The President of the Government announced that the Pico Island Vineyard Culture Landscape was distinguished today in Germany with the European Garden Award. It won the first prize in the "Best Development of a Cultural Landscape of European Relevance."
 
“Today is an excellent day to highlight this commitment towards environmental sustainability in the Region. The Pico Island Vineyard Protected Landscape won the European Garden Award, a European award that distinguishes cultural preservation measures and policies of great relevance,” said Vasco Cordeiro.
 
Speaking to journalists, the President of the Government also stressed that the awarding of this European prize to the island of Pico and the Azores is another evidence of the strategic orientation that has been followed “towards the preservation and safeguarding of the environment, and the mobilisation of one of our main assets to support the development of our Region.”
 
The European Garden Awards are delivered every two years by the EHGN - European Garden Heritage Network, which is composed of partners from 14 European countries: Germany, Belgium, France, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Italy, Sweden, Denmark, Ireland, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Spain and Russia.
 
Winners are selected by an international jury composed of experts from the countries that make up the network and the nominations are based on innovative implementation and management, urban development aspects, sustainability, quality of visitor services. The initiative is primarily intended to distinguish the winning projects so that may serve as inspiration and role model for other projects.
 
The "Best Development of a Cultural Landscape of European Relevance" category awards large-scale policies, measures or interventions that promote the safeguarding of natural and cultural values as well as the qualification of relevant cultural landscapes, thus contributing to the revitalisation of the territory.
 
In the specific case of Pico, it acknowledged a series of public policies with territorial impact that, due to their structuring nature, have reversed the abandonment of vineyards and the degradation of the landscape. Moreover, they have managed to contribute to their transformation into a living viticultural landscape with unique features and with a growing economic and social relevance in the context of a protected area.
 
Currently, the most obvious evidence is the fact that the vineyards grown in "currais" (small stone enclosures) exceeds 700 hectares and the total production area is expected to soon exceed 800 hectares, almost seven times the production area in 2004.
 
Winners were announced today at a ceremony held at the Schloss Dyck Foundation in Dusseldorf, Germany, with the award being received by the Head of Pico Natural Park and of the Technical Office of Pico Island Vineyard Culture Landscape, Manuel Paulino Costa.
 
The Pico Island Vineyard Culture Protected Landscape was classified as a protected area in 1996 and UNESCO approved its inclusion in the World Heritage List in 2004.