The involvement of local communities in supporting the development of effective territorial strategies
Abstract ID: 3.12292 | Accepted as Talk | Talk | TBA | TBA
Petra Pagliughi (1)
Valentina D'Alonzo (1)
The role played by cultural heritage in the recovery of abandoned territories can prove to be a valuable resource for the future of a territory, mainly when facing unprecedented transformative challenges derived from climate change. This is demonstrated by the case study on cultural heritage conducted within the Horizon 2020 IMPETUS project in Trentino mountain area (Italy). Through the involvement of local actors in targeted qualitative interview processes, it was possible to detect how portions of abandoned territories are becoming of interest due to the need to address the increasingly growing hydrogeological instability on one hand, and to become a positive resource for agriculture on the other. Studies carried out by the consulted local firms and research centres are currently underway to understand whether it is possible to elevate vineyards to higher altitudes to limit the negative effects of heatwaves that are increasingly affecting the valley floors. The attempts and feasibility studies of this adaptation practice have allowed the recovery of abandoned territorial portions and terraced surfaces and the construction of new dry-stone walls, bringing positive value to the territory and the common cultural heritage. This presentation shows how, it is important to propose solutions well integrated with the landscape and respectful of those local communities that are strongly connected to that local heritage they represent as spokespersons and custodians to ensure that a solution could be effective and feasible. The direct involvement of communities allows, on one hand, to explore a range of feasible solutions derived from traditional knowledge, and on the other hand, to ensure, through the preventive collection of perceptions, that the proposed solutions would not harm the cultural heritage of the individuals connected to it. The development of recovery strategies that do not take local communities into account risks not only exacerbating local conflicts and favouring “maladaptation” but also becoming harmful to the rights of the communities themselves. It is important to remember that cultural heritage is intrinsically connected to a value, identity, and human dimension, constituting a founding element for many individuals, as underlined by international instruments related to the protection of cultural heritage.
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