Search

Terraced landscapes are anthropic landscapes that need continuous management. Future planning policies need to develop bottom-up approaches in order to be able to take into consideration the perspectives of decision makers (DMs) and civil society stakeholders (CSs). Using a participatory mixed-method approach, this research work identified and prioritized the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT analysis) perceived as key factors for setting future landscape strategies. The aims were (i) to develop a methodological framework for the enhancement of the terraced landscapes using a bottom-up approach, (ii) to identify and rank the favorable and unfavorable factors affecting their management in the European Alpine Region, and (iii) to develop alternative and future landscape strategies. The methodology was applied in nine Italian and Swiss cross-border terraced landscapes. An online focus group was organized together with a decision maker from each study area in order to identify the SWOT items for their enhancement. Subsequently, a focus group for each study area was organized with civil society stakeholders. They prioritized the SWOT items based on the local context and territorial issues using a cumulative voting method. The results were normalized, and these allowed for the development of local and supralocal landscape strategies that were both common to the cross-border terraced landscapes and specific to the main land uses characterizing them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Terraced landscapes are anthropic landscapes that need continuous management. Future planning policies need to develop bottom-up approaches in order to be able to take into consideration the perspectives of decision makers (DMs) and civil society stakeholders (CSs). Using a participatory mixed-method approach, this research work identified and prioritized the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT analysis) perceived as key factors for setting future landscape strategies. The aims were (i) to develop a methodological framework for the enhancement of the terraced landscapes using a bottom-up approach, (ii) to identify and rank the favorable and unfavorable factors affecting their management in the European Alpine Region, and (iii) to develop alternative and future landscape strategies. The methodology was applied in nine Italian and Swiss cross-border terraced landscapes. An online focus group was organized together with a decision maker from each study area in order to identify the SWOT items for their enhancement. Subsequently, a focus group for each study area was organized with civil society stakeholders. They prioritized the SWOT items based on the local context and territorial issues using a cumulative voting method. The results were normalized, and these allowed for the development of local and supralocal landscape strategies that were both common to the cross-border terraced landscapes and specific to the main land uses characterizing them.

In rural landscapes, historical values and traditional crops are in conflict with recent commercial demand and social needs. For sustainable development, it is essential to find a methodology able to conjugate cultural and historical values with socio-economic trends. In order to identify shared actions, strategies and policies for the management of rural historical site, an integrated empirical work was developed. The main goal was to understand how to promote a bottom-up planning approach, including stakeholder perceptions in policy actions and planning strategies for historical rural landscapes. Pralormo municipality (Piedmont, north-west Italy) was chosen as case study. We developed a methodological framework to understand if the participatory approach can contribute to landscape planning from the local to the regional level. Field observations, landscape and historical analysis, farmers’ interviews and two focus group meetings were performed. This study shows that complex socio-cultural and economic drivers affect the future of the studied rural area. The assessment of land use scenarios can play an important role in promoting the understanding of such uncertain systems. Shared actions, strategies and policies were identified for the planning of rural historical site. In the case of Pralormo, which is transferrable to other European historical rural areas, we promoted the adoption of a new local landscape planning strategy with positive fall-out on the regional scale. Linking food and landscape quality, preserving ancient settlement, maintaining traditional land uses and promoting educational activities in farm are considered the most important issues for sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]