5th Thematic Expert Meeting on Cultural Landscapes of Mediterranean Agropastoralism

International Meetings of Mediterranean agropastoralism’s main actors, Montpellier and Florac, France

The International Meeting of Mediterranean agropastoralism’s main actors is organized by The Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Montpellier, International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies (CIHEAM-IAMM) and the Entente Interdépartementale Causses et Cévennes, the managing entity of the “The Causses and the Cévennes, Mediterranean agro-pastoral Cultural Landscape” World Heritage property*. The meetings will take place from Tuesday 17 October to Friday 20 October between Montpellier and Florac, in the heart of the World Heritage property.

These meetings aim to deepen reflection on the definition of agropastoralism as it is understood today, further identify the protection and development challenges of agropastoral cultural landscapes, and develop guidelines and future prospects for agropastoralism. They will also focus on other topics such as public policies, environmental change, knowledge transmission, and sustainable territorial planning dynamics in favour of agropastoralism.

The meetings are part of the global strategy to promote Mediterranean agro-pastoral Cultural Landscapes and are an opportunity to discuss agro-pastoral cultural landscapes in the Maghreb countries, in view of developing potential World Heritage nominations.

The meetings bring together decision makers, academics, local stakeholders, the pension entity of the property l’Entente Interdépartementale Causses et Cévennes and UNESCO, and lead to the reinforcement of dialogue among experts and promote the development of an international network.

Participants in this fifth thematic expert meeting on cultural landscapes of Mediterranean agropastoralism, which have been held since 2007, will have the opportunity to explore the World Heritage property “The Causses and the Cévennes, Mediterranean agro-pastoral Cultural Landscape” during a field visit that includes three pastoral areas: Causses, Cévennes, and Garrigues.

Finally, this international event serves also as the closing session for the European program (LIFE+ MIL’OUV) dedicated to the promotion of pastoral practices favoring the conservation of Mediterranean landscapes.

* other co-organizers are the breeding institute (Institut de l’Elevage), the Languedoc Roussillon natural areas conservatory (Conservatoire d’espaces naturels du Languedoc-Roussillon) ,the Cevennes National Park and the Montpellier Agronomics school (SupAgro Montpellier)