diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 0ce7fe86f..6d76303d2 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -22,15 +22,13 @@ include(MapnikOption)
 include(MapnikMinimumVersions)
 include(MapnikFindPackage)
 include(MapnikInstall)
-include(CTest)
 
-set(ADDITIONAL_LIBARIES_PATHS "" CACHE STRING "only used on windows. Pass directories containing the dlls that are missing. You can ignore this, if the build (verify_app step) runs successfully")
-mapnik_option(COPY_LIBRARIES_FOR_EXECUTABLES "copies required shared libaries (only windows) to the executable build directory" OFF)
-mapnik_option(COPY_FONTS_AND_PLUGINS_FOR_EXECUTABLES "copies required plugins and fonts into the executable build directory" ON)
+include(CTest)
+add_feature_info(BUILD_TESTING BUILD_TESTING "Adds tests")
+
 mapnik_option(INSTALL_DEPENDENCIES "if ON, all dependencies (eg. required dlls) will be copied into CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX/MAPNIK_BIN_DIR." ON)
 
 mapnik_option(BUILD_SHARED_LIBS "build mapnik dynamic(ON) or static(OFF)" ON)
-add_feature_info(BUILD_TESTING BUILD_TESTING "Adds tests")
 mapnik_option(USE_EXTERNAL_MAPBOX_GEOMETRY "Use a external mapnik/geometry.hpp. If off, use the submodule" OFF)
 mapnik_option(USE_EXTERNAL_MAPBOX_POLYLABEL "Use a external mapnik/polylabel. If off, use the submodule" OFF)
 mapnik_option(USE_EXTERNAL_MAPBOX_PROTOZERO "Use a external mapnik/protozero. If off, use the submodule" OFF)
diff --git a/demo/c++/CMakeLists.txt b/demo/c++/CMakeLists.txt
index 36e36d634..ee9e79af5 100644
--- a/demo/c++/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/demo/c++/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-project(mapnik-demo)
-
 add_executable(mapnik-demo rundemo.cpp)
 set_target_properties(mapnik-demo PROPERTIES 
     LIBRARY_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY "${MAPNIK_OUTPUT_DIR}"
diff --git a/demo/viewer/CMakeLists.txt b/demo/viewer/CMakeLists.txt
index dcd4c5a58..cbe348291 100644
--- a/demo/viewer/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/demo/viewer/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-project(mapnik-viewer)
-
 find_package(QT NAMES Qt6 Qt5 COMPONENTS Widgets REQUIRED)
 find_package(Qt${QT_VERSION_MAJOR} COMPONENTS Widgets REQUIRED)
 
diff --git a/docs/cmake-usage.md b/docs/cmake-usage.md
index 2c646b2d3..20f9144be 100644
--- a/docs/cmake-usage.md
+++ b/docs/cmake-usage.md
@@ -13,9 +13,9 @@ Make sure that all dependencies are installed.
 All available cmake options are listed at the top of [CMakeLists.txt](../CMakeLists.txt). 
 Pass your options while configuring e.g.: `cmake -DBUILD_DEMO_VIEWER=OFF ..` to disable the build of the demo viewer application.
 
-To quickstart open a console in the root mapnik dir and execute the following commands: (Pass all options and dependency dirs after `-DBUILD_TEST=OFF`)
+To quickstart open a console in the root mapnik dir and execute the following commands: (Pass all options and dependency dirs after `-DBUILD_TESTING=OFF`)
 ```
-> cmake -S . -B build -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release -DBUILD_TEST=OFF
+> cmake -S . -B build -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release -DBUILD_TESTING=OFF
 > cmake --build build --target install
 ```
 
@@ -64,20 +64,19 @@ This could look like this:
     },
     "configurePresets": [
         {
-            "name": "vcpkg-x64-win-debug",
-            "inherits": "windows-default-debug",
+            "name": "vcpkg",
+            "hidden": true,
             "cacheVariables": {
-                "CMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE": "<path-to-vcpkg>/scripts/buildsystems/vcpkg.cmake",
-                "ADDITIONAL_LIBARIES_PATHS":"<path-to-vcpkg>/installed/x64-windows/debug/bin"
+                "CMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE": "<path-to-vcpkg>/scripts/buildsystems/vcpkg.cmake"
             }
+        }
+        {
+            "name": "vcpkg-x64-win-debug",
+            "inherits": ["vcpkg", "windows-default-debug"]
         },
         {
             "name": "vcpkg-x64-win-release",
-            "inherits": "windows-default-release",
-            "cacheVariables": {
-                "CMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE": "<path-to-vcpkg>/scripts/buildsystems/vcpkg.cmake",
-                "ADDITIONAL_LIBARIES_PATHS":"<path-to-vcpkg>/installed/x64-windows/bin"
-            }
+            "inherits": ["vcpkg", "windows-default-release"]
         }
     ]
 }
diff --git a/plugins/input/csv/CMakeLists.txt b/plugins/input/csv/CMakeLists.txt
index 846870eb9..dcc966157 100644
--- a/plugins/input/csv/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/plugins/input/csv/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-project(input-csv)
-
 add_library(input-csv MODULE
     csv_datasource.cpp
     csv_featureset.cpp
diff --git a/plugins/input/gdal/CMakeLists.txt b/plugins/input/gdal/CMakeLists.txt
index ece9db01c..746953a3c 100644
--- a/plugins/input/gdal/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/plugins/input/gdal/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-project(input-gdal)
-
 find_package(GDAL REQUIRED)
 
