Watermills as Cultural-Natural Ecosystems: Tangible and Intangible Heritage for Sustainable Water and Energy Management in a Changing Climate

Watermills are not remnants of obsolete technologies but dynamic socio-ecological systems in which hydrology, craftsman ship, landscape processes and community knowledge have coevolved for centuries. Although mills appear in many UNESCO World Heritage and Intangible Heritage inscriptions, their ecological functions and climate-adaptation potential remain largely underrecognized. This article demonstrates how historic mill infrastructures – by regulating flow, managing sediment, supporting biodiversity and generating low-impact energy – embody long-standing forms of water governance that anticipate today’s nature-based solutions. Drawing on recent evidence, the article shows that active or revived milling practices strengthen landscape resilience, whereas abandoned mills deteriorate rapidly under climate stress, amplifying environmental risks.