Innovative Local Development Initiatives in the Eastern Alps: Forest Therapy, Land Consolidation Associations and Mountaineering Villages
Since the 19th century, Italy’s mountain regions have suffered from depopulation and land abandonment. How can we counter this phenomenon? Here, we present three cases of innovative and participatory approaches implemented in the Eastern Alps of Friuli Venezia Giulia. Forest therapy is a new approac...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-06-01
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| Series: | Land |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/11/6/874 |
| _version_ | 1797485364625014784 |
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| author | Ivana Bassi Matteo Carzedda Luca Iseppi |
| author_facet | Ivana Bassi Matteo Carzedda Luca Iseppi |
| author_sort | Ivana Bassi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Since the 19th century, Italy’s mountain regions have suffered from depopulation and land abandonment. How can we counter this phenomenon? Here, we present three cases of innovative and participatory approaches implemented in the Eastern Alps of Friuli Venezia Giulia. Forest therapy is a new approach to medical therapy based on the beneficial effects on the human health of frequenting forests. It also has the potential to provide space for local economic initiatives, e.g., hospitality services. Land consolidation associations were created in France to collectively restore the productivity of fragmented and abandoned farmland. They can evolve into long-term planning for the conservation of landed wealth and the valorization of territories. Finally, Mountaineering villages have the potential to develop a more sustainable form of tourism by fostering a sense of responsibility for the natural and cultural heritage of the European Alps, in accordance with the Alpine Convention. These initiatives share the involvement of local actors in the definition of local development strategies, the capability of enhancing endogenous resources and increasing the environmental value of places, the importance of offering qualified and organized services, and the ability to support the local socioeconomic system. The adoption of innovative and participatory approaches such as these has the potential to revert depopulation and economic depression trends in mountain areas. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T23:18:42Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-91e6552c9cf34a67b54e9354cd1e0587 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-445X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T23:18:42Z |
| publishDate | 2022-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Land |
| spelling | doaj.art-91e6552c9cf34a67b54e9354cd1e05872023-11-23T17:32:07ZengMDPI AGLand2073-445X2022-06-0111687410.3390/land11060874Innovative Local Development Initiatives in the Eastern Alps: Forest Therapy, Land Consolidation Associations and Mountaineering VillagesIvana Bassi0Matteo Carzedda1Luca Iseppi2Department of Agricultural, Food, Environmental and Animal Science, University of Udine, 33100 Udine, ItalyDepartment of Economics, Business, Mathematics and Statistics, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, ItalyDepartment of Agricultural, Food, Environmental and Animal Science, University of Udine, 33100 Udine, ItalySince the 19th century, Italy’s mountain regions have suffered from depopulation and land abandonment. How can we counter this phenomenon? Here, we present three cases of innovative and participatory approaches implemented in the Eastern Alps of Friuli Venezia Giulia. Forest therapy is a new approach to medical therapy based on the beneficial effects on the human health of frequenting forests. It also has the potential to provide space for local economic initiatives, e.g., hospitality services. Land consolidation associations were created in France to collectively restore the productivity of fragmented and abandoned farmland. They can evolve into long-term planning for the conservation of landed wealth and the valorization of territories. Finally, Mountaineering villages have the potential to develop a more sustainable form of tourism by fostering a sense of responsibility for the natural and cultural heritage of the European Alps, in accordance with the Alpine Convention. These initiatives share the involvement of local actors in the definition of local development strategies, the capability of enhancing endogenous resources and increasing the environmental value of places, the importance of offering qualified and organized services, and the ability to support the local socioeconomic system. The adoption of innovative and participatory approaches such as these has the potential to revert depopulation and economic depression trends in mountain areas.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/11/6/874forest therapyland consolidation associationsmountaineering villageslocal developmentcommunity participation |
| spellingShingle | Ivana Bassi Matteo Carzedda Luca Iseppi Innovative Local Development Initiatives in the Eastern Alps: Forest Therapy, Land Consolidation Associations and Mountaineering Villages Land forest therapy land consolidation associations mountaineering villages local development community participation |
| title | Innovative Local Development Initiatives in the Eastern Alps: Forest Therapy, Land Consolidation Associations and Mountaineering Villages |
| title_full | Innovative Local Development Initiatives in the Eastern Alps: Forest Therapy, Land Consolidation Associations and Mountaineering Villages |
| title_fullStr | Innovative Local Development Initiatives in the Eastern Alps: Forest Therapy, Land Consolidation Associations and Mountaineering Villages |
| title_full_unstemmed | Innovative Local Development Initiatives in the Eastern Alps: Forest Therapy, Land Consolidation Associations and Mountaineering Villages |
| title_short | Innovative Local Development Initiatives in the Eastern Alps: Forest Therapy, Land Consolidation Associations and Mountaineering Villages |
| title_sort | innovative local development initiatives in the eastern alps forest therapy land consolidation associations and mountaineering villages |
| topic | forest therapy land consolidation associations mountaineering villages local development community participation |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/11/6/874 |
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