1,720,983 research outputs found
Landscape protection and tourist valorisation of the cultural and natural heritage of the unesco site of Matera (Italy)
Full text linkThe use of advanced technological tools may considerably support the protection of landscapes with high cultural and naturalistic value, since they allow the implementation of multidisciplinary information, which may reveal crucial for a sound management of sites representing an heritage of outstanding value. In the present paper, a special analysis has been focused on the UNESCO site of the City of Matera, located in the Basilicata region (Southern Italy), where some protected habitats (Natura2000 areas) still coexist with a considerable number of cultural sites, earning to this location the role of European Cultural Capital in 2019. Suitable conservation strategies, focused to preserve the natural and cultural landscape, which may be affected by increasing touristic flows, are then necessary. A Geographical Information System of Matera's tourist routes, starting from already existing ancient paths, was implemented to develop new public recreation activities without negatively affecting the surrounding landscape. A specific database was therefore designed for the Matera landscape, which has been implemented with the dual purpose to be a useful tool for planning a sound management of the landscape structures and, through the implementation of a Web-GIS, to create new opportunities for enjoying the urbanized territory in close contact with natural landscapes
The implementation of GIS tools for planning the development of rural tourism along the network of old sheep-tracks.
Full text linkRural tourism is progressively growing in several areas of the World, thanks to its characteristics to noticeably combine naturalistic, cultural and eno-gastronomic opportunities. In this framework, many old agricultural buildings have been successfully converted into new accommodations, typical restaurants or educational farms. Tourism activities related to these rural structures are currently expanding, so incentivizing the arrival of more tourists and valorizing the rural land. One of the elements of the rural landscape that could be improved to further spreading, is the network of old sheep-tracks. Indeed, these paths can be exploited for cultural and nature hiking activities since, in addition to often crossing rural areas, they are perfect places to immerse the tourist in the nature and surrounding landscape. The present study considers the Basilicata Region (Southern Italy) and its important network of old sheep-tracks, which have been included into a GIS database, specifically implemented to exploit these paths for touristic purposes. Thanks to this GIS tool - that allowed the creation of a complex georeferenced database, by entering all data related to elements of tourist and cultural interest - it has been therefore possible to plan suitable tourist routes, even aimed at the sustainable valorization of the rural landscape
Effects of grennhouse lime shading on filtering the solar radiation
Full text linkProtecting crops under a greenhouse allows their optimal management all over the year. Mostly during summer, in order to limit the indoor temperature and create suitable internal growing conditions, a common traditional solution is whitening the external side of the cladding material with slaked lime (calcium hydroxide– Ca(OH)2). The benefits of whitewashing reported in the literature confirm that it has positive effects both on the microclimate and on the development of crops. This paper shows the results of a research, performed by using spectrophotometers in the Laboratory for Testing Materials of the University of Basilicata (Italy), aimed to analyse different types of calcium hydroxide solutions. The analysis verified the variation of radiometric properties and shading effect. The whitening concentration was a fixed dose of simple calcium hydroxide, diluted in two different water concentrations, then painted on an EVAC plastic film. Moreover, an un-painted transparent EVAC plastic film was considered as a reference. The radiometric measurements on the samples were carried out to measure transmittance, reflectance and absorbance on all wavelengths of the Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR). The results have given information on the effect of different dilutions of slaked lime on the selective filtering of the solar radiation. These conclusions may be useful to compare similar results with more recent solutions for greenhouse shading, such as the use of plastic nets
Investigating the Time Evolution of a Rural Landscape: How Historical Maps May Provide Environmental Information When Processed Using a GIS.
