Spain
Hills of silver plate,
grey height, dark red rocks
through which, round Soria,
the Duero bends
its crossbow arc, shadowed oaks,
stone dry-lands, naked mountains,
white roads and river poplars,
twilights, of Soria, warlike and mystical,
today I feel, for you,
in my heart’s depths, sadness,
sadness of love! Fields of Soria,
where it seems the stones dream,
you go with me! Hills of silver plate,
grey heights, dark red rocks.
(Antonio Machado, Fields of Soria)
Colinas plateadas,
grises alcores, cárdenas roquedas
por donde traza el Duero
su curva de ballesta
en torno a Soria, oscuros encanares,
ariscos pedregales, calvas sierras,
caminos blancos y álamos del río,
tardes de Soria, mística y guerrera,
hoy siento por vosotros, en el fondo
del corazón, tristeza,
tristeza que es amor! ¡Campos de Soria,
donde parece que las rocas sueñan,
conmigo vais! ¡Colinas plateadas,
grises alcores, cárdenas roquedas!...
(Antonio Machado, Campos de Soria)
Spanish agricultural landscapes
1. Cultural dimension
Considered in national planning and policy:
- Rural Development Law, in the Environmental Impact Assessments and in tourism planning.
2. Typical agricultural landscape types
- Atlantic agricultural landscapes characterised by: specialised livestock and forestry, small properties, mosaic landscape systems, small villages and singular buildings (“horreos”, “pallozas”, “masía”, “barraca”...). Agricultural land uses: potatoes, vegetables, corn, fodder, beef and milk, e.g., Valle del Nansa, Cantabria.
- Non-coastal agricultural landscapes characterised by: cereal crops in dry and irrigated lands, with medium and large size farms, “Dehesa“ systems. Agricultural land use: wheat and barley, vineyard, beet, fodder, vegetables, and sheep farming for production of wool and cheese, e.g., Mota del Cuervo, Castilla; Medina de Rioseco, Castilla.
- Mediterranean agricultural landscapes characterised by: intensive and specialised vegetables production and vineyards in Cataluña; olive trees in Andalucía; orchard and fruit trees (citrus) in Valencia; plastic greenhouses in Almeria, and the coexistence of traditional crops (cereals) and industrial crops like sunflower e.g., Huerta, Murcia; Campiña, Córdoba.
- Agricultural landscapes in the Canary Islands characterised by: tropical climate, volcanic origin, hills and agricultural landscape formed by terraces. Agricultural land use: bananas, potatoes, tomatoes and vineyards e.g., Bancales, La Gomera.
3. Cultural elements connected with national agricultural landscape
- Historical land use structures e.g. terraces
- Traditional and regional produce e.g. Product Designation of Origin
- Traditional farming practices e.g. “barbecho“
- Traditional constructions or infrastructures e.g. “horreos”
- Identity and popular traditional activities: regional costume influenced by traditional agricultural activities e.g. clogs.
4. Disciplines and professions dealing with agricultural landscapes as cultural heritage
- Geography
- Forestry and agricultural engineering
- History
- Architecture
- Ecology
5. National governmental departments dealing with agricultural landscape and cultural heritage
- Ministry of Rural and Marine Environment: Department of Rural Environment.
- Ministry of Culture: Cultural Heritage Institute of Spain.
