Traditional cultural landscape in Viñales, Cuba
2022
Farías, Liane Portuondo | González, José Manuel Febles | Díaz, José Miguel Febles | Balmori, Dariellys Martínez
The Viñales Valley has a wide range of biological and cultural values thanks to both its landscape diversity and the use of low-impact agricultural practices. The area was recognized as one of the key biodiversity hotspots on the planet where it is possible to find ammonite fossils, as well as remains of the land dinosaur Diplodocus. The Valley is also renowned for its hills such as alturas de pizarras formed by the oldest rocks in Cuba and the Sierra de los Órganos mogotes, which are extraordinarily unique geomorphological limestone formations on the planet. The flora of the region is characterized by its endemism and wealth where the cork palm (Microcycas calocoma) is the most popular, dating back to the carboniferous period of the Palaeozoic, it is the only variety declared as National Natural Monument in Cuba. The pictographs in several caves betray the presence of aboriginal inhabitants and the bohío, which outlived the first settlers and went on to become the typical tobacco-curing barn that spread throughout the Valley from the 17th century to the present day. It is precisely the tobacco-related works such as the art of cultivating the plant, rolling and smoking the cigar, learned by Spanish conquerors directly from the indigenous population, that today stand as a symbol of genuine cultural heritage. The Viñales landscape shows a high degree of diversity and cultural variety resulting from specific management systems and a strong social and environmental involvement. This study reviews the essential features of the globally important agricultural heritage system as a complex, adaptive system, to improve the existing set of criteria for sustainable agro-ecological management contributing to the preservation of biodiversity.
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