International Conference: European Forests – Our Cultural Heritage

The aim of the European Cultural Heritage Year 2018 is to share our common cultural heritage and its potential for identification, participation on and development of European cultural, social, economic and other values. The cultural heritage of the forests and in the forests tackles the multiple interrelationships between forests, forest management and the human society, which have changed in the course of history. It is not only confined to demonstrating historical developments, but contributes also considerably to a better understanding of the present situation of forests and the development of the cultural landscape, and provides valuable input for forest conservation and management policies. The EU-Action Plan 2006 acknowledged cultural landscapes, traditional practise and other cultural values of forests as some of the ways of achieving local and regional sustainable development. Landscape values are also included in the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and the European Landscape Convention. Cultural landscapes are considered to be a development factor. These potentials have only partly been investigated till now. However, there is an increasing demand by forest owners related to new markets and additional income beside forestry and an increasing interest of tourisms in the utilization of forest areas and beautiful sceneries. At present numerous initiatives, collections and museums exist; however, they are often not adequately linked. Thus, a new approach for co-operation of forest and woodland history including traditional knowledge and forest and tourist enterprises is aimed and an increasing need to deepen the knowledge related to the forest related cultural heritage should be fulfilled.

More information about the conference will be announced here.