In CERENA's 20 years seminar series, this month, Professor Amélia Dionísio receives Lia Mergulhão, Geological Engineer at Instituto da Conservação da Natureza e das Florestas and Conservator-Restorer Teresa Silveira to talk about "[In]Temporal Stone: Heritage, Nature, and Sustainability".

Stone heritage embodies both deep geological time and human history, acting as a bridge between natural processes and cultural expression. This seminar explores how stone materials record environmental conditions, construction practices, and long-term interactions between monuments and their surroundings. Drawing on geoscientific and conservation perspectives, the discussion will address the mechanisms that drive stone decay, the environmental information preserved within stone materials, and the role of scientific analysis in supporting sustainable conservation strategies.

The seminar will take the form of a round table bringing together complementary perspectives: a conservation professional working across both natural and built heritage, and a representative from a public institution responsible for natural heritage management. Both guests have collaborated with our team on several case studies over the years, enabling a dialogue grounded in shared experience. Through this exchange, the session aims to reflect on how integrated approaches to stone as both natural resource and cultural asset can contribute to more resilient heritage practices in the context of a changing climate.