The Gemonese Waters Ecomuseum is a widespread and participatory museum that aims to preserve, communicate and renew the cultural identity of a community.
The ecomuseum consists of an integrated, interdisciplinary project of protection and enhancement of a geographically homogeneous territory, characterized by historical, cultural, linguistic, landscape and environmental peculiarities.
The area of reference is the Campo di Osoppo-Gemona (municipalities of Gemona del Friuli, Artegna, Buja, Majano, Montenars and Osoppo), an alluvial plain located in the center of Friuli region, where the Ecomuseum operates with the aim of combine the initiatives of nature conservation with those of interpretation and conservation of cultural heritage, preserving the collective and historical memory of the places and promoting sustainable development that meets the needs of the population.
In 2006 the Gemonese Waters Ecomuseum is recognized as being of regional interest by the Italian Regional Law. 10 of 20th June 2006 "Establishment of the Ecomuseums of Friuli Venezia Giulia".
The Gemonese Waters Ecomuseum aims to document, retrieve and interpret historical memory, life, figures and facts, material and immaterial culture, relations between the natural environment and the anthropic environment, traditions, activities, practices of life and work and local productions as well as the way in which the settlements and human works have characterized the formation and evolution of the landscape and territory of the Campo di Osoppo-Gemona, a geographical unit rich in humid environments and hydraulic works.
On this area man has intervened for centuries, taking water and administering the underlying hydrographic network, digging ditches and raising embankments, erecting factories and producing energy.
The perspective of the ecomuseum is that of orienting the future development of the territory in a logic of environmental, economic and social sustainability, of responsibility and participation of public and private subjects and of the entire local community.