The Role of social, cultural, economic and political issues and factors in raising awareness and promoting traditional, vernacular, architectural identity, and construction methods, techniques and associated crafts and skills, Lišov, Slovakia.
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The Role of social, cultural, economic and political issues and factors in raising awareness and promoting traditional, vernacular, architectural identity, and construction methods, techniques and associated crafts and skills, Lišov, Slovakia.

Vernacular architecture, construction methods, techniques and associated crafts and skills, is a lesson of the past for the future.
Architecture established and resulting, including from construction approaches, is a unique component of a locations’ culture just as much as its language, music, art, literature or food. Architecture is also the most visual of those cultural components; conveying a unique image. This is called “genius loci,” the “spirit of a place”.

Forest Management in Finland
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Forest Management in Finland

An impressive 87% of the land area of Finland is forest, comprising 66% productive (over 20m ha) and 11% old growth (mostly, but not all, protected).  Approximately 24% of the forest belongs to the state, while the remainder is privately owned.  60% of the forests are family owned. The reason for this high proportion of […]

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Andrew James
203 visits

TAMK And the Urban Forest

Over two-thirds of Finland is forest cover. Much is owned by private persons. Accessibility is also important because many people are able to use the forest, even if they do not own any forests themselves. People are able to use the forest and the wildlife within it as a renewable resource for wood products, hunting and foraging. Above all, most Finnish people strongly value the link with nature.
Andrew James
342 visits

Helvetinjärvi & Seitseminen National Parks

We learned that Finland has forty two National Parks and we were told that in total they receive around 4 million visitors per year. By contrast Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park (LLTTNP) has over 4.5 million visitors.
Andrew James
184 visits

EVO hiking centre and Riistakeskus

EVO is a hiking centre and forestry college in Kanta-Häme. As well as teaching forestry skills from an economic, recreational and conservational point of view, EVO offers opportunities for members of the public to engage with nature. For example, the public can pay to spend time with animals- there are numerous cows that the public can see and tend, while there is also a meat and grain store.
Andrew James
250 visits

Nuuksio National Park and Haltia Visitor Centre

Nature is often fragile, however, and especially here in the North can be slow to recover from damage. With the freedom to enjoy the countryside comes the obligation to leave the environment undisturbed and preserve Finland’s rich natural heritage for future generations to enjoy.
Andrew James
92 visits

Thanks and Acknowledgements

This is a joint report written by Ian Bray (Scottish Natural Heritage), Georgie Brown (Galbraith), Estelle Gill (Scottish Natural Heritage), Michelle Henley (Scottish Wildlife Trust), Andrew James (Historic Environment Scotland), Gwen Raes (The Woodland Trust), Adam Samson (Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park).

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Kat Jones
118 visits

Finnish Forests, Hunting & Capercaillie

“We have around 500,000 capercaillie in Finland ” said Tapio Vähä-Jaakkola, our host at a local hunting club, as our jaws dropped. My colleagues Chris and Molly from RSPB work on capercaillie and the population in Scotland is in a pretty sorry state, having dropped to around 2000, from an estimated 20,000 in the 1970s. Capercaillie populations are healthy enough for Finns to hunt tens of thousands of them a year.  “Most of the capercaillie hunting takes place in Northern Finland”, Tapio said later. In the 10,000 hectares of forest controlled by the Metsästysseura Haukka Ry hunting club, they hadn’t shot capercaillie for many years “Last year we calculated that there were enough capercaillie for us to hunt two.”
Seona Anderson
135 visits

Romania: STEM Course 2020 biodiversity, traditional skills & rural development

Linking rich biodiversity with traditional skills and rural development in Transylvania. Application Deadline – currently 1 or 2 spaces available – please email an expression of interest before completing an application form Hosts: Fundatia ADEPT Course Dates: 12 -19 June 2020 Application Deadline: 2 March 2020 Preparation Meeting Date: 22 May 2020 Aims & Themes: exploring traditional skills as part of rural development and heritage engagement in a biodiversity rich area of small scale sustainable farming. Draft Itinerary: Airports: Either Sibiu, Targu Mures, Cluj-Napoca, or Bucharest Proposed accommodations: Hotel Central Park, Dracula Danes, Viscri guesthouses Day 1: Arrival and transfers to Sighisoara. Dinner with the hosts. Day 2: Saschiz- visiting the ADEPT office, short presentation of each partner and discussion of food regulation barriers to small producers Lunch at the office Fruit and vegetable processing unit Ceramic workshop Dinner in Sighisoara (or in Saschiz- local association of women+ discussions) Day 3: Angofa project- visit and discussions (educational center, cattle farm) Lunch at the ANGOFA SCHOOL Bio-Mosna visit (milk processing model) Dinner at the farm Day 4: Medias- visiting the glass recycling workshop Medias- town visit and lunch Brateiu- craft village visit Return to Sighisoara – dinner Day 5: Visiting Torcatoria […]
Kirsten Wood
107 visits

Craft Education & Practice in Bulgaria

It was interesting to hear that despite training opportunities there is not much uptake by young people to follow a career path in crafts. Many leave rural areas and head to the larger towns and cities for employment. Indeed some villages we drove through had an abundance of derelict houses and one we were told had 300 homes occupied out of a total of 1000. So what can be done to encourage young people into a career path within crafts? The model of an apprenticeship whereby the individual receives training through a dual system is an approach which works well. This involves a combination of theoretic training in an educational establishment combined with practical training in a crafts enterprise. Over the last few years Historic Environment Scotland has directed funding into apprenticship schemes in a number of its directorates. In the area of conservation there are paid apprenticeships in tradition crafts such as stonemasonary, joinerary, plumbing and painting. Individuals receive a wage and are guarrenteed employment after successful completion of the training. Indeed apprenticeship schemes across Scotland in all areas of work are on the rise.
Seona Anderson
129 visits

SPAIN: STEM Course Woodworking tradition & innovation in Galicia

Woodworking & forest management: tradition and innovation in Galicia. *Application Deadline – currently 1 space available – please email an expression of interest before completing an application form Hosts: XERA Agency for Forest Based Industries Galicia Course Dates: 25th May to 1st June 2020 Application Deadline: 2nd March 2020 Preparation Meeting Dates: 30 April 2020 Aims & Themes: exploring traditional woodworking alongside forest management: innovation, enterprise and strategy in Galicia Galicia is a diverse region of North West Spain with a rugged coastline, the famous wine region of Riberia Sacra, and Atlantic forests of oak, chestnut and beech. Pine and eucalyptus are grown widely for timber.  It is perhaps best known for the pilgrim route of St James which leads to the UNESCO world heritage city of Santiago de Compostela and numerous monasteries. The exact order of the itinerary is still being finalised but the course will visit different regions around Galicia. Day 1:  Arrival & visit to wood workers in Villa de Cruces/Estrada (accommodation near Santiago de Compostela) Day 2: MELGA (Museum Etnoludico Galicia), Wood Workers in the Corcubion/Pontecesco Region (accommodation on the North Coast area) Day 3: Carpenters & Wood workers in the Lugo Area (accommodation in the […]
Katherine Murphy
64 visits

Connecting people with cultural and natural heritage in Bulgaria, and lessons for Scotland

The Association was set up after our host Velis and her co-worker Iva were touring the villages of the Plateau more than a decade ago and looking into ways they could help the region develop for the benefit of the residents. They discovered people in neighbouring villages with similar interests but no communication between them, a lack of accommodation for visitors, and rich cultural and natural heritage – worth sharing – that had been ignored, mistreated or neglected. Relying on the memories and experiences of local people, they found and cleared up some of these sites, installing interpretation and path networks, and advertised them in tourist guides. Visitor numbers went from 15,000 per year to more than 250,000 in only a few years
Gail Boardman
37 visits

Study Visit to Bulgaria & the Devetaki Plateau

Infrastructure improvements are generally costly, but DTA has made significant inroads into connecting the villages to twenty-first century Bulgaria and the rest of the world by the installation of publicly available internet facilities in each of the community centres. Residents, with suitable training, are thus able to read news, contact relatives, order goods and otherwise develop and maintain contacts with other parts of Bulgaria and the wider world. DTA has also initiated language classes, a project which has many potential benefits in the wider tourism strategy for the area.
Seona Anderson
62 visits

