From 17th to 22nd of April, a course on how to construct the traditional dry stone walls of the Aeolian Islands has been organised by Dotteolie and CNR-ISAC and funded by the AIPF. Two closing events have been organized in Lipari and Panarea, on International Earth Day.
The research group “Natural and anthropic environmental risks of cultural heritage” of the Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate (ISAC) of the CNR, has collaborated with the local Association Dotteolie to put together this Course. It involves theoretical and practical modules on constriction on dry stone walls to help recover and protect the cultural and traditional landscape of the Aeolian Islands.
The aim of the Course is to raise awareness of the importance of dry stone walls and terraces to protect against hydrogeological risk and mitigation, but also for their role in the protection of biodiversity and in the improvement of soil fertility. The recovery and maintenance of the terraced landscape could prove to be strategically important for long-term territorial planning, aimed at reducing the negative effects of climate change by promoting the use of traditional techniques in an integrated and sustainable way.
The need to preserve and spread the traditional Aeolian technique of building these walls, is a common sentiment within the local community and we received the support of all the most active local associations. Some representatives intervened and have been actively involved as professors on the Course, such as Pietro Lo Cascio from Nesos association who will speak about the importance of the walls in biodiversity and Maria Clara Martinelli from the Archeological Museum of Lipari who will speak about their story which is dated back to 5000 years ago.
The Course was attended by about 15 students, two days of theoretical lecture (where other 20 high school students joined), two days of practical lessons to learn the basics of how to construct a dry stone wall, a day of excursion in Filicudi, the island where the terraced landscape is most represented in the Aeolian Islands.
Two closing events to present the Course, open to local citizens, have been organized. Day 21st of April, at Gattopardo Park Hotel in Lipari we organized the event “The terraced landscape of the Aeolian Islands, choises for the future” where Dr. Donatella Murtas interveened ( Italian Terraced Landscape Association President) and Dr. Alessandra Bonazza (CNR-ISAC).
On April 22nd, the professors of the Course were in Panarea for an informative walk, meeting the community, on the occasion of the International Earth Day and for a lunch.
The project was promoted by Earth Day Italia and included between the initiatives of the European Year of Cultural Heritage. It was suggested as one between the 5 most interesting initiatives of the Hearth Day by Rai News.