Indagine sui dissesti idrogeologici attivi nell'area della Baia di Portovenere (SP) finalizzato alla individuazione delle cause e dei possibili interventi di mitigazione. Linee guida per la salvaguardia dei beni culturali dai rischi naturali

The jagged and rugged coastline around the village of Portovenere makes up a unique landscape that has inspired not only romantic and contemporary poets and writers but also musicians and painters. Owing to the diverse emotions it evokes, the landscape of Portovenere has been defined as a cultural landscape and, as such, in 1997 was registered in the UNESCO World Heritage list. The Cave of Byron, in the Municipality of Portovenere (Liguria, Italy), is among the case studies selected as part of the Project “Guide-lines for safeguarding Cultural Assets from natural risks”. First of all, research aims to analyze active hydrogeological disarray processes in the study area and identify their causes. Subsequently, low-impact mitigation interventions are proposed which will respect the landscape and the historical and cultural characteristics of the site. Investigations were carried out by means of detailed surveys, both on the ground and underwater. As regards the types of active landslides, rock falls, topples and translational slides of various sizes are here found and mong the causes of instability, wave-motion plays a major role. Considering the cultural value of the study area, a method of Landscape Impact Assessment (LIA) is proposed, which takes into account not only the effectiveness of technical mitigation interventions but also the conservation of landscape integrity. For this purpose, a system of mobile bulkheads – similar to those planned for the Venetian lagoon – is proposed in order to better control the effects of sea storms at the foot of the rocky cliffs.