The STEM Programme: traditional skills & sustainable materials

The STEM Programme (Traditional Skills & Sustainable Materials) The overall aim of STEM is to improve the knowledge, experience and engagement of Scottish professionals, to ensure that traditional skills and sustainable materials continue to survive as a dynamic part of our common European heritage and provide employment, training and enjoyment for all. Traditional skills and the materials they use are an integral part of both our natural and cultural heritage and have great potential to influence landscape management and cultural engagement. STEM is a KA1 Adult Education for Staff programme funded by Erasmus+ and coordinated by Archnetwork with our consortium of Scottish organisation. We are running four week-long courses, each with 6 to 8 participants with our European host organistions. The courses are designed to train, inspire and connect Scottish professionals with best practice and innovative solutions in Europe. The STEM courses will explore the challenges, successes and training of traditional craftspeople; the management of materials and the landscapes they come from; markets, entrepreneurship and rural development. Celebrating and supporting traditional skills and the materials they rely on has many benefits for both cultural and natural heritage management and is increasingly relevant for our modern concerns about the sustainability of […]
Seona Anderson
76 visits

The NET Programme: managing our natural & cultural heritage assets

The NET Programme (Managing Our Natural & Cultural Heritage Assets) NET aims to train, inspire and connect Scottish professionals in order to tackle complex issues of nature conservation and culture heritage management. The NET programme has been running for 6 years and each year we send over 100 Scottish heritage professionals to our training host organisations in Europe. Our courses are one week long and each course includes between 6 and 8 participants from Scotland. We carry out consultations with our consortium to identify key training priorities for our sector. For NET 5 we have set up the training with reference to 6 themes, each course can fit into more than one theme and all courses contain elements exploring the heritage of the host country: Sustainable Development, Farming, Food & Climate ChangeBiodiversity, Forestry, HuntingCommunities, Engagement & WellbeingLandscape Scale Management, Land Ownership & AccessHeritage Interpretation, Tourism & Rural DevelopmentTraining Systems, New Technologies & Traditional Skills NET is funded by Erasmus+ as a KA1 Adult Education for Staff programme. NET Consortium: the NET Programme is implemented through a consortium of leading Scottish heritage organisations. Consortium members assist with setting training priorities, identify participants from their staff and volunteers and with the promotion […]
Seona Anderson
93 visits

SLOVAKIA: Exploring Community Heritage in Southern Slovakia, Lišov Museum

*Application Deadline – currently 3 to 4 spaces available Hosts: Adriana Patkova & Jakub Dvorsky (Lišov Museum) Course Dates: 30 April to 7 May 2020 Application Deadline: 2 March 2020 Preparation Meeting Date: 1 April 2020 Aims & Themes: exploring the potential for rural museums to increase community engagement in heritage and diversify incomes; understanding Lišov cultural heritage as part of wider Slovak & European heritage.  Draft Itinerary: Arrival Budapest & travel to Lišov; discovering the 3 elements of Lišov  museum – the traditional house, the Mask Museum & the reconstructed Round House; the cave houses of Lišov & Brhlovce Regeneration Project; Local heritage of honey; wine making, stone carving & oil making ; UNESCO WHS of Banska Stiavnica & Svaty Anton Village; Engagement activities at Lišov Museum including earth building, textiles, community histories; archaeological riches of the region.  Reports from 2019 & 2018 Click here to download the full NET course list for 2020. Click here to download the NET 5 2020 application form. (SNH staff are verywelcome to email an expression of interest but they must complete their own internal HR process before submitting an application form)
Seona Anderson
60 visits

BULGARIA: Community Engagement & Rural Development in the Devetaki Plateau

*Applications – currently 3 to 4 available spaces Host: Velis Chilingirova & Iva Taralezhkova (Devetaki Plateau Association) Course Dates: 17 – 24 May 2020 Application Deadline: 2 March 2020 Preparation Meeting Date: 24 April 2020 Aims & Themes: exploring community engagement & rural development in an area rich in natural and cultural heritage but experiencing rural depopulation; developing and delivering community action plans.  Draft Itinerary: the course details will be finalised taking into account the interests of participants. Arrival Sofia & travel to the Devetaki Plateau. Visits to community organisations, heritage sites & rural development projects. 23-24th May is a national 2 day orienteering event in the Devetaki Plateau with 150 participants, May 24th is the Day of the Bulgarian Alphabet. Reports from 2019 & 2018 Click here to download the full NET course list for 2020. Click here to download the NET 5 2020 application form. (SNH staff are very welcome to email an expression of interest but they must complete their own internal HR process before submitting an application form)
Seona Anderson
191 visits

NORWAY: Evenstad Hunting, Predators & Cross-border Conservation

course oversubscribed Hosts: Inland Norway University, Evenstad Campus Course Dates: 19 – 26th May 2020 Application Deadline: 2nd March 2020 Preparation Meeting Date: 1st May 2020 Aims & Themes: hunting, land rights and conservation; predator management and conflicts; cross-border management and monitoring Draft Itinerary: Day 1: Arrival to Evenstad, group meeting & expectation setting Day 2: Introduction to Evenstad Campus, Green Energy Solutions on Campus; the Norwegian Moose Centre; lectures by Evenstad staff on grouse nest predation, monitoring grouse, wildlife management in Norway, wolf & predation in Scandinavia, conflicts with carnivores, lynx ecology; Evening walk up Tronkberget Mountain Day 3: Guided excursions with students studying hunting, fishing and wildlife guiding Day 4: Presentation to Student by Scottish participants on their work in Scotland; continuation of lectures from Day 2; leave for Folldal with stops to visit cabin building and wildlife conflicts; evening walk in the mountains Day 5: Hjerkinn, wild reindeer centre, indoor and outdoor guided tours; return to Evenstad Day 6: Elverun & the Norwegian Forest Museum, guided tour; return to Evenstad Day 7: Visit to the Swedish border with research guide, cross border management of moose & carnivores; visit to a “wolf cluster” (moose kill site); return to […]
Seona Anderson
91 visits

ICELAND: turf building, cultural context & practical skills training

Course full – please see the application update tab for courses with spaces remaining Host: Byggðasafn Skagfirðinga Course Dates: 31 May to 7 June 2020 Application Deadline: course full Preparation Meeting Date: 15 May 2020 Aims & Themes: cultural heritage and archaeological context of turf buildings in Iceland; Turf building and restoration skills. Draft Itinerary: Arrival Rejkjavik; Settlement Exhibition & travel to Skagafjörđur;lectures on culture heritage management & turf buildings& visit to Skagafjörđur Heritage Museum, Glaumbær Turf Buildings; 3 days practical turf building (this is hard work & messy); Skagafjörđur Historical Buildings tour; 7 Drive to Reykjavik via Ƥingvellir National Park; Depart Rejkjavik Reports from 2019 & 2018 Click here to download the full NET course list for 2020. Click here to download the NET 5 2020 application form. (SNH staff are very welcome to email an expression of interest but they must complete their own internal HR process before submitting an application form)  
Seona Anderson
143 visits

POLAND: coastal zone management from pure engineering to pure nature

course oversubscribed Host: Kazimierz Rabski (Society for the Coast EUCC) Course Dates: 31 May to 7 June 2020 Application Deadline: 2nd March 2020 Preparation Meeting Date: 14 May 2020 Aims & Themes: coastal zone management including planning, erosion and accumulation; managing coastal protected areas and Natura 2000 sites; tourism versus nature on the coast. 1. Responsibilities of coastal zone management. 2. National Parks management in various types of coasts. 3. Management planning. 4. Technical aspects of coastal zone management. 5.Natura 2000 in coastal areas. 6.Threats and challenges. 1.Selected aspects of coastal zone management. 2. Various types of soft coasts administration and relations to nature values. 3. Tourism versus nature. 4.Erosion and accumulation in the light of management. 5. “Natura 2000” on Polish coast of Baltic Sea Draft Itinerary: Route: Gdańsk – Łeba – Jarosławiec – Trzęsacz – Niechorze – Międzyzdroje – Świnoujście – Szczecin – Gdańsk Organisations: Maritime Offices in Gdynia and Szczecin, Słowiński and Woliński National Park administrations, Society for The Coast (NGO), individual experts. Reports from 2019 & 2018 film and earlier. Click here to download the full NET course list for 2020. Click here to download the NET 5 2020 application form. (SNH staff are verywelcome to email […]
Seona Anderson
109 visits