 add_library(input-gdal MODULE
diff --git a/plugins/input/geobuf/CMakeLists.txt b/plugins/input/geobuf/CMakeLists.txt
index faf9a0ef1..870b603d9 100644
--- a/plugins/input/geobuf/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/plugins/input/geobuf/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-project(input-geobuf)
-
 add_library(input-geobuf MODULE
     geobuf_datasource.cpp
     geobuf_featureset.cpp
diff --git a/plugins/input/geojson/CMakeLists.txt b/plugins/input/geojson/CMakeLists.txt
index 60f5db98d..e32dcfcb1 100644
--- a/plugins/input/geojson/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/plugins/input/geojson/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-project(input-geojson)
-
 add_library(input-geojson MODULE 
     geojson_datasource.cpp 
     geojson_featureset.cpp 
diff --git a/plugins/input/ogr/CMakeLists.txt b/plugins/input/ogr/CMakeLists.txt
index 87917a9f0..f460eb033 100644
--- a/plugins/input/ogr/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/plugins/input/ogr/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-project(input-ogr)
-
 find_package(GDAL REQUIRED)
 
 add_library(input-ogr MODULE 
diff --git a/plugins/input/pgraster/CMakeLists.txt b/plugins/input/pgraster/CMakeLists.txt
index 5fdd60208..f7ac4ff66 100644
--- a/plugins/input/pgraster/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/plugins/input/pgraster/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-project(input-pgraster)
-
 find_package(PostgreSQL REQUIRED)
 
 add_library(input-pgraster MODULE 
diff --git a/plugins/input/postgis/CMakeLists.txt b/plugins/input/postgis/CMakeLists.txt
index 18d2ebf05..796e0c90e 100644
--- a/plugins/input/postgis/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/plugins/input/postgis/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-project(input-postgis)
-
 find_package(PostgreSQL REQUIRED)
 
 add_library(input-postgis MODULE 
diff --git a/plugins/input/raster/CMakeLists.txt b/plugins/input/raster/CMakeLists.txt
index c7bcc4c73..c7426ea3a 100644
--- a/plugins/input/raster/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/plugins/input/raster/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-project(input-raster)
-
 add_library(input-raster MODULE
     raster_datasource.cpp
     raster_featureset.cpp
diff --git a/plugins/input/shape/CMakeLists.txt b/plugins/input/shape/CMakeLists.txt
index bc2f6c438..6d9a9a7d1 100644
--- a/plugins/input/shape/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/plugins/input/shape/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-project(input-shape)
-
 add_library(input-shape MODULE 
     dbfile.cpp 
     dbf_test.cpp
diff --git a/plugins/input/sqlite/CMakeLists.txt b/plugins/input/sqlite/CMakeLists.txt
index 682978347..984bdfd1b 100644
--- a/plugins/input/sqlite/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/plugins/input/sqlite/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-project(input-sqlite)
-
 find_package(SQLite3 REQUIRED)
 
 add_library(input-sqlite MODULE
diff --git a/plugins/input/topojson/CMakeLists.txt b/plugins/input/topojson/CMakeLists.txt
index 3ff00894c..fd2b4994b 100644
--- a/plugins/input/topojson/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/plugins/input/topojson/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-project(input-topojson)
-
 add_library(input-topojson MODULE
     topojson_datasource.cpp
     topojson_featureset.cpp
diff --git a/test/CMakeLists.txt b/test/CMakeLists.txt
index 4d28b9cc9..847511f49 100644
--- a/test/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/test/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-project(mapnik-test)
-
 find_package(Boost ${BOOST_MIN_VERSION} REQUIRED COMPONENTS program_options)
 find_package(PostgreSQL REQUIRED)
 
@@ -194,7 +192,6 @@ target_link_libraries(mapnik-test-visual PRIVATE
 )
 target_include_directories(mapnik-test-visual PRIVATE "${catch2_SOURCE_DIR}/single_include/catch2" ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR})
 
