Pastoralist Landscapes is a research platform investigating rural, alpine and Mediterranean cultural landscapes shaped by grazing practices, mobility and traditional ecological knowledge.
The platform brings together field-based research, visual documentation and spatial analysis to understand how pastoral systems structure territories across different geographies. From alpine valleys to arid and Mediterranean regions, it focuses on the dynamic relationships between humans, animals, vegetation and land.
By combining ethnographic observation, ecological reading and mapping practices, Pastoralist Landscapes aims to rethink landscape as a living system, shaped not only by design, but by seasonal movement, memory and everyday practices.
Pastoralist landscapes are shaped by grazing, movement and the interaction between humans, animals and the environment. They are dynamic systems formed through seasonal rhythms and traditional ecological knowledge.
What is a Pastoralist Landscape?
Pastoral Systems and Landscape Processes
Vegetation
Regulations
Biodiversity
Soil Aeration
Nutrient Cycling
Landscape Connectivity
Fire Risk Reduction
Microclimate Regulation
Controls shrub growth and maintains open grassland ecosystems.
Supports diverse plant species and habitats through controlled grazing patterns.
Improves soil structure through trampling, enhancing aeration and water infiltration.
Redistributes organic matter through manure, enriching soil fertility and productivity.
Creates ecological corridors through seasonal movement across different terrains.
Reduces biomass accumulation, lowering the risk of wildfires in dry landscapes.
Influences local temperature and moisture through vegetation patterns shaped by grazing.