Stenmuren i landskapet : bevarandet av ett kulturarv

Sammanfattning: The landscape with its associated historical tracks and remains are an important part of our cultural heritage that we consider important to conserve. The stone walls are an example of historical remains that helps to build up this cultural heritage. It is a landscape element that today usually is being associated with the old cultivated landscape, where they mainly functioned as boundary markings and fences. Today, the stone wall is a valuable element in the landscape with ecological, culture-historical and aesthetic values. Since the stone walls arose as elements in the landscape a lot has been changed within the agriculture. An ongoing rationalization along with the urbanization has done the cultivation of the landscape wider and less variated. Bigger resources have done that one despite smaller labor can farm the land more effective. Landscape elements like the stone wall have during this process unfortunately been put aside for a more effective agricultural production. The conserving of the heritage landscape with the historical landscape elements and the environments is today in many respects depending on a ongoing tradition and management according to old cultivation methods. The landscape we have today with varying field, meadows and trees has been created during a long historical development and as a result of an earlier cultivation. The landscape constantly changing and in order to retain its variation we must take active steps to find ways maintaining it. The work of conserving the cultural landscape is today based on one whole perspective, but the experience of the whole is depending on its different parts. As a part of this it is therefore equally important to ensure the preserve of each individual element. The matters of conserving cultural environments are being handled with in different organizations and authorities. There are a number of laws that in various ways will protect the cultural environment. The stone wall is protected mainly through the biotope protection as a part of the swedish environmental code. The laws however do not include the care, only the protection. The preserve of the stone wall requires maintenance and care. To achieve the maintenance and care that the stone walls needs there is a possibility to get compensation which aim to encourage. The compensations are however not seen as a future solution for a sustainable conservation.