CONSIDERAZIONI DI SINTESI E IMPATTO STRATEGICO DELLA RICERCA (SYNTHESIS REMARKS AND STRATEGIC IMPACT OF THE RESEARCH)

The research involved the analysis of the main change processes in rural landscape since the Second Post–war period, and their interpretation with reference to planning policies. Five operative units considered different Italian study areas and, according to their landscape features and to researchers’ various expertises, analyzed the deep structure of landscape systemic matrix. The operative units examined different landscape resources, which have become cornerstones for developing guidelines for landscape and economic planning, as well as shared actions of sustainable development of rural land and landscape enhancement, consistently with prospects of modern economy and agriculture. Changes in rural built environment and socio–demographic parameters were analyzed with multi–scale approaches: besides wide–area analyses, specific in–depth investigation were carried out, also by employing a random stratified areal sampling technique. Such technique was developed ad–hoc; nevertheless it proved to be useful to investigate other landscape resources and geographic areas. Multicriterial analyses carried out in GIS environment were performed on a study area in order to assess the different degrees of land potential for agricultural productive purpose. Such analytical methodology, developed within the research, showed to be applicable in landscape planning with the aim to distinguish the main different inclinations of rural territory. The research yielded strategic contributions as for the enhancement of multifunctionality in agriculture. Econometric methods were adopted to analyze the factors influencing farmers’ attitude towards multifunctional diversification in a study area. The results underline the importance of the role played by local authorities, which together with professional unions, should drive farmers’ choices towards the enhancement of local landscape features, through original development models. A key to the sustainable development resulted the knowledge of traditional landscapes. They were studied together with the processes that has led to the current landscape configuration. Pre–industrial rural landscape proved indeed to hold a high degree of diversity balanced with human activities and cultural heritage: the restoration of those landscapes represents a key action to develop the theme of “rural amenities” within landscape planning and management. Natural and semi–natural vegetation was analyzed and critical points arisen resulted connected with the change factors as above. As natural vegetation can greatly mitigate the environmental impact due to anthropic pressure, sustainable planning measures aimed at improving natural vegetation in rural areas were proposed as a result. Man–made non agricultural vegetation of urban areas was analyzed, in order to verify the landscape consistency of the employed plants with the rural context, their functionality, their conformity with technical and cost–effectiveness criteria, and to define possible lines for planning future transformations. On the whole, the research showed a methodological imprinting consistent with the many–sided requirements of rural landscape management and planning, as several different disciplines were involved in a balanced view where socioeconomic choices are recognized as central in landscape changes.