The role of protected areas in the preservation and sustainable use of agro-biodiversity, as well as in fostering rural development, is still under-estimated. Starting from the analysis of the different needs of each area (cultural, economic, environmental, and so on), and of how tourism can help to improve the local economy, numerous strategies can be developed, through the active participation of local people to plans and decisions. In order for these strategies to be effective, it is fundamental to create an environment that allows people living in rural areas to overcome all the challenges they face in their efforts to successfully manage their economic activities. This is particularly true with reference to Ffamily farming in protected areas: in the Alta Murgia National Park, in Apulia region (Italy), the Park aAuthority recognizes the important role of farmers in managing the territory of the Park itself, and in fostering rural development. Agriculture can be considered as the activity that, more than any other, has an impact on protected areas, and that, in turn, is affected and influenced by structural factors. It is vital to enable the Alta Murgia National Park and the farmers operating in it to interact in order to develop a “management model” both in the core protected areas of the Park, those with the highest natural value, and in those areas used for agriculture and forestry. An in-depth analysis of the Park agro-ecosystems is the starting point to develop effective governance tools to preserve the agro-pastoral traditions of local communities and foster rural development. The present contribution constitutes the outline of a comprehensive project conducted for the Park authorities, whose results, mostly of descriptive nature, constitute the basis for future steps aimed at fostering local development and effective initiatives in the tourism and agricultural sectors. The mentioned “management model” of rural areas agro-biodiversity is vital to assess the agro-environmental sustainability of farms and promote their multifunctionality, with particular regard to sustainable tourism, leading the Alta Murgia National Park to become a member of the Europarc Federation.

Rural development and sustainable tourism: a case for family farming in the Alta Murgia National Park (Italy)

Simona Giordano
2021-01-01

Abstract

The role of protected areas in the preservation and sustainable use of agro-biodiversity, as well as in fostering rural development, is still under-estimated. Starting from the analysis of the different needs of each area (cultural, economic, environmental, and so on), and of how tourism can help to improve the local economy, numerous strategies can be developed, through the active participation of local people to plans and decisions. In order for these strategies to be effective, it is fundamental to create an environment that allows people living in rural areas to overcome all the challenges they face in their efforts to successfully manage their economic activities. This is particularly true with reference to Ffamily farming in protected areas: in the Alta Murgia National Park, in Apulia region (Italy), the Park aAuthority recognizes the important role of farmers in managing the territory of the Park itself, and in fostering rural development. Agriculture can be considered as the activity that, more than any other, has an impact on protected areas, and that, in turn, is affected and influenced by structural factors. It is vital to enable the Alta Murgia National Park and the farmers operating in it to interact in order to develop a “management model” both in the core protected areas of the Park, those with the highest natural value, and in those areas used for agriculture and forestry. An in-depth analysis of the Park agro-ecosystems is the starting point to develop effective governance tools to preserve the agro-pastoral traditions of local communities and foster rural development. The present contribution constitutes the outline of a comprehensive project conducted for the Park authorities, whose results, mostly of descriptive nature, constitute the basis for future steps aimed at fostering local development and effective initiatives in the tourism and agricultural sectors. The mentioned “management model” of rural areas agro-biodiversity is vital to assess the agro-environmental sustainability of farms and promote their multifunctionality, with particular regard to sustainable tourism, leading the Alta Murgia National Park to become a member of the Europarc Federation.
2021
978-1-138-61441-3
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11586/371041
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