Ecology

Dry stone walls influence the microclimate in their surroundings. The heat that is stored in the stones during the day radiates out again at night. Dry stone walls provide protection against drying winds. Terracing prevents erosion and allows water to be stored in the soil.

Dry stone walls offer a wealth of different habitats. Hot and cold, dry and damp, shady and sunny places are close together in a very small space. A variety of insects, spiders, snails, reptiles, amphibians find ideal retreat, hunting and hibernation possibilities in the crevice system of a dry stone wall. Many of the animals and plants have specialised in living on dry stone walls. Snails have adapted the shape of their houses to the narrow crevices, and in plants we observe strategies for regulating the water balance or seed dispersal. The preservation of dry stone walls therefore means the preservation of habitats and thus a contribution to the preservation of species diversity.