Full text linkA rural landscape is the result of the interaction among natural elements and human activities which takes place in time and space. It represents a non-renewable resource that can provide incomparable information on the general state of the environment. The rapid transformations that are taking place in the last century push towards the implementation of monitoring actions able to take into account the various components of the land use, including their concurrent time evolution as well. We performed an analysis of temporal transformations of a rural landscape using an open-source GIS approach that allowed for mainstreaming of the main features of this rural landscape, i.e. land use patterns, naturalness dynamics, landscape diversity and visual quality. These four parameters have been selected since they represent those which most affect the processes at the base of the environmental planning and management of a rural landscape. The survey has been carried out over a period of 138 years, using historical maps, interpretation of aerial photos and implementing digital cartography, that have been retrieved with reference to a study area located in the Basilicata Region (southern Italy), which is considered a territory with an high rural – i.e., both natural and agricultural - landscape value. This methodology has allowed for the examination of the landscape from different points of view, experimenting the performance of a multi-temporal and inter-disciplinary analysis. The main results show – since the landscape has been completely transformed by man in terms of land use – that the areas covered in the past by forest have been transformed into agricultural areas, as opposed to some areas where re-naturalisation processes have taken place. Starting from this first analysis, the implemented methodology, based on a multidisciplinary approach, has enabled to identify the transformations which have greatly influenced the time evolution of the study area. The resulted assessment of land use patterns, landscape diversity, naturalness dynamics and visual quality of this study area, thus enables suitable strategies for the restoration of the local rural ecosystems
Reducing the visual impact of plasticulture on rural landscapes by a sustainable management of agricultural plastics.
Full text linkThe use of plastics in agriculture represents one of the main factors having a major impact on the environmental sustainability of the agricultural sector. The effectiveness, economy and versatility of using different plastic polymers has made these products widespread in highly profitable agricultural activities (orchards and horticulture). However, their incorrect management can determine serious environmental impacts, mainly connected to large quantities of post-consume plastic waste. Another problem is linked to the visual impact that these large clusters can have on the surrounding rural landscape. Indeed, the aesthetic quality of these territories may be reduced, with negative impacts on the surrounding areas - often characterized by a fragile environment and a marked tourist vocation - whose perception is difficult to quantify and evaluate. In this paper, a GIS-based methodology has been implemented, to perform a visual impact assessment, by applying it to the case study of the agri-food district of “Metapontino” (Basilicata Region - Southern Italy). GIS tools, besides allowing complex spatial analysis, revealed as a planning instrument that can be used by public authority also to activate suitable strategies for mitigating the visual impact of plastics on rural landscape, so as to contribute to reducing the plastic footprint of agriculture
The role of green areas in the City of Matera (Southern Italy) as a recreational and tourist potential for its territory
Full text linkThe growth of population living in city centers, brings with it the need to make people's lives healthier, intervening in urban and peri-urban areas to increase the presence of green spaces, able to control air pollution levels, maintain biodiversity and improve the city's microclimate. The evaporation produced by plants also mitigate the heat peaks of the summer season, while the shading of buildings allows significant savings on energy for air conditioning. The Italian city with the highest amount of green per capita is Matera. This city has indeed around 59 million square meters of historical green areas: parks, villas and gardens with an historical value. In the present paper, it is presented the Green Plan for the Municipality of Matera, designed and
implemented as an essential strategic tool to know, enhance, protect and design the green of the city as a system, taking into account the identity of places. The Census of the area, with the support of a GIS tool, covers the entire public green heritage: location of green areas, recognition of botanical species present, detection of the characteristics of the public tree, shrub heritage and the description of the characteristics and forms of use of different areas
Valorization of an old sheep trail as a new opportunity for sustainable public recreation: a case study in southern Italy.
