Historical terraced vineyards – heritage and nature conservation strategies

Historical terrace vineyards are simultaneously impressive documents of the human inclination to design, sites for the production of high quality wines and habitats for a rich variety of flora and fauna. In the past they have often also been the setting for questionable developments. Radical land consolidation processes rendered these sites high yield utilisation areas, but also resulted in their conversion to plain monocultures. Where the rationalisation of terrace vineyards was not profitable, these were often abandoned entirely. Only a modest proportion of the vineyards have managed to retain their historical character. It is necessary to develop strategies for the sustainable use of these sites in order to secure first and foremost their very existence, but also their historical, social, economic and ecological worth.
The aim of the transdisciplinary ‘HISTORISCHE WEINBERGE’ project is to heighten both users’ and conservationists’ awareness of the values associated with these landscapes, so as to counter an unsustainable intensification of land use, or alternatively the total abandonment of these areas. A guideline for the conservation of the vineyards is being developed in cooperation with winegrowers and representatives from politics, nature protection and heritage conservation. The guideline will be developed on the basis of criteria corresponding to both use and protection needs. This process seeks to harmonise the interests of the various actors and to optimise the path towards an integrated approach to the tending of the cultural landscape. The knowledge and the perspectives of the stakeholders are being continuously assessed through interviews, working groups and local events so as to ensure the practical relevance of the project.