Alpine Industrial Landscapes Transformation
Alpine heavy industry (mining, steelmaking, chemical industry, etc.) is rapidly declining, leaving behind “Alpine Industrial Landscapes” (AILs), huge former productive landscapes of significant size, diffusion and complexity. At present, no reliable quantification of such areas exists and significant transformation attempts or conversion strategies have not been developed. The potential value of AILs was hardly mentioned in previous alpine development programmes and institutional project reports. Nevertheless, the sustainable transformation of AILs is an extremely relevant challenge, strongly connected to ecological, economical and social key issues such as environmental regeneration, reactivation of local and regional economies and promotion of Alpine industrial cultural heritage. The project aims to generate specific knowledge about AILs, to develop and test sustainable transformation strategies, transferable to other industrial landscapes all over the Alpine region. In a multidisciplinary, transnational approach the project combines expertise in fields of spatial and landscape planning, socio-economic sciences, regional and economic development while directly cooperating with local communities on relevant case studies (pilot areas). The project covers four main phases: (a) macro-regional survey of AILs and implementation of a web GIS Platform; (b) comprehensive assessment of AILs actual condition, background and context through on-site analysis of selected Pilot Areas; (c) joint evaluation of AILs transformation potential and test-design in cooperation with local stakeholders; (d) synthesis and discussion of generated knowledge (processes, methods, tools) with observers, regional/national stakeholders and experts in a conclusive AILs Forum. The project will support local and regional stakeholders in the sustainable AILs transformation, providing them with practical recommendations for immediate action and clear strategic planning tools for the future.