Risultati per "Water"

Integral Land Reclamation and Climate Transition: A Mesological Perspective on the ‘Macchina della Terra’. – This contribution examines integral reclamation in the Gulf of Oristano, Sardinia, employing Berque's concepts of ecumene and mesology alongside geographical insights. Lucio Gambi’s metaphor of reclamation as a “macchina della terra” serves as a foundational idea, while Federica Cavallo highlights modern territorial constructs that emerge from contrasts such as water vs. earth and modern vs. wild. On the centenary of the Santa Chiara dam’s inauguration, which transformed Oristano’s coastal wetlands, the region now faces the challenges of climate change. The interplay between land and local communities reveals both contradictions and potential alliances in ecological resilience, particularly in discussions surrounding Nitrate Vulnerable Zones. A century of human-environment interactions has reshaped these areas into vital agro-food production hubs, underscoring the need for a mesological perspective on this evolution.
The memory of water. Hydrosocial fragility and urbanisation in Cagliari. – In Italy, the modern abstraction of human beings from the environment has led to a strict technicist management of natural resources and to a clear separation between urban and social policies, not entirely overcome by the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR). In particular, urban strategies struggle to reason about the role of water in the territorial system, relegating it to technical risk management interventions. From the debate around the mesological approach, various declinations of the relationship between human presence and water outline an often-chaotic palimpsest of plans and visions of urban space.
The contribution addresses the case study of the Cagliari municipality of Pirri, in the relationship between the historical condition of hydrogeological and social fragility and the new urban strategies to contrast risk. This systemisation is possible by adopting a reading of Pirri as a hydro-social territory, which allows us to critically reconstruct the history of the hydro-social fragility of this territory and consequently to re-read past and future planning policies.
Subsidenza e urbanizzazione: rischi a scala globale dell’uso incontrollato della risorsa idrica
Mountain Villages and Resources for Sustainable Development: The Role of Traditional Water Systems in the Tourism-Cultural Ecosystem in Oman. – Prior to the advent of the Coronavirus pandemic, the Hajar Mountains, which are renowned for their distinctive peaked hills (Jebel Akhdar and Jebel Shams), were primarily frequented by the local community. However, recent years have seen a significant rise in international visitors, particularly to the mountain villages of northern Oman, known for their unique natural and cultural heritage. Key elements include the wadis, seasonal riverbeds, and the aflaj, ancient irrigation channels crucial for agriculture and daily life. Among the most significant aflaj are Falaj al-Khatmeen (Birkat Al Mouz) and Falaj Daris (Nizwa), both UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Despite their cultural value, these sites experience short tourist stays, usually not exceeding two days. This study explores tourist flows, visitor motivations, and local tour guides’ perspectives, using archival research, field surveys, and semi-structured interviews. The findings highlight the need for a new tourism strategy, shifting from a transit-based model to a sustainable tourism approach. Proposed itineraries integrating Birkat Al Mouz and Nizwa aim to extend tourist stays, enhance engagement with the region’s cultural and natural assets, and generate lasting economic benefits for local communities. By promoting responsible tourism, this study advocates for the protection of UNESCO sites, cultural heritage preservation, and the active involvement of local populations in tourism development.
Photographic representation of biodiversity and countercurrent aesthetics of marine landscapes. – Questioning the role of images in the communication and valorization of biodiversity, as well as in the constitution of cultural geographic imaginaries and environmental sensibilities, this paper focuses on the aesthetics of marine landscapes in some contemporary artistic and activist practices. More specifically, it investigates the function of photography in the construction and deconstruction of stereotypes related to coastal areas and islands (between artistic traditions and tourist imaginaries), thus in the representation of issues related to biodiversity. Contrary to approaches that tend to show marine landscapes exclusively as picturesque or sublime sceneries, projects such as Else, All Will Be Still (Ravi Agarwal, 2013-2015), After the Storm (Amy Balkin, 2016), The Shape of Water Vanishes in Water (Marina Caneve, 2018) and Invisible – Paysages productifs (Nicolas Floc’h, 2018-2020), seek to express the environmental, social and economic inequalities aggravated by climate change and its consequences on marine biodiversity.