-include(CTest)
 include("${catch2_SOURCE_DIR}/contrib/Catch.cmake")
 include("${catch2_SOURCE_DIR}/contrib/ParseAndAddCatchTests.cmake")
 
@@ -204,14 +201,6 @@ file(COPY unit/data DESTINATION "${MAPNIK_OUTPUT_DIR}/test/unit")
 file(COPY "${mapnik_SOURCE_DIR}/demo/data" DESTINATION "${MAPNIK_OUTPUT_DIR}/demo")
 add_dependencies(mapnik-test-unit mapnik-index shapeindex)
 
-set(m_proj_test_env "")
-if(DEFINED PROJ_LIB)
-    set(m_proj_test_env "PROJ_LIB=${PROJ_LIB}")
-elseif(DEFINED ENV{PROJ_LIB})
-    set(m_proj_test_env "PROJ_LIB=$ENV{PROJ_LIB}")
-endif()
-message(STATUS "using proj lib for unit tests: ${m_proj_test_env}")
-
 if(WIN32)
     set(m_test_path "\$<JOIN:\$<SHELL_PATH:$<TARGET_FILE_DIR:mapnik-index>;$<TARGET_FILE_DIR:shapeindex>;$ENV{PATH}>,\\\\\\\\\;>")
 else()
@@ -223,7 +212,6 @@ catch_discover_tests(mapnik-test-unit
     PROPERTIES 
         ENVIRONMENT 
             "PATH=${m_test_path}"
-            ${m_proj_test_env}
 )
 catch_discover_tests(agg_rasterizer_integer_overflow_test WORKING_DIRECTORY "${MAPNIK_OUTPUT_DIR}")
 catch_discover_tests(datasource_registration_test WORKING_DIRECTORY "${MAPNIK_OUTPUT_DIR}")
diff --git a/utils/geometry_to_wkb/CMakeLists.txt b/utils/geometry_to_wkb/CMakeLists.txt
index 09b395bff..518f4ac9a 100644
--- a/utils/geometry_to_wkb/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/utils/geometry_to_wkb/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-project(geometry_to_wkb)
-
 add_executable(geometry_to_wkb main.cpp)
 
 target_link_libraries(geometry_to_wkb PRIVATE mapnik::mapnik)
diff --git a/utils/mapnik-index/CMakeLists.txt b/utils/mapnik-index/CMakeLists.txt
index fb3e2ae05..ec6ce97eb 100644
--- a/utils/mapnik-index/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/utils/mapnik-index/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-project(mapnik-index)
-
 find_package(Boost ${BOOST_MIN_VERSION} REQUIRED COMPONENTS program_options)
 
 add_executable(mapnik-index
diff --git a/utils/mapnik-render/CMakeLists.txt b/utils/mapnik-render/CMakeLists.txt
index 09ff8d744..27ccfbe8d 100644
--- a/utils/mapnik-render/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/utils/mapnik-render/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-project(mapnik-render)
-
 find_package(Boost ${BOOST_MIN_VERSION} REQUIRED COMPONENTS program_options)
 
 add_executable(mapnik-render mapnik-render.cpp)
diff --git a/utils/ogrindex/CMakeLists.txt b/utils/ogrindex/CMakeLists.txt
index b3c750dca..69f27cdd6 100644
--- a/utils/ogrindex/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/utils/ogrindex/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-project(ogrindex)
-
 add_executable(ogrindex ogrindex.cpp)
 
 target_link_libraries(ogrindex PRIVATE mapnik::mapnik)
diff --git a/utils/pgsql2sqlite/CMakeLists.txt b/utils/pgsql2sqlite/CMakeLists.txt
index e4540f37f..6def100c0 100644
--- a/utils/pgsql2sqlite/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/utils/pgsql2sqlite/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-project(pgsql2sqlite)
 find_package(Boost ${BOOST_MIN_VERSION} REQUIRED COMPONENTS program_options)
 find_package(SQLite3 REQUIRED)
 find_package(PostgreSQL REQUIRED)
diff --git a/utils/shapeindex/CMakeLists.txt b/utils/shapeindex/CMakeLists.txt
index eef6169d0..d39ca3f04 100644
--- a/utils/shapeindex/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/utils/shapeindex/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-project(shapeindex)
-
 find_package(Boost ${BOOST_MIN_VERSION} REQUIRED COMPONENTS program_options)
 
 add_executable(shapeindex 
diff --git a/utils/svg2png/CMakeLists.txt b/utils/svg2png/CMakeLists.txt
index 1f95d2827..dc239cd2b 100644
--- a/utils/svg2png/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/utils/svg2png/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-project(svg2png)
-
 find_package(Boost ${BOOST_MIN_VERSION} REQUIRED COMPONENTS program_options)
 
 add_executable(svg2png