The Technical Office for the Landscape of the Pico Island Vineyard Culture takes part in a meeting of UNESCO World Heritage site managers in Las Médulas, Spain

May 7, 2026

Last March, the World Heritage Site Managers’ Forum took place in Las Médulas, Spain, bringing together experts, researchers and institutional representatives to discuss the main challenges faced by UNESCO-listed sites located outside major urban centres. The meeting was organised by the Carucedo Town Council, in the province of León, Spain, with support from UNESCO.

The meeting aimed to promote the exchange of experiences between management teams which, despite their different geographical contexts, share common challenges: depopulation, a lack of human resources, seasonal tourist pressure, maintenance difficulties and the need to ensure environmental and cultural preservation.

In the case of the Autonomous Region of the Azores, the Regional Secretariat for the Environment and Climate Action, through the Director of the GTPCVIP, Vanda Serpa, emphasised that preserving the outstanding universal value of the Pico Island Vineyard Landscape in the long term will require ongoing coordination between the various levels of government in partnership with local communities; therefore, a need to define strategies aimed at joint protection.

Regarding the challenge of climate change, this should be viewed as an opportunity for technological reconfiguration, ensuring competitiveness and future sustainability in critical sectors, including the emerging market for green technologies, and for addressing fundamental issues related to the protection of people and property, as well as land-use and mobility policies.

The meeting concluded with a joint commitment to organise further editions and to move forward with the drafting of a document of recommendations that can serve as guidance for local, regional and national authorities responsible for safeguarding these unique areas.