The document discusses the World Rural Landscapes initiative which aims to foster global cooperation around conserving and managing rural landscapes. It has established committees in different regions, including North America, to catalog important rural landscapes through case studies, classifications, and an atlas. The North America committee's initial tasks are to create a glossary, bibliography, and case studies on landscapes like Pennsylvania's fruit belt and Maine's blueberry barrens. The overall goal is to promote increased awareness and protection of significant cultural rural landscapes.