation, planning, coordination and implementation of urban and infrastructure projects, and implementation of housing policy.

The aim of the Cultural Heritage Conservation Section of the Department of Town Planning and Housing is the preservation of the cultural heritage of Cyprus.

Corsica

The Office of the Environment of Corsica has been working for many years to promote the island's unprotected rural heritage: dry stone walls, cultivated terraces, fountains, chapels, ovens, etc.

In Corsica, thanks to the commitment of the Office of the Environment, dry stone techniques have enabled tourist areas to create a structured offer at the economic and cultural level.

PED Epirus - Greece

The REGIONAL UNION OF MUNICIPALITIES OF EPIRUS (GREECE) is a not for profit organisation of local authorities, the aims of which include:

  • collaboration with institutions and bodies of Local and Regional Authorities of the European Union and international organizations and countries,
  • cooperation with organisations in the public and private sector who are active in local government issues: culture, decentralisation and development,
  • participation in institutions and organizations, planning, helping and supporting initiatives that strengthen decentralisation, local development, culture , economy and tourism,
  • participation in actions and measures for the improvement of life, environmental protection and social cohesion.

PED EPIRUS is staffed by university and postgraduate scientists with extensive experience, and uses extra assistance of external partners - experts from various disciplines required for the implementation of national and European programmes.

Gatehouse Development Initiative - Scotland

Gatehouse Development Initiative is volunteer organization in Gatehouse of Fleet in south-west Scotland (UK) which carries out projects to improve the well-being of the community through projects related to the improvement of the environment and the promotion of built and natural heritage.

Dry stone walls, or drystane dykes as they are known in Scotland, are an important landscape feature in south west Scotland dividing the countryside into a patchwork of fields. During the 18th century changes in agricultural practices led to the introduction of farm steadings and fields to create the landscape we recognise today. The construction of dykes made from stone was seen as an efficient way to divide the countryside and control livestock.

4 Grada Dragodid - Croatia

Civil society organisation dedicated to research and reactivation of dry stone building technique as the basis for sustainable development and environmental protection and the protection of material and intangible cultural heritage.

The Cinque Terre National Park - Italy

The Cinque Terre National Park, established in 1999, comprises the five coastal villages of Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterosso Al Mare, located within a 15km coastal strip north of La Spezia on the west-facing Riviera di Levante on the coast of Liguria Region, Italy.

The Cinque Terre National Park area represents one of the most impressive examples of coastal terraced landscape in the Mediterranean and is internationally known for its landscapes shaped by centuries of agricultural exploitation carried out in balance with the surrounding area. Historically management of the vineyards has been mainly based on traditional approaches