SLOVENIA: Sustainable farming & food in biodiversity rich regions

Sustainable Farming & Food in Biodiversity & Protected Areas through Different Educational Approaches course oversubscribed Host: Bojan Žnidaršič (VITRA Centre for Sustainable Development) Course Dates: 2-9 July 2002 Application Deadline: 2 March 2020 Preparation Meeting Date: 19 June 2020 Aims & Themes: learning about good practice in sustainable farming & food; biodiversity management & circular economy; adaptation to climate change, food security, sustainable communities and eco-tourism. Themes & Draft Itinerary: 1.    Biodiversity with all part of sustainable development 2.    Ecosystem management, managing habitats and ecosystems. Rural biodinamic food in the Regional natural park 3.    Adaptive aproaches to species management. Biodiversity in forest 4.    Management for countryside activities for all generationes with green jobs 5.    Environmental interpretation, bringing nature to people. Biodiversity in the Sea natural park 6.    Natural heritage and turist management in Slovenian Alps 7.    Management of Karst cultural landscapes – environmental, cultural, social and economic sustainability based of family generations 8.    Managing for nature in a changing environment with UNESCO World Heritage Site Learn about good practices in sustainable farming and food inside the biodiversity and protected areas inside the public and private sectors Get to know the biodiversity of 1/3 of Slovenia’s territory and their management through […]
Seona Anderson
175 visits

ESTONIA: Cultural & Natural Heritage of Coastal Estonians

*Applications – currently 2 available spaces – please email an expression of interest before making an application Host: Maarika Nagel (Viitong/Heritage Tours) Course Dates: 12 – 19 July 2020 Application Deadline: 2 March  2020 Preparation Meeting Date: 22 June 2020 Aims & Themes: exploring cultural heritage interpretation and management in a range of contexts; community heritage as part of community cohesion and rural development; heritage tourism. Draft Itinerary: DAY 1 : Goal of the day: Old Tallinn (UNESCO heritage site) 14:30 Guided tour in Old Tallinn Free time in Old town DAY 2 : Goal of the day: Military history, soviet history Drive to the west, traces of Peter the Great in former Soviet nuclear base in Paldiski town Haapsalu town – resort Meet the officials of Haapsalu medieval castle. Visit the site, discussion Haapsalu tour – resort, historical wooden houses and train station, Tchaikovsly bench  DAY 3: Goal of the day:  Island heritage alive wooden boat building in a vocational school „Spaaremaa“ – 195 years of using local sea mud for healing and wellbeing. Ferry to Muhu island, drive to Kuressaare town Wooden boat building faculty of Kuressaare Vocational School, meet specialist.   visit one of the medical spas. […]
Seona Anderson
126 visits

ROMANIA: Small scale sustainable farming in Transylvania

course oversubscribed Hosts: Monica Oprean & Martin Clark (Association Satul Verde) Course Dates: 24 – 31 August 2020 Application Deadline: 2 March 2020 Preparation Meeting Date: 14 August 2020 Aims & Themes: exploring small scale sustainable farming; hay making & orchards within a cultural landscale; the challenges of sustainable rural development, community engagement and heritage management Draft Itinerary: Participants will learn about subsistence farming as opposed to intensive farming, as well as traditional ways of managing the land. There will be opportunities to do some hands on work like hay making (cutting grass with a scythe, making a hay stack), fruit gathering, making preserves. DAY ONE: Arrive in Cluj Napoca and travel to the market town of Aiud in Alba County ( the transfer takes around 1:15 h, depending on traffic). Overnight at “Casa Domeniile Vinului” Ciumbrud (a village at the outskirts of Aiud town). Dinner & discussion about the programme.  DAY TWO: Visit the village of Girbovita. We start a ‘day on the farm’ – visiting vine yard / hay meadows / orchards & vegetable gardens.  In each, the focus is on the wildlife potential of these traditionally farmed areas – we look out for insects, birds, trees and flowers […]
Seona Anderson
153 visits

FINLAND: Forestry Education, Practice & Conservation

Course Oversubscribed Hosts: TAMK Tampere University of Applied Sciences Course Dates: 30 August to 6 September 2020 Application Deadline: 2nd March but course oversubscribed Preparation Meeting Date: 13 August 2020 Aims & Themes: exploring conservation, urban and commercial forestry in Finland; forestry education; hunting; ecology of mires and peatlands; skill sharing with Finnish forestry students Draft Itinerary: the course details will be finalised when the participants are selected. Arrival Tampere; the course will be centered around Tampere University & will include a presentation from Scottish participants to Finnish students; there will be visits to conservation, commercial and urban forest & a national park, Seitseminen or Helventinjarvi National Parks. Reports from 2019 & 2018 Click here to download the full NET course list for 2020. Click here to download the NET 5 2020 application form. (SNH staff are verywelcome to email an expression of interest but they must complete their own internal HR process before submitting an application form)  
Seona Anderson
127 visits

LATVIA: Forests, Wetlands, Green Infrastructure & Digital Technologies

Course oversubscribed Hosts: Andis Purs (State Forest Service of Latvia) Course Dates: 6 – 13 September 2020 Application Deadline: 2nd March but course heavily oversubscribed Preparation Meeting Date: 12 August 2020 Aims & Themes: exploring Latvian forestry and wetland management, conservation policy and practice; hunting attitudes & practices; digital tools for conservation planning & action; cultural heritage and landscapes of Latvia Draft Itinerary: the itinerary will be finalised in consultation with the participants. It will include the State Forest Service and associated government and academic organisations in Riga; Kemeri National Park, Lake Kaneiris and Dunduri Meadows; State Forest Research Institute; Cesis Institute of Environmental Solutions; Traditional Barrel Makers; Viestura Larmanic Culture Heritage as Green Infrastructure in rural north Latvia. Reports from 2019 & 2018 Click here to download the full NET course list for 2020. Click here to download the NET 5 2020 application form. (SNH staff are very welcome to email an expression of interest but they must complete their own internal HR process before submitting an application form)
Seona Anderson
125 visits

POLAND: STEM course – tradition, training & enterprise, the Jagiellonian Fair Lublin

Tradition, training & enterprise: culture heritage & the Jagiellonian Fair Lublin *Applications – currently 2 spaces available – please email an expression of interest before completing an application form Host: Agnieszka Wojciechowska (Workshops of Culture Lublin) Course Dates: 18 – 25 August 2020 Application Deadline: 2nd March 2020 Preparation Meeting Date: 21 May 2020 Aims & Themes: exploring traditional skills, patterns and materials in training, enterprise, heritage and community engagement. Draft Itinerary: Day 1: August 18th, Tuesday Goal of the Day: arrival, Old Town in Lublin – European Heritage Label Accomodation in the hotel. Dinner. Welcome tour in Lublin Old Town – introduction of European Heritage Label.  https://lublin.eu/en/lublin/about-the-city/european-heritage-label/ Day 2: August 19th, Wednesday Goal of the Day: multicultural heritage    Visiting Muzeum Wsi Lubelskiej / The Open Air Village Museum in Lublin The Open Air Village Museum in Lublin is a permanent public institution of knowledge and science which specializes in creating, preserving and sharing both material and intangible cultural heritage and social background. The Museum recreates historical forms of settlements, habitations, buildings of public services of villages and small towns with their interiors as well as with traditional forms of the rural landscape. The institution plays a significant educational […]
Seona Anderson
112 visits

ESTONIA: STEM course 2020 – traditional skills & nature, training & community

Culture heritage, traditional skills and nature: training and community engagement. *Applications – currently 1 space available – please email an expression of interest before making an application Host: Maarika Nagel (Viitong/Heritage Tours) Course Dates: 14 – 21 June 2020 Application Deadline: 2nd March 2020 Preparation Meeting Date: 20 May 2020 Aims & Themes: exploring traditional skills as part of education, community life and heritage engagement in a digitally engaged and biodiversity rich country. Draft Itinerary:  2020 study trip Erasmus+ programme Central Estonia Dates: June 14 to June 21 2020 Day 1 Goal of the Day: arrival, Old Tallinn – UNESCO heritage site Welcome tour in Old Tallinn guided by Riin Alatalu Dinner, good sleep Overnight in Tallinn Day 2 Goal of the Day: environment and sustainability, industrial and dark heritage. Vasalemma and Rummu villages. Former horrible destination of prisons and criminals and the worst soviets, nowdays an atractive tourism destination. Vasalemma – industrial heritage. https://www.visittallinn.ee/eng/visitor/see-do/sport-adventure/pid-179639/matkajuht https://www.visittallinn.ee/eng/visitor/see-do/sport-adventure/pid-179642/paekalda-holiday-resort activity Meet Kaja Lotman – the outstanding lady of Estonian environmental activities, the nominee of Alfred Toepfer medal given for the most outstanding input in nature protection and sustainable development of Europe 2019. Overnight in Tallinn Day 3 Goals of the Day: 1.Outstanding practices […]
Seona Anderson
20 visits

