The People Behind Europe’s Living Pastoral Heritage
THE SHEPHERDS
Shepherds are at the heart of the VIAE initiative. Their work goes far beyond livestock farming: they maintain ancient routes, protect fragile ecosystems and keep alive a cultural heritage that has shaped European landscapes for centuries.
Their experience represents an invaluable source of traditional knowledge, sustainable land management and community resilience.
PASTORAL COMMUNITIES
Sardinia, Italy
Traditional transhumance routes connecting inland mountain pastures with coastal grazing lands.
Abruzzo, Italy
Mountain communities preserving centuries-old pastoral knowledge within protected natural areas.
Catalonia, Spain
Historic pastoral landscapes where seasonal livestock movements continue to shape local identity.
Pyrenees
Cross-border pastoral traditions linking communities through shared cultural landscapes.
