Official presentation of the results of the project in Gmünd on the pond landscape of southern Bohemia and the northern Waldviertel
On October 21, 2022, a presentation of the publication "Heritage of the Pond Landscape - Future UNESCO World Heritage?" took place at the Gmünd District Office. The results were developed within the framework of the KPF Interreg project "Heritage of the pond landscape" financed by the EU and are an important step towards the inscription of this remarkable cultural landscape on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
The guests were welcomed by the district administrator of Gmünd, magister Stefan Grusch, the mayor of Gmünd, Helga Rosenmayer, as well as Margit Göll, a member of the Lower Austrian parliament, representing the governor, Johanna Mikl-Leitner. Project coordinators Andreas Salvator Habsburg-Lothringen (ITKI Austria), Professor Christian Hanus (University of Further Education Krems) and Professor Dalibor Štys (University of South Bohemia České Budějovice) presented the complex topic of pond landscapes. Subsequently, the authors of the chapters Professor Wolfgang Rohrbach (Europa Nostra Austria), Professor Miloš Drdácký (Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic), Associate Professor Zdeněk Adámek (University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice), Dr. Christian Bauer (Federal Office for Water Management), Dr. Martin Brandl and also Ing. Martin Stejskal-Ripka (both from the University of Further Education Krems). They talked about different aspects of the pond landscape, e.g. ecosystem services in relation to biodiversity and climate, sustainable fish farming economy, public health and tourism with cultural aspects such as cuisine and tradition, as well as social and cultural importance as of the common good. The published documentation of the project results also includes contributions from Professor Francesco Bandarino, former Director of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, and Dr. Pietra Laureana, UNESCO consultant, regarding the international location of the pond landscape.
After the final discussion with responsible persons from the ranks of politicians, authorities and representatives of owners, including Mgr. Jarmila Hansová (National Monument Institute of the Czech Republic), director Ing. Ladislav Seidl (Department of Culture, Historic Preservation and Tourism, Vysočina Region) or Dr. Jan Hůda (Union of pond owners in the Czech Republic), there was a ceremonial handover of the publication to the responsible persons and the opening of the accompanying exhibition.
Inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage List as a destination
Inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List is an important step to ensure that the extraordinary cultural landscape of ponds in Waldviertel and in South Bohemia is preserved for future generations. The publication is the result of a multidisciplinary investigation of the heritage of the pond landscape and clearly emphasizes why this cultural landscape is so special and unique to mankind. "The landscape of the ponds makes us realize," says Christian Hanus, "that man-made works can very well be in harmony with nature, even to its advantage, and at the same time satisfy the needs of people, for centuries." Mrs. Göll emphasizes that the pond landscape is too often taken for granted and its full value is too little perceived. In preparation for nomination for World Heritage listing, all these monuments would need to be assessed and care plans drawn up for their sustainable protection and development.
You can get more information at:
- Prof. Dr. Christian Hanus
- Head of the Department of Construction and Environment
- Krems University of Further Education
- Phone: +43 2732 893-2654
- Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
You can see speeches of Prof. Dalibor Štys here.