Summary Report for NET 5 2019

2019 has been another great year for the NET Programme. Our hosts have delivered a wide range of innovative and well-crafted courses in nature conservation and cultural heritage management, and the NET participants have created an excellent and diverse range of reports from films encouraging agroforesty in Scotland, outreach activities based on Slovak cave houses, recommendations for forest and wetland management, audio and visual diaries, presentations, and thoughtful reports on many topical issues. NET continues to celebrate the connections between Scotland and Europe and the many ways in which we can share skills and work together. Please click here to download the NET 5 2019 summary report.
kate holl
111 visits

Film: Dehesa – A Spanish Agroforestry Farming System & Implications for Scotland

There are very few contemporary examples of agroforestry in Scotland today, so to help land managers visualise what this system could look like and how it might work on your farm, we have made a short film about a living, working agroforestry farm in the south of Spain. The system is called Dehesa, and although the climate is different, the Dehesa has many parallels with marginal land in the Scottish uplands.
Rachel Backshall
27 visits

Inspiring Identity: how heritage connects community in Southern Slovakia – Lišov Múzeum

The museum champions the lifestyles of people in the years current and previous, and the skills and knowledge linked to this are being upheld, celebrated and rejuvenated. Lišov Múzeum is less a museum about archaeology and artefacts and more a museum about a way of life, and a community. It feels like it preserves less of a specific time period, but looks towards history as more of an template for our modern world, assessing what we can learn from the past to improve what we do today, which on a much broader scale allows us to asses our own identities in the process.
Gavin MacGregor
27 visits

Glimpses of Thracian Landscapes

At the cultural centre, we chat with the ladies, who welcome us with evident pride, about the people and stories of Gorsko Slivovo. The gallery space provides powerful juxtaposition: on one wall, dark eyes stare, four mothers dressed in black, four sons sacrificed, partisan scenes of resistance and death. A shrine remembers oppressions past, Soviet, Ottoman, Roman; on the other wall, paintings of traditional dress, costumes of colour and hope, the shepherds practical garb, lively animals and fertile fields. The promise of bounty and celebration of a community, who knew it is only the land, which has always been there, and through commitment sustains them. Like some ongoing conversation across the gallery, these faces of Bulgaria continue to speak.
Lana Blakely
52 visits

Wetland & Coastal Management in the Odra Delta – a model for Mersehead?

It was a great opportunity to be able to spend a week looking at the various types of parks and reserves in the Odra Delta and seeing the benefits and challenges of each. I think we were all blown away by how rich and diverse the wildlife and landscapes are, not just within the protected areas, but in the general landscape of the region as a whole. The main issues facing protected areas and wildlife in general in Poland seems to be a familiar one, lack of funding, staffing and awareness, which is all too familiar a problem in the UK as well. Due to Poland’s history, many people do not feel a connection to the land and so one of the results is that volunteering is nearly non-existant, which is a shame as this could be a rich source of help that is currently unavailable. It will also be interesting to see how the reserves will cope with climate change; increased pressure from predation and invasive species is tied in to this (as seen at Ujscie Warty NP) and subsequently pressure on staff time and funding for projects to deal with this. Hopefully the diversity of the landscapes means […]
Abigail Guthrie
59 visits

From Scotland to Slovakia: Cave Dwellings & Community Heritage

ARCH coordinates adult education courses to Europe through the Erasmus+ Programme. We run a range of week-long courses for 6 to 8 participants with our host trainers in Europe. Next year we will run 10 courses based around managing cultural and community heritage
Emily Warner
124 visits

Woodland Regeneration & Grazing in South West Norway

It was amazing to explore the regenerating forests in SW Norway and to understand better how native forests can develop with a lower browsing pressure. Deer management practices differ between Norway and Scotland, with carcass weights used to determine deer quotas in Norway, indicating the overall health of the population and helping to balance its impacts on woodland regeneration. Cultural and social factors have influenced the woodland regeneration we saw, from the abandonment of farms over the 20th Century to the different attitudes to hunting, foraging and land-use in Norway. The diversity of species and structure in the Norwegian forest sets an example for us to aspire to in Scotland, and we need to consider how to integrate a rebounding forest within Scotland’s cultural and social setting.
Adam Rose
73 visits

Forestry, Biodiversity & Conservation in Finland

Natural regeneration was abundant nearly everywhere we visited, something which is comparatively unusual in Scotland unless it is enclosed within a deer fence. Regeneration was so prevalent in some locations that it was encroaching into previously open habitats, such as small fields of abandoned farms. A strong hunting culture and associated herbivore management within Finland appears to the main cause for natural regeneration within Finnish forests.
Marina Gray
58 visits

The Comeback of An Apex Predator: Could Scotland Learn from Norway?

Geographical Connectivity is the Natural Key Norway has had a natural recolonization of all carnivores, due to be part of the continent Europe and neighbour countries fluxes. First wolves recolonized in 1980 to the south, through dispersion of the first wolves by likely Finish-Russian populations.  The geographical position of the UK being an island doesn’t allow natural recolonization, and therefore it leaves the question to wether we could or we should intervene
Monica Warwick
58 visits

Traditional Buildings & Community Heritage in Lišov

The purpose of this report is to share the knowledge I gained while working with the Lišov Múzeum in October 2019. As a member of the Technical Outreach and Education team at The Engine Shed, I wanted to focus on the traditional building materials and skills, as well as the importance of community engagement in Lišov. This report is primarily visual, with key points written out. The idea behind this is to be able to share this information with colleagues, or others who may be interested, in an accessible format. The ability to share information visual and through activities or tactile learning is important to our team and for our work with the public.
John Gibson
26 visits

The Hierarchy of Protected Areas in Poland & Comparison with Scotland

The level of protection afforded to different types of protected area in Poland is not dissimilar to that in Scotland. For example, in terms of the Natura 2000 network all EU countries have an obligation to transpose the Habitats and Birds Directives into domestic legislation. Similarly, in Scotland and Poland, regulatory authorities and have their own responsibilities. I think the main difference in the protect areas protection measures between Poland and Scotland is the level of public promotion and access provision. In Scotland we actively advertise our protected areas at whatever level but in Poland this is much more subtle even where public access provision is encouraged. The trip to Poland was truly fascinating in many respects and one would hope that western influences do not put pressures on the natural heritage we experience in Scotland and the UK as a whole.
Heather James
40 visits

Exploring Community Heritage in Southern Slovakia

I was especially interested in the ethnographic display in the museum which included some flax heckling boards. I have been working on an 18th century flax mill near Glasgow and so it was great to see how the hand heckling technique worked. One handle was for the foot and the other for one hand. The flax was then thrashed against the heckling spikes to straighten the flax fibres ready for spinning. This technique would have been used in Scotland prior to the construction of water mills. Apparently there were a couple of water mills in Lišov in the 19th century, but they have been demolished. Corn mills were often used for other purposes such as flax mills and saw mills. Flax was grown in this area in the past and according to Jacob there are old flax soaking ponds in the area.
Tom Ingrey-Counter
52 visits

Greetings from Bulgaria: workplace posts for the National Lottery Heritage Fund

This is one of the faces of Walltopia – a Bulgaria company and a global leader in climbing wall manufacture. It belongs to the Mountain Guides training school in Troyan on the Devistashko Plateau, established in 2013. Marco, one of the teachers here, tells us that students arrive aged 14, and leave six years later with a range of skills including cultural tourism, mountain biking skills, navigation and first aid.
Chris Tilbury
96 visits

A Tale of Two Forests – Comparing Forests and Conservation in Finland and Scotland