The new opportunities offered by immersive and inclusive technologies to represent and rediscover the complex relationship between human communities and water resources. – In order to know, represent and interpret the complex relationship between water landscapes and human communities the new technologies (immersive cartography, three-dimensional web, augmented reality, 3D environments) represent extraordinary and functional tools both for research and for territorial information and promotion actions in terms of tourism. Evidence of this is the project “Tourist Itineraries to Discover the Waters of Italy”, conceived and promoted by the GECOAGRI LANDITALY Interuniversity Research Group Association and financed by ACEA, aimed at promoting a process of water resource enhancement in the dimension of environmental, economic and social sustainability. The authors through some exemplifications and using a methodology of operational analysis, characterized by new syntaxes, reconstruct with the help of augmented reality and immersive technologies, as well as the canonical geocartographic and documentary sources, the material and immaterial dimension of the water resource in the Conca reatina, Umbilicus Italiae, where the sociocultural dynamics underlying the relationship between water and population, narrate experiences of vulnerability and development, participation and conflict, protection and threat. Through 10 ten interactive and implementable totem-stations, it is possible to embark on an inclusive and participatory journey that allows people to explore even inaccessible places. Not only video and audio, historical and thematic cartographies, photos and three-dimensional images, but also drone shots from which to observe from above what nature and culture have achieved and, if necessary, to land in particular places reconstructed through augmented reality that allows one to observe them as they were and as they are today, making clear the processes of transformation of which signs and sedimentations remain in the landscape palimpsest.
The management of water resources in mountain contexts in ecological transition. – The frequency and concatenation of environmental and climatic phenomena requires a reflection on our way of managing the change, and in this direction the principle of “custody of the high lands” enhances the awareness of the communities on ecosystem services related to the precious water resources, essential to the biodiversity and the basis of stable economies for the mountain. The contribution intends to build a critical framework on interventions oriented to stem the water crises, adopted in the most vulnerable national mountain areas but which at-tempt the difficult territorial transition path on the climate tendency scenarios. The strategies will be analyzed, promoted by regional legislation and innovative regulations, for the territorialization of the actions on the management of the resource, but also complex projects and multi-sectoral studies with direct repercussions on physical and cultural landscapes, which therefore lead to inclusive forms of governance and participate.
Sound waves. Podcasting and teaching on water geographies. – In a resonant world, the attention to soundscapes of the international geographic community is growing, bringing into hearing ongoing reflections on cohabitation and interspecies alliances in the Anthropocene. At the same time, the use of podcast in academia is growing, to teach and disseminate geography beyond academic boundaries, and thus increase the public impact of research.
In this context, starting from the narration of the recording practices of
two sound artists – Renato Rinaldi and Attila Faravelli – with whom the author has recently collaborated in research on sonic waterscapes, the article question and discuss if and how podcasts can help develop a sensitivity towards water resources.
Water resources as an engine of local development: the case of the “water villages” of Rasiglia and Borghetto. – There are several cities have made water their hall-mark of tourist attractiveness and socio-economic development. In Italy, this category includes all the large coastal cities (such as Venice, Naples, Cagliari or Palermo) or those crossed by large rivers (Bologna, Florence, Rome), the centers that have sprung up on the edges of large lakes (Riva del Garda, Bolsena, Bracciano, etc. ) or those known because they are linked to the presence of hot springs (Saturnia, Montecatini, Fiuggi Acqui, etc.), but also the localities that bear precisely the title of “water village” and thus make it a distinctive and characteristic element. It is precisely these small and charming villages, hamlets of municipalities in inland areas, scattered in the various regions of Italy that over time have been able to enhance water both as a landscape element but also as an element of production and economic development, that are the subject of this contribution. Among these, the cases of Rasiglia and Borghetto will be analyzed to describe the role that technology in the past has played in building the relationship of these localities with water, the role it has today and could have in the next future to contribute to their path toward building a circular economy and thus sustainable development.
Cooperations, mediations and conflicts between Italy and Switzerland in the Ticino River catchment basin: some geographical reflections. – This paper aims to describe and critically analyze the set of agreements, common laws and practices that were build up, across the years, to regulate cooperation between Switzerland and Italy around the Ticino River catchment basin on a series of issues concerning lakes and rivers. We identified five: shipping, fishing, regulation of water levels, electricity supply and production, and environmental protection. Interreg projects that were developed in the area are analyzed as recent means to solve conflicts based on innovative cross-scale governances. Eventually, issues of potential discord demanding mediation and cooperation in the near future are outlined, specifically in relation to climate change.
At the edge of the mar dulce: artificial lakes, new vocations and challenges along the Guadiana river basin. – The effects of the climate crisis on hydrographic systems, both superficial and underground, are now undeniable, with the incessant succession of prolonged droughts and catastrophic floods. The recent evolution of water governance in Extremadura, one of the European regions most affected by the effects of the climate crisis, is a relevant case study that allows stimulating reflections on today's hydro-social dynamics in the face of the worrying reduction in fresh water supplies. The Rio Guadiana basin was involved late in the process of hydraulic modernization which aimed at the renewal of Iberian agriculture. The pre-eminent irrigation purpose is associated with the production of electricity and the containment of floods. Added to this multifunctionality is the consolidation of a growing tourist presence along the banks of these mares dulces. But an arid nightmare is humiliating the dignity of Iberian hydrography.
Glaciers and