Our work
Community Empowerment & Landscape (UK)
Community Empowerment & Landscape is a research project conceived and funded jointly by Inherit and Community Land Scotland.
The research is about how we define ‘landscape’, and how the way this is done affects people’s ability to develop as communities and to influence decisions about the land. The research was undertaken in response to concerns about the potential for landscape policy to act as a barrier to rural renewal in Scotland, and to efforts to address the ongoing depopulation of already sparsely-populated areas.
Saving Europe's last free flowing wild river: Vjosa/Aoos (Greece & Albania)
The Vjosa/Aoos River, in the transboundary area of Albania and Greece, is one of Europe’s last surviving free flowing rivers. Along its entire course of over 270 kilometres the Vjosa/Aoos is an untamed and free flowing water body. It is characterized by beautiful canyons, braided river sections and meanders, rich vegetation-covered islands and picturesque villages. Its valleys are farmed in a traditional way and buzz with life. Due to its geographical position, in the border region of two previously-hostile countries, and to the socio-political circumstances after WWII, the area has experienced economic marginalisation. However, the lack of heavy industry and uncontrolled development has inadvertently helped to safeguard the natural and cultural resources and values of this river region and its communities.