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The water miller and the watermill. Symbiosis of craft, waterpower and landscape
For centuries, watermills and their millers have played a crucial role in the water management of the stream, the stream valley and the surrounding landscape. The values of a watermill consist of technical milling values, type of mill and drive, cultural-historical values, the history of and activities at the mill, landscape values (the immediate mill habitat and the entire watermill landscape) and intangible values, the miller’s craft, the stories and other expressions about the mill. Currently, policymakers often reduce watermills to isolated objects that obstruct or disrupt nature, fish migration and ecological systems. Recognizing their importance for the landscape and water management is crucial for the preservation of the watermill and the craft of the water millers.