Landscapes of stone and water in the Terras do Miño Biosphere Reserve, Lugo, Spain

The Man and the Biosphere (MaB) Programme was created by UNESCO in 1971, and it has been implemented in Biosphere Reserves, spaces where methods of managing local resources are tested, while at the same time promoting economic development. They are learning spaces for sustainable development, where interdisciplinary approaches are applied to harmonize the conservation of biodiversity and cultural heritage with socioeconomic development. Biosphere Reserves are ecologically representative territories that provide local solutions to global problems. The objective is to showcase the actions taken to preserve and enhance the cultural landscapes of the reserve, as well as on stone heritage ethnographic, including forges, hammers, mills, electric turbines, and so on. Terras do Miño, with 364,000 hectares, occupies 40% of the province of Lugo (Spain), where a population is heir to a tangible and intangible legacy, passed down through time and the result of their interaction with the environment. By landscapes of stone and water, we consider those landscapes that are the product of the combination of physical elements (among which water is the main one) and anthropogenic elements. The main components that define these landscapes are, on the one hand, rivers, streams, wetlands, ponds, lakes, etc., and, on the other hand, rock formations, but always in connection with those others that denote the existence of the relationships between society and water.

Through this guiding thread, it is possible to reveal the traditional uses, constructions, and legends associated with the thousands of watercourses that drain the territory until they converge in the Miño River, its backbone. Thus, the numerous elements and associated uses driven by the motive force of water are shown: i) stone dikes, handcrafted constructions dating back to the Middle Age, used for eel and lamprey fisheries; ii) fishing gear adapted to different fish species; and iii) grain mills, sawmills, forges, whetstones, and turbines for generating electricity. To revitalize and coordinate socioeconomic structures while preserving ecological balance, it is essential to implement a Development Plan based on territorial reflection, assessing the interaction with human activities, and establishing sectoral objectives and guidelines.