New territorial actors between exploration and conservation

The paper reflects on the evolution of ‘collective subjects’ and civil organizations promoting grassroots processes aimed at generating social innovation. Focusing on the experience of the Participatory Presidium of the Simeto River Agreement (eastern Sicily), the paper describes the process of institutionalization that has characterized this organization as the promoter of a new territorial governance. The aim is to reflect on obstacles, tensions and criticalities emerged during this process. In doing so, we try to identify a ‘lesson learned’ for planning: namely, promoting a hybridization of knowledge that could make more effective and capacitating to support territorial actors who, through organizational processes and practices, try to create new institutional models able to respond to public interest issues.