I went to Finland with an idea to compare the forests there with those in Scotland and, more specifically, with that found at Abernethy. It became apparent, however, that such a comparison was unrealistic. The context of the forests, geographically, culturally and historically, are totally different. Finland is roughly 5 times the size of Scotland and is 75% forested. The population is approximately the same in both countries. This has meant that huge areas of Finnish forest are never, or incredibly rarely, disturbed by human activity. Historically, effectively all of Scotland’s forests have been managed as commercial plantations, especially following the Second World War. This meant a huge reduction in the size of the forest and large areas of forest consisting of uniform trees the same age and size. Finland has greater areas of old growth, natural forest which has never been managed by humans. Culturally, the natural world appears to garner much more respect in Finland than in Scotland with visitors much less likely to actively damage the forest or wilfully disturb wildlife. Regular fire sites and camping huts mean that visitors have designated places to eat, sleep and light fires. Much of the way the Finnish people treat […]
Hamshya Rajkumar
134 visits

Sustainable Development of Cultural & Natural Assets in 2 Cypriot Mountain Villages

Looking to the communities of the past can directly inspire the answers to these questions. Maybe people could connect to their heritage to feel a sense of place, a sense of identity and ‘rootedness’, in a way that is relevant to their lives. Maybe wider communities can be created in museums by ensuring that people from disenfranchised backgrounds find a ‘home’ and share learning possibilities in the museum environment. Maybe it is extending beyond the academic/intellectual framework that informs traditional museum culture, to also engage with, in a sustainable way, skilled craftspeople, artists, storytellers and musicians to form creative spaces, who intersect with, and are informed by, the collections held in the museum. Maybe by having such an inclusive environment, we can directly mirror the coherent, collectively organised communities of the past.
Meryl Carr
225 visits

The Future of Small Scale Farming in Romania

Visiting Alba and neighbouring counties in Transylvania, Romania was the highlight of my working year. I applied to go on this ERASMUS funded Arch destination as I thought it would be an interesting in-sight into how other European countries manage the funding opportunities provided by the European Common Agricultural Policy, particularly to benefit the small scale farmer and small rural communities. My main area of work during the year is assessing Agri-Environment and Climate Change grant applications. In Scottish Natural Heritage we assess any applications which involve land management on designated sites or deer management. As Romania is one the new member states to enter the European fold, lies in Eastern Europe where in the past agriculture has had many challenges, I was interested to see and hear their story and find out if and how the European Union’s Common Agricultural Policy was benefitting agriculture and the environment in Romania. I live and work in the North West Highlands of Scotland, one of the Crofting Counties where small scale agriculture dominates. Romania is a country where small, semi subsistence/subsistence farming is of great importance. Is there a future for this type of farming in the European Union?
Roo Campbell
70 visits

Wild Cats, Traditional Farming & Camera Traps

In Scotland, we have lost many of the attitudes to livestock husbandry that allow coexistence with predators. The exception to this is with smaller livestock such as chickens, were the concept of protection is well understood. If we ever bring back any of the larger predators, we can learn from the practices employed in countries like Romania. Finally, if we are going to be able to support a viable wildcat population in perpetuity in Scotland (i.e. without risk of hybridisation), we may need to look at the environment in Romania and see what we can take from it that helps both wildcats and biodiversity more generally.
Jackie Taylor
50 visits

Rimet – A Living Landscape: Establishing a Natural & Cultural Heritage Foundation in Romania, a Case Study in the Apuseni Mountains

In the Cairngorms National Park tourism has greatly influenced a range of factors including the development of towns and villages, road infrastructure, signage, land management, demographics and employment. The park has a resident population of 18,000 people and every year between April and October 1.8 million visitors enter the park boundary. This volume of tourism requires significant resource to manage. Rimet is on the cusp of change and in ten years may be a very different village to the one it is now; a small, picturesque village in a beautiful location. The decision makers have the opportunity now to plan for change, to look at other examples across the world, learn from their mistakes and demonstrate sustainable tourism in practice.
Sian Atkinson
44 visits

Rewilding or working with nature – lessons from rural Transylvania

What can be learnt from all this? Preserving traditional land management, culture and ways of life in Transylvania is crucial, not as a quaint museum piece, but within a wider narrative that draws out their interconnectedness with the natural world. Supporting younger people to remain in rural areas, and to develop low impact, ecologically conscious tourism at a rate and scale that supports rather than destroys the existing balance and pattern of life could be part of the answer, and providing agri-environment grants and packages that are easily accessed, and truly supportive of small scale subsistence farmers could be another. From a UK perspective, we need to learn as much as we can.
Kate Smith
43 visits

Romania & Scotland

Years ago a friend visited Romania and when he returned he commented that the countryside he found there felt to him how he imagined much of Scotland must have once been. We are a nation working to restore natural habitats that have been lost and to repair the mistakes we have made in the past, while they are a country who still hold the potential to learn from the mistakes made in other lands and work to protect and celebrate their wild landscapes, before they need to be saved and restored. I look around the vast scenes of canopy covered mountains and wonder if Transylvania isn’t just a glimpse of what Scotland has lost but of what it could also recover.
Gavin Skipper
101 visits

A Comparison of Romanian Village Farming with Crofting on Balmacara Estate

Following my structured training course in Romania and subsequent discussion with my colleagues, we now have plans to bring some of the traditional village farming methods from Romania onto Balmacara Estate. We have a demonstration species-rich meadow on a high profile gateway site. Next year before the harvest we will get the students from the crofting course at Plockton High School to establish a number of fixed quadrats on the meadow. They will record and quantify the plant species and invertebrate life within these quadrats giving us a base sample. When the meadow is ready to cut, half will be done by the students using scythes, creating Romanian style haystacks in the process. The other half of the meadow will be cut using modern machinery creating round baling hay. On an annual basis the crofting students will carry out the same procedures, and we will monitor the quadrats to check what is happening to the biodiversity within each half of the meadow.
Lucy Cunningham
50 visits

Romanian Ways

An openness of this kind to new ideas could be key to the sustainable development of Transylvannia and many other places like it. Outsiders could come to live in these remote regions, enticed by the free land and materials, and make a commitment to work the land – undertaking to do the hard graft, and to learn from the community, before these skills are lost. There is huge interest from people in the UK and beyond, who recognise this need to get back to the land, who would undertake this – within a system they can trust, and that works for everyone. If the new road leads to developments in infrastructure which eventually allow faster internet, then a whole new raft of possibilities open up to people working part time on the internet for some income, but remaining committed to small scale farming practice – knowing its value from having seen the results of over development in their various countries of origin.
Claire Glaister
77 visits

A Series of Finnish Forestry Blogs

​ By Claire Glaister, Institute of Chartered Foresters ​61 degrees latitude: A house of 100 trees An intrepid group of seven left Scotland to head to the land of lakes and trees; a country with a scale of forestry which, to a forester, comes close to Utopia. The week-long Erasmus+ study tour, hosted by Tampere University of Applied Sciences (TAMK) and promoted by ARCH, was to cover forests, birds and environmental education. On arrival at our accommodation for the week however, it became clear that we would also be treated to spectacular skies and sunrises, landscapes and culture and great hospitality too. The final turn of our journey that night took us down an avenue of Silver birch which, even accounting for the car’s headlights, seemed to shine brightly in front of us.  The bark looked much brighter than we see on birch at home and certainly lived up to the tree’s silver title. Sitting around the kitchen table that first evening, our neighbour, Tapio Rautaneva, the owner of the house, explained to us how he had built it using 100 trees from his own woodland – just along the road – individually selected for their physical and quality characteristics.  […]
John Reid
58 visits

Forestry, Biodiversity & Conservation in Finland

The government use revenue from hunting licences to compensate landowners on any damage to productive tree crops by deer browsing – if this is indeed correct it is a very different system to what we have in Scotland. Despite the presence of bears and wolves we learned that hunting is essential to managing a sustainable deer population, which was contrary to my perception at the start of the trip. Tapio said there are around 300 wolves in Finland, but 10,000 would be needed to meet equilibrium. It would not be possible for the number of wolves to coexist with the current human population of Finland – so hunting of deer by humans will always be required. We also learned that in the Lapland area accounting for 36% of the country no bears, wolves or lynx were tolerated and were shot on sight to protect the reindeer. Unlike Scotland there are no ‘professional’ hunters, as hunting is too popular of an activity. However, Tapio foresees such jobs might exist in the future as the country continues to urbanise and less people live in rural areas.
Sarah Badman-Flook
116 visits

Finland, Forest & Friends 2019: a film report

This film shows the other side of the Erasmus course – the friendships formed and the cultural barriers toppled.
Emily Bryce
107 visits

A Roof O’er Their Heads: turf buildings through time in Scotland & Iceland

This presentation illustrates turf building in Iceland and Scotland and details plans for a new turf building in Glen Coe
Amee Hood
184 visits

Latvia Report 2019 & Species List

A group report covering a range of perspectives and topics from the NET Latvia course 2019.
John Macdonald
32 visits

Plant the Planet!