Full text linkWithin the valorization process of rural landscape for public recreation, an increasing interest is
currently registered on ancient sheep-tracks. Indeed, these paths constitute the historical
infrastructure of the transhumance system, that covered all over Europe thousands of kilometers,
forming the routes of shepherds, merchants, warriors and pilgrims. In Italy, these tracks - known as
“tratturi“ - are landscape-bound, while the practice of transhumance has recently been included in the
intangible UNESCO World Heritage. In addition to their cultural and scenic value, today some old
sheep-tracks are being rediscovered as new rural hiking trails. However, they present some technical
drawbacks, that make them barely usable by tourists for walking in the nature. Taking as a case study
an old sheep-track connecting the two cities of Matera and Montescaglioso (Basilicata Region -
Southern Italy), a GIS approach was applied, to evaluate the possibilities to use this path as an hiking
trail, highlighting the difficulties to be solved for its valorization. The final results showed how, thanks to
a GIS tool, it is possible to compare different types of data, from historical to modern ones, so relating
the route with all elements of tourist interest, evaluating its potential for excursion purposes as well
Integrating remote-sensed and historical geodata to assess interactions between rural buildings and agroforestry land
Full text linkThe rural built heritage constitutes a unique example, due to architectural and technical issues, which plays a central role in the formation of rural landscape. In this research, interactions between rural buildings and the surrounding land have been examined. Two case studies exemplifying some of typical dynamics of some internal mountain areas of Mediterranean region have been considered. These areas are located in Basilicata Region (Southern Italy) and suffer from land and rural buildings heritage abandonment, as well as from the concurrent disappearance of agroforestry systems with high ecological value. A multi-chronological geo-database incorporating different land cover datasets over a period of 62 years (1955–1988–2008–2017) has been implemented into a GIS to assess relationships between some rural buildings and the surrounding land have been then assessed. This has been achieved by integrating different types of remote-sensed geodata: historical aerial photos, digital orthophotos and satellite images. The analyses carried out have shown that the intensity of land abandonment can also be related to the type of rural building and prevalent agricultural activity. Moreover, thanks to this methodology, it has been possible to produce several spatial information useful to support public decisionmakers at different level
Assessing the impact of built heritage on the rural landscape through the integration in a GIS of cartographic information and remote-sensed data.
Full text linkRural landscapes are the result of the interaction occurred over time between human activities and natural environment. Humanity has built constructions conceived to host farmers and biological productions, that have contributed to increase the level of agricultural productivity, meeting the food demand. This built heritage constitutes now a unique example - due to architectural and technical issues different from other building sectors - which plays indeed a central role in the formation of the rural landscape, as well as on relevant ecosystem services.
In this paper, the interactions between historical rural buildings and the surrounding landscape have been examined. A specific geo-database incorporating different datasets from topographical maps, aerial photos and satellite images has been implemented into a GIS. This approach has enabled to assess land dynamics around rural buildings, in terms of land cover and landscape indexes. A case study in an internal mountain area of Southern Italy has been considered. Thanks to a large-scale detailed spatial analysis, the relationships between some rural buildings and the surrounding landscape have been then assessed. This methodology allowed to implement a spatial system finalized to support solutions useful to public decision-makers, as well as to evaluate activities of protection and/or valorisation of the agro-forestry landscapes
Visual quality assessment in a GIS environment as a Decision Support System for landscape planning.
Full text linkAn important aspect to be considered in the study of a landscape is how people perceive it. Assessing the landscape visual quality has a fundamental importance, and it is one of the parameters to be taken into account for planning issues. Moreover, it has an additional significance, because in many cases there is a relationship between visual and ecological landscape indicators.
In this paper, nine landscape visual characters (coherence, disturbance, historicity, complexity, naturalness, visual scale, stewardship, imageability and ephemera) have been taken into account to elaborate map-based indicators. Considering the scale and the complexity of the assessment, these indicators have been combined into a GIS environment, so as to create an overall visual quality index. The methodology has been applied to a case study in Southern Italy, whose landscape is extremely diversified, with many critical issues in terms of protection and enhancement. The GIS revealed as a powerful tool for an accurate and replicable analysis, because it allowed to combine different indicators based on land cover data and landscape qualitative and quantitative parameters. The obtained indicators revealed very useful for a stand-alone evaluation, as well as an information base which could profitably be included in a Decision Support System (DSS) for landscape planning
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