RT Journal Article
T1 Pastoral Stone Enclosures as Biological Cultural Heritage: Galician and Cornish Examples of Community Conservation
A1 Grove, Richard
A1 Pim, Joám Evans
A1 Serrano Pérez, Luis Miguel
A1 Cidrás Fernández, Diego
A1 Viles, Heather
A1 Sanmartín Sánchez, Patricia
K1 Pastoral enclosures
K1 Vernacular architecture
K1 Minor rural buildings
K1 Art of dry-stone walling
K1 Indigenous and community conserved areas
K1 Galicia
K1 Cornwall
K1 Forestry heritage
K1 Heathland and grassland conservation
K1 Plant biodiversity
AB The role and importance of a built structure are closely related to the surrounding area, with interest in a given area having a concomitant effect on the relevance given to the constructions it may hold. Heritage interest in landscape areas has grown in recent times leading to a sound valorisation process. This connects with the recent concept of biological cultural heritage (BCH), or biocultural heritage (definition still in process), that can be understood as domesticated landscapes resulting from long-term biological and social relationships. Although pastoral enclosures (in large part dry-stone walling, whose construction has been recognised by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity since 2018) arise as traditional rural constructions linked with a way of life already disappearing, engaged local communities are recovering their biocultural value in terms of identity and positive conservation outcomes. In this sense, this article focuses on valuing traditional stone-built pastoral enclosures in two locations on the Atlantic coast of western Europe: Frojám (NW Iberian Peninsula) and Ladydown Moor (SW England). Findings concerning plant communities related to current or ancient pastoralism, and artefacts of built heritage are described, and an emphasis is placed on community engagement as a mechanism for conservation. The resilience of species-rich grassland communities is identified as a manifestation of biocultural heritage and an opportunity for habitat restoration. Finally, current trends and improvements in understanding of biological heritage and community conservation are addressed
PB MDPI
YR 2020
FD 2020
LK http://hdl.handle.net/10347/21793
UL http://hdl.handle.net/10347/21793
LA eng
NO Grove, R.; Evans Pim, J.; Serrano, M.; Cidrás, D.; Viles, H.; Sanmartín, P. Pastoral Stone Enclosures as Biological Cultural Heritage: Galician and Cornish Examples of Community Conservation. Land 2020, 9, 9
NO Fieldwork in Frojám is being supported by Fundação Montescola and the Frojám Community Conserved Area which in turn are grateful for support received from the European Outdoor Conservation Association. In this framework, this work was partially financial supported by a research contract with Fundação Montescola, entitled: Estudo para o restauro da zona húmida de Campo de Lamas (Frojám, Lousame) (2018-CL065). M.S. and P.S. thank the financial support of Xunta de Galicia grants ED431B 2018/36 and ED431C 2018/32. D.C. acknowledges receipt of the PhD scholarship “Programa de axudas á etapa predoutoral” (ref. ED481A-2018/263) financed by the Xunta de Galicia
DS Minerva
RD 22 abr 2026