Hunting is cultural; licensing includes Wolf, Beaver, Lynx & Bear, Moose, Red and Roe deer that the others might scare! Sprays & deterrents are used but fences are few, Hunters are plenty but numbers including Golden Jackal still grew.
Lucy Elliff
36 visits

LATVIA: A CULTURAL JOURNEY NOT JUST A NATURAL ONE!

From the wetlands of Kemeri National Park through to the wooded sand stone valley of Gauja National Park the visiting tourist cannot fail to be impressed by the abundance of information signs, play areas, picnic spots, fire pits, boarded walks and walking trails which manage to make you feel welcome without compromising on the natural beauty of the landscape. I think all in the group would agree that we were excited about the accessibility of Latvia to a tourist with return trips already being mapped out. Nothing demonstrates this tourism infrastructure more than the Latvian Nature app, freely available and translated into English it enables you to maximise your visit to Latvia from the comfort of your pocket.
Richard Cooper
104 visits

ĶEMERI NATIONAL PARK – BOGS, WETLANDS, AND RE-MEANDERINGS

An account of the history and restoration works undertaken of one of Latvia’s major peat bogs – and the restoration of an adjoining river and associate flood plains.
Duncan Bruce
47 visits

Forestry in Latvia

In terms of organisational structure there are strong similarities to Scotland. The Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) develops policy. The State Forest Service sits within the MOA and enforces legislation across the industry whilst providing support and issuing licences/permits for all forests regardless of ownership. Finally, the Latvia State Forests Joint Stock Company operates as a commercial entity and manages all state owned forests. However as Normunds went into more detail and as we visited more forests throughout the week it became clear that organisational structure was where any similarities to forestry in Scotland ended. In terms of forest cover, ownership and management Scotland and Latvia could hardly be more different. It was fascinating to spend time in a country with such a different approach, where forestry seems to be winning out over intensive tree farming. Since being back at work I’ve been looking at my sites differently, wondering how much of what I saw could work here and daydreaming of Wolf , Moose, Lynx and Bear…. Paldies Latvia!
Paul Roberts
Paul Roberts
101 visits

Deer, Moose & Forestry in Latvia

In Latvia deer management is administered centrally by the State Forest Service and there is a national register of hunters who require a license to hunt. However management is devolved to the 2074 hunting districts with cull targets and objective agreed locally. This and the requirement of a minimum land area over which to hunt different species means that there is a more collaborative approach to hunting in Latvia. Cull reporting is more rigorous than in Scotland and hunters are required to record where, when and how many deer they harvest.
Chris Fairgrieve
65 visits

Forest Management, Disease & Control: Perspectives from Latvia

Given the extent and value of both Norway and Sitka spruce stands in both Scotland and the wider UK, it is vitally important economically and environmentally as described above to minimize and control any outbreaks of dangerous forest pests in coming years. Lessons learned in Latvia as well as other European countries indicate the importance of early detection through annual monitoring and indeed the important relevant intervention to control outbreaks and minimize losses as well as preventing further spread of infestations.
Ross Watson
27 visits

Institute for Environmental Solutions

It is an impressive set up, with a (for Latvia) diverse staff of 35, who are highly skilled and experienced in their fields of biology, chemistry, electronics, and others. The umbrella vision for IES and the other 11 companies is an ethos of environmental thinking through medicine, art, beauty, and gastronomy. There is a conscious effort to break the barriers between science based knowledge and the experience of people who have gained a deep understanding of the land through years of working and living with it, blending the two to gain a higher level of understanding. This is done through job swaps, careful recruitment, local projects, and shadowing.
Molly Doubleday
67 visits

A Capercaillie’s Home & Finnish Blogs

What beguiled me on this trip was that it was evident from every Finnish person I spoke too that they had a deep respect for nature. This included the hunters. Even the predators were an important part of their mythology. For instance, people used to collect the first droppings that a bear produced after hibernation and kept them in a pouch to wear so that they would have the strength of a bear all year. Another indication of this respect was the almost total lack of litter found in natural places which can be a real problem in Scotland. Our student guides just didn’t understand why you would leave rubbish behind. Solo walks in the forest were common and important to people of all ages. My impression was that the Finnish culture still maintained a real connection with nature whilst some urbanisation in Scotland may have severed this connection.
Carrie Weager
64 visits

Estonia: Happy by Nature

Estonian runic singing began to decline as European influences took prevalence. When I heard this I was reminded of a passage in a book called ‘Soil and Soul’ by Alastair McIntosh, when he described a ‘loss of cultural self-confidence’ that occurred in Gaelic culture with the advent of television and radio. The singing that used to accompany activities such as weaving, rowing and ploughing gradually fell silent. This trip has inspired me to finally bite the bullet and sign up to Gaelic classes (a part of my own heritage that was not passed down by my great-grandparents). On the Sandwood estate where I work we are also developing a plan to gather unrecorded Gaelic place names from older members of the community, to see what more they can tell us about the area’s people, history and ecology before they are lost forever. This trip has inspired me to believe this is a project well worth undertaking.
Melanie Nicoll
88 visits

Field Notes: Integrating livestock with woodland

Overall, though, I was most struck by the interplay and interdependency of the different land uses and incredible attention to detail in the management of the trees, pasture and livestock. Just one example of this was learning of the special calculation done each year into the anticipated acorn crop and limit set accordingly on the number of pigs that can be reared in order to retain organic status for pork production. Such an ethos is surely something that John Muir would have approved of, regardless of whether in sunny, southern Spain or on the side of a somewhat soggier Scottish mountain:-  “When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe.” 
Melanie Nicoll
48 visits

Lessons learn from the Spanish “dehesa”: a new model for Scottish agriculture & woodland management?

The holistic approach to land management that is the defining feature of the dehesa system of land management provides an opportunity to consider how the historic, largely sectoral approaches to Scottish agriculture and woodland/forestry could be better integrated for the benefit of people, nature and the wider environment. Such a shift in thinking could be of particular value to agriculture on marginal land. Tree and animal species would necessarily differ from those in Spain but, for example, fruit trees could be expected to have a particular role given their nutritional value for livestock as well as opportunities for a crop and fruit-related products.
Matthew Bellhouse-Moran
54 visits

Estonia: Rapid Development & Deep Traditions

Rapid development is the watchword for Estonia. New infrastructure, new roads, integration of technology and heavy investment – both nationally and from the European Union – speak of a country facing forward. It is heartening to see that this is not to the detriment or exclusion of natural, built and cultural heritage. Tradition runs deep and, for the most part, it is incorporated into Estonian identity along with this rapid progress. Development has been carefully balanced, in the main, with nature. Estonians value nature and their relationship with it in a different way to Scotland, it being more integrated and present in their lives, all around them rather than being something one takes a trip to visit.
Rebecca Barclay
68 visits

An Estonian Adventure

Exhibits included 3D site models – making the castle more accessible for visually impaired visitors, and old maps and archaeological site drawings printed on Perspex which could be slid over one another showing how the site changed through time (an idea I’d like to steal for Archaeology Scotland!). My favourite exhibit was the wall of artefacts found during recent excavations. Pot fragments displayed over the outline of the type of pot they came from and bridle parts displayed over a sketch of a horse’s head made it obvious what the artefacts were, and were used for in the past – sketches like this would be a great addition to our Artefact Investigation kits.
Susan Webster
69 visits

Estonia – People & Place

The ‘singing revolution’ is the time between 1986 and 1991 when Estonians gathered in large numbers to sing revolutionary songs in a non-violent protest against the soviet occupation. Culturally this was a powerful way of Estonia retaining its identity. 100,000 Estonians gathered for 7 days and nights in the Tallinn song festival grounds. ‘Until now, revolutions have been filled with destruction, burning, killing and hate, but we started our revolution with a smile and a song’ Estonian Activist Heinz Valk who coined the term ‘ singing revolution’
Julia Westbury
365 visits

Hunting Game in Norway: A Way of Life & a Method of Management

Hunting in Norway is deeply engrained in the country’s history and its culture. This makes replicating its use as a conservation tool difficult for countries, such as Scotland, where hunting is regarded as merely a rich man’s sport. Nevertheless, there is much that Scotland can learn from Norway’s attitude to hunting.
Colin
Colin
120 visits

