REPS - Réseau Européen de la Pierre Sèche
European rural areas that have a dry-stone heritage face serious problems such as the abandonment of farming activities and skills, depopulation, usage that is incompatible with preservation of heritage, etc. Heritage can become a focal point for local development but interregional cooperation is still essential. The main problem is the disappearance or gradual loss of the skill of dry-stone building. The REPS aims to make proposals for cataloguing, restoring, reusing and protecting this heritage. It will disseminate revaluation experiences through tourism products and farming production. Overall objective / Objectif général To create a European dry-stone network in order to consolidate inter-regional cooperation for local development with the promotion and rehabilitation of the skill of dry-stone building, constructions, landscapes, traditional activities and innovative uses. The aim is to establish and disseminate strategies for economically reactivating rural areas that have a long-established dry-stone tradition, based on experience in training, research and local development. Expected results / Résultats attendus The REPS hopes to improve interregional cooperation by creating and developing a contact network and the sharing of experience among builders, scientists, technicians and managers of partner regions that will be open to new initiatives. In the short term, the expected results will be: progress in rehabilitating dry-stone builders; proposals regarding classification, restoration and protection; proposals for action by local agents and dry-stone itineraries. In the long term, the expected results will be: the rehabilitation and qualification of dry-stone builders; the rehabilitation of cultural heritage; and the economic revitalisation of areas that have a dry-stone tradition by spreading practices that respect both environment and heritage.