Representatives of traditional irrigation regions have been working closely together at European level in the ‘Traditional Irrigation - a Cultural Heritage of Europe’ programme since 2012. Coordinated by a programme management team, an advisory board developed, mainly made up of spokespersons from local organisations. The countries Austria, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Switzerland are currently represented, accompanied by people from the scientific community and in cooperation with representatives from the public sector, associations and regional initiatives.
Advisory Board meetings have been held annually in various European countries since 2015. At the 2018 advisory board meeting in Lommel (Flanders, Belgium), it was decided to bundle and institutionalise the joint (programme) initiatives more strongly. The idea of an ‘International Centre for Traditional Irrigation as a Cultural Heritage of Europe’ was born.
Also with the establishment of the International Centre for Traditional Irrigation as Cultural Heritage in Europe (end of August 2022), the IZTB Advisory Board continues to form the core group of the entire movement in terms of personnel and institutions.
The following article provides an insight into the activities of the International Advisory Board (in German):
Bericht aus Luxemburg zum Beiratstreffen in Südtirol, Mai 2024 (.pdf)
The International Advisory Board of the IZTB is currently composed as follows:
Pauline Arnet (Wässerwiesen in Franconia, Germany)
Eric Brinckmann (Chairman, Netherlands)
Edwina Brinckmann (Vloeiweiden Het Lankheet, Netherlands)
Daniela Donolato (Waale and Rieselwiesen, Vinschgau, Italy)
Alwin Geimer (Fléizen, Luxembourg)
Herbert Halbauer (Tirolerbach, Theresienfeld, Austria)
Pirmin and Christiane Hilsendegen (Qeichwiesen in the Palatinate Rhine Valley, Germany)
Jan Leroy (Grote Watering, Lommel, Belgium)
Karina Liechti (Suonen and water meadows, Oberwalliser Sonnenberge)
Michael Liechti (water meadows in Oberaargau, Switzerland)
Roland Lindacher (water meadows in Franconia, Germany)
Pierre Luxen (Prés d'abissage, Wallonia, Belgium)
Stefan Nothdurfter (water meadows in the Tyrolean Oberland, Austria)
Hermann and Kathrin Platzen (Bergisch Land, Germany)
Marc Reuter (Prés d'abissage, Wallonia, Belgium)
Julia Schrade (Wässerwiesen in Franconia, Germany)
Gisa Treiber (water meadows in Franconia, Germany)
Kurt Tschiderer (water meadows in the Tyrolean Oberland, Austria)
Niels van den Hoogen (Vloeiweiden Pelterheggen, Netherlands)
These spokespersons of the local organisations are supported and accompanied by other persons: Maria-Theres Bauer (Austria), Arno Beunen (Belgium), Cristina Biasetto (Austria), Chantal Bisschop (Belgium), Patrick Dondelinger (Luxembourg), Burghard Fiechtner (Austria), Marie Enders (Germany), Frank Richarz (Luxembourg), Raimund Rodewald (Switzerland), Jörg Vomberg (Belgium), Julien Vuilleumier (Switzerland), Catherine Wilquin (Belgium), Werner Stirnimann (Switzerland)
IZTB Managing Director Werner Stirnimann is also coordinator of the IZTB Advisory Board (contact).
Meeting of the IZTB Advisory Board in the St. Urban monastery complex, October 2022, © IZTB