Aa is for Everything – an ABC of Estonia

Aa is for Everything is a personal record of a week-long exploration of Estonia’s cultural heritage that took place from 4-11 August 2019. It contains personal reflections and observations, bits and pieces of history gleaned from our guide and from my own research, inspiration from conversations with my tour companions, and from the information imparted by our many hosts who generously gave of their time and shared their knowledge. The ABC structure of this report is inspired by the book Sõrulase Aabits, a primer on the cultural heritage of Sõrve on the island of Saaremaa. The word aabits comes from the pronunciation of the first three letters of the Estonian alphabet: ah-bey-tsay The full report is reprinted below, or you can go to the Aa is for Everything website – there’s also a map of the places we visited and a gallery of images. The programme was developed by ARCH Scotland and funded through Erasmus+ and hosted by Maarika Naagel of Vitong Heritage Tours. You can read the stories and articles here as a kind of idiosyncratic introduction to Estonian culture as I found it in 2019. It’s far from exhaustive, but hopefully instructive. A bit of everything. Thanks for […]
Nina Probst
48 visits

Tere Tulemast to ESTONIA

What inspired and impressed me most was the chosen narrative, the acceptance that different idea(l)s of Estonia exist, from the Estonian diaspora, islanders, people from the countryside, from towns or from Tallinn. It wasn’t supporting one national idea of what Estonia is, which too often seems to be propagated by countries even today but showing that there are many and that there is room for all of them. Visitors were also frequently asked to consider “what would you have done?” instead of condemning everything in good or bad. It was the perfect ending, summing up what we all had come to notice – that Estonians are a very resourceful and colourful people, proud of who they are and where they are from.
Rhona Maxwell
196 visits

Estonia – Ya (Baltic) Beauty!

I’ll treasure many memories from our time in Estonia – swimming in the Baltic sea at sunset, climbing a lighthouse, seeing a moose, meeting Mari, but I also want to hold onto the lessons learned, and bring those home with me. I can draw many parallels with Scotland – both have dramatic landscapes, vast wilderness and habitats, rich heritage and stunning beaches. And both have the same strongest asset- it’s people. I’ll be doing everything I can to embed what I’ve learned into helping connect, and reconnect, Scotland’s people with what they have on their doorstep, and the stories, skills and ancestry in their blood.
Sophie McGraw
88 visits

Sustainable Development & Biodiversity in Slovenia – A GIS Storymap

Secovlje Salt Pans We learned that the park is on the list of Ramsar wetlands of international importance. In fact, in 2003 the solina was damaged which meant no harvesting took place, however European funding helped restore the site for birdlife, which in turn enabled salt harvesting to resume. It was really interesting to see how much of an asset wildlife has been for the park, as it enabled them to restore the salt-pans, and the park clearly takes great pride in its wildlife.
Matt Dale
72 visits

Visitor Management in the West Pomaranian region of Poland

I work as a ranger at Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park where my job can be best described as ‘helping visitors enjoy the National Park in a safe and responsible way’. This can be done through sharing of information, education and also enforcement through patrolling. My main patrol area is Loch Lomond so I was very keen to visit similar wetland environments in Poland and see how land managers do things there.
Stephen Inglis
52 visits

Breeding wader conservation in West Pomerania

Grazing management in Poland currently appears to be wader friendly and it was encouraging to hear that many efforts are being made to make sure grazing is appropriate. At Ujscie Warty, large extents of the park’s floodplain meadows are rented out to local farmers for cattle grazing. Although farmers are keen to get stock out onto the meadows as soon as possible, the park authorities make an attempt to prevent cattle introduction until the second half of June to reduce trampling risk to wader nests but also prevent excessive damage to soft wet ground.
Adriana Patková
489 visits

*New Course* Community Heritage in Southern Slovakia 4-11 October 2019

Lišov Museum is a newly set up rural museum which aims to celebrate culture history and to provide a stimulant to local development. The area has a rich heritage of historical and archaeological sites and the museum works on a range of building and craft techniques as part of their education and outreach activities
Will Hayward
75 visits

Gamebird hunting and raptors in Norway

By participating in the survey and reporting bag numbers the hunters themselves are key figures in game management. Due to the vastly different cultural heritage of hunting in Norway, where hunting is much more a way of life than an elite hobby, divides between shooting and conservation communities simply do not exist as they do in the UK. However it is inspiring to see what can be achieved when all parties recognise the requirement for robust and contemporary population data and work together to ensure gamebird hunting is carried out at a sustainable level each year.
Sergey Eydelman
379 visits

Forestry in Norway

The important role of the mountain forests for ground’s stability has been observed at Dovre National Park. Betula pendula, B. pubescenis, B. nana, Juniperus communis, and Salex spp cover waist area overhead 1000 m above the sea level between stands of coniferous and alpine zone. Roots system holds poor, stony and wet soil and well protects against landslides. The woodland habitat creates much better biodiversity than post-grazing grassland. That is a good example for land management of similar areas in Scotland.
Jess Barrett
39 visits

Connecting with nature in West Pomerania

I was inspired by the focus placed on face to face engagement in Poland to connect people with nature. Given the small size of the teams overseeing the nature areas I felt the decision to concentrate on being out amongst people rather than focusing on producing written communications for press and social media allowed them to build support for nature with the people living next door to it. It highlighted the importance of having local people engaged with nature and supportive of their work which in turn helps with the delivery of conservation.
Fleur Miles-Farrier
104 visits

Differences between the protection, education and public awareness of nature sites in Poland and Scotland.

a common tactic seemed to be limiting public knowledge of the parks as much as possible, reducing pressure on the environment and disturbance to wildlife as there is just not the staff or infrastructure to support them. Has this resulted in Ujscie Warty National Park having one of the highest densities of birds in Poland? or Dabskie Lake in Szczecin having the highest number of White-tailed Eagles in Europe? Of course, this is not to say they don’t want visitors, they just can’t currently handle them without the resources. Hopefully in the future perceptions will change and they will be awarded the funding they deserve, and be able show off the wonderful nature and wildlife of Poland in a sustainable way.
Colin Tate
120 visits

Invasive alien species in Western Pomerania’s wetlands and protected areas

Action includes a ban on keeping on selling the species, a rapid eradication obligation of newly emerging populations and the management of established populations to prevent the species from becoming a wider problem and to keep them out of protected areas.
Laura Preston
43 visits

10 Useful Norwegian Websites for Conservation

Links to the best Norwegian websites and databases fpr conservation.
Debbie Skinner
68 visits

The Protection of Norway’s Nature

It is obvious that Norway recognises the ecological, economic and cultural importance of its natural environment. However in the absence of Natura sites combined with increasing pressures from development, Norway’s nature may face testing times ahead. With Scotland’s smaller landmass combined with greater pressures from development, I’m not sure our environment would be robust enough to withstand Norway’s approach to environmental protection. It is therefore reassuring to know that the Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that EU environmental standards will continue to be met once we leave the EU.
Michael Thornton
116 visits

Land ownership and natural resource management in Norway

Land management continues to be highly sectorial in Scotland, with different sectors (arable farming, conservation, game management) working in isolation, competing for limited natural resources. This has led to significant land use and human wildlife conflicts, resulting in a culture of distrust among the different stakeholders. In contrast, Norwegian land management is based on a more integrated system, with a greater culture of land stewardship, trust and shared values amongst its stakeholders.
Amy King
47 visits

Forests, Mountains & Meadows in Eastern Slovakia

Again there was an overwhelming diversity of flowers – a carpet of colour and endless new species. Highlights included Clematis recta; Anemone sylvestris which looked like a poppy; birds nest orchids and broomrapes; cornflower; a carpet of bugle; salvia; dianthus; martagon lily; lily of the valley; and Solomon’s seal. The diversity and sheer number of flowers was magnificent, and something we simply do not have in Scotland. The management of the meadows has now been mechanised and the meadow is cut in late June/early July. Previously it was cut by hand and used as hay but nowadays it is baled.
Brigitte Postma
107 visits

Torfljàr – Drawing Turf Building

During our week in Iceland I made use of every opportunity to record visual material by making photos and sketches, and as a result I now have at my disposal a valuable source of material to continue to work on in my art studio. I will make a series of works on the subject that will be exhibited during Perthshire Open Studios in September 2019.
Billy Reid
88 visits

Re-building a turf barn at Tyrfingsstaðir farm

The round inside of the barn required the Klambra to be cut with enough of an angle so that they can be firmly pushed together with no gaps, these gaps would create weak areas in the wall which could lead to collapse or failure of the structure.
Alistair Norris
51 visits

History of Turf Building

From the late 19th and early 20th century turf building ceased to be the main form of construction in Iceland surpassed first by timber construction and soon after by the widespread use of modern concrete. This form of construction is now only used to maintain historic structures and in demonstration projects to keep the knowledge of these construction techniques alive.
Alexander Maxwell
69 visits

Turf Building & Potential in Scotland

However easy Helgi make it seem I realise that there is a tremendous level of experience needed behind turf building especially in the choice of areas/conditions to excavate turf from and the design of the structure being built. I will experiment with interested volunteers but greatly look forward to the opportunity of involvement with the turf building restoration planned for Glencoe and appreciate the links made by this course with other potential turf builders in Scotland.
Andrew McAvoy
81 visits

Turf Ting A Visual Diary & Written Report

The frame was entered with some sense, that new architecture on the Arctic rim, will have to evolve to tackle the greatest contemporary human imperative – Climate Change. To this end matters of thermal transfer and isolation offered by the inherent properties of Turf are reflected on. ( with of course – a pinch of Icelandic pragmatism and dark humour, thrown into the hot tub …for good measure.
Stacie Allan
Stacie Allan
73 visits

Turf Building Presentation

Much like in Scotland, turf building is in serious decline, this leads to a skills shortage and a danger that the skills might eventually be lost. The beauty of turf building is that it has evolved over generations in response to factors such as the socioeconomic changes, materials shortage and the effects of the everchanging climate climate. Thankfully, the work that Skagafjörður Heritage Museum is doing, helps to keep the skills and knowledge alive.
Duncan Ainslie
98 visits

Icelandic Turf Building – Tools and their uses.

What is sometimes forgotten though is that for traditional trades to be carried out in a truly traditional way they rely on the correct tools being available. This is felt in the UK – at present a number of tool making crafts feature on the Heritage Crafts Association ‘Red List of Endangered Crafts’. This is not an issue unique to the UK. It became apparent that sourcing replacement parts for the Icelandic turf building tools, the turf scythe in particular, was a challenge
Alexander Maxwell
104 visits

Report on Turf Building Course in Iceland

Then strips of Torfa a double Strengur are laid to the thin part or tail of the Strengur on the inside of the wall from front to back. These are built overlapping each other which strengthens the wall and bonds it together. Once the stone base course is built to the required height the clamping blocks or Klambra can be built on top.
Vanessa Burton
Vanessa Burton
164 visits

Landbruk: lessons for Scotland from Norway

The Heart of Scotland Forest Partnership are based in Perthshire, Scotland. Here, public, private, community and charity partners are working together to connect woodlands across Highland Perthshire. Members of the partnership were recently given the opportunity to visit Norway on a training course developed by ARCH, hosted by Duncan Halley and NINA (Norwegian Institute for Nature Research) and funded through the Erasmus+ programme.
Taylor Smith
212 visits

The Dehesas of Southern Spain

I have a newfound appreciation for this sense of balance that maximises environmental and social priorities, something that can be difficult to achieve. This study visit has emphasised the global importance of this system (in terms of preventing desertification), whilst also providing a shining example for sustainable, biodiversity-friendly land management systems elsewhere in Europe.
Seona Anderson
128 visits

Transhumance in the 21st Century – a social & ecological model

Transhumance is an ancient practice of moving animals between regions to benefit from the best grazing at the best time of year. The loss of this transhumance has impacts in both Andalusia and the north. In Andalusia the sheep remain on the same ground throughout the year which increases the pressure on the available grazing and is detrimental to the soil. In the north the lack of annual grazing has led to abandonment of pastures, which are infilled with continuous forest or scrub cover, which lowers biodiversity and increases the risk of fire.
Charlotte Blackler
158 visits

The Dehesa’s of Andalusia. A working model for sustainable agro-forestry

When the worlds soils are predicted to have only 60 harvests left in them, we need to find a more sustainable approach to our use of agricultural land. The Dehesa San Francisco is a beautiful example of what can be achieved.
Seona Anderson
148 visits

Forestry & Grazing in South West Norway (3-10th September)

This course is now full – there are still places on some of the other courses for 2019. Dates: 3 to 10 September 2019 (with flexibility a couple of days either side to allow for flight availability) Themes: to provide people working in Scottish upland management to see how native woodland responds to changes in grazing pressures. Participants will visit a variety of biodiverse, reforested landscapes from exposed coast to mountain tops, with multiple land uses including hunting, forestry and farming. There is rough and sometimes rocky walking on most days of this visit which participants should consider when applying. Draft Itinerary: Day 1 arrival Stavanger and drive to Gaudland; Day 2 Gården Li on Hidrasundet on the coast; Day 3 Fidjadalen; Day 4 Byklehaiene; Day 5 Bjåen and Berdalen; Day 6 Åmøy Fjordferie; Day 7 Return Hosts: Duncan Halley (Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, NINA) Please click here to view the film from the NET 4 visit in 2018 to learn more about the visit.
Seona Anderson
104 visits

Archaeology at Lisov

Near Lišov is a c200km long linear monument, part of a massive network of similar sites stretching from the Czech Republic to the Black Sea. This section near Lišov runs approximately North-South and was once thought to be defensive, however a number of theories have been proposed to explain its massive construction. They are thought to be Neolithic and their relationship to tributaries of the Danube, and the Danube itself appear to be important. The monument is reminiscent of the Cleaven Dyke, Perth and Kinross, a complex earthwork comprising a pair of parallel ditches (c.45-5om apart), with a central bank, running for 1.8km through woodland and for a further 350m as a cropmark.
Seona Anderson
90 visits

Website Report on Lisov Museum

The rural museum opened in 2015, so it has only been operating (and flourishing) over the last 3 years, under the care and love of locals Adriana Patková and Jakub Dvorský, our young guides who accompanied us throughout our stay in Slovakia. I fell in love with the museum from the beginning and the ideas it stands for. It may display historic objects and furniture in a traditional way at times, but many of these are actually donated by the locals or passionately collected by Adriana. This way, the museum acts a depository for the local heritage and for holding people’s memories and identity. Moreover, it acts as a space for keeping alive ancient traditions, like for example burning the Goddess Morena, symbolising death and the winter, and sailing it down the river to welcome spring.
Seona Anderson
60 visits

Film of Lisov Museum

Impressions of Lisov and its culture heritage
Seona Anderson
323 visits

The Role of social, cultural, economic and political issues and factors in raising awareness and promoting traditional, vernacular, architectural identity, and construction methods, techniques and associated crafts and skills, Lišov, Slovakia.

Vernacular architecture, construction methods, techniques and associated crafts and skills, is a lesson of the past for the future. Architecture established and resulting, including from construction approaches, is a unique component of a locations’ culture just as much as its language, music, art, literature or food. Architecture is also the most visual of those cultural components; conveying a unique image. This is called “genius loci,” the “spirit of a place”.
Seona Anderson
83 visits

External and internal decorative finishes to traditional southern Slovakian rural roofed domestic dwellings.

I sincerely hope that the work of Jacob and Andriana at the Lišov Museum revive the traditional crafts of using clay mortars and plasters and limewashes for the repair of old buildings and encourage their use in modern construction.
Seona Anderson
142 visits

Textiles at Lisov Museum, Culture Heritage & Enterprise

Textiles are a central theme of the museum both in terms of culture heritage interpretation and as a major component of the museum shop. This short report explores the range of the textile collections, the current textile-based enterprise activities, some thoughts/suggestions on potential textile based outreach and enterprise projects, and possible implications for work in Scotland.
Seona Anderson
145 visits

Spain, Biodiversity & Sustainable Farming – 25th April to 2nd May 2019

Dehesa San Francisco works to preserve the biodiversity of the Dehesa through sustainable agriculture. This NET5 visit will learn about the work of the foundation on the farm and with local producers, farmers and organic cooperatives.
Seona Anderson
150 visits

Summary Report for NET 4 – Managing our Natural & Cultural Heritage Assets

A summary report of NET 4 (Managing our Natural and Cultural Heritage Assets) is now available to download as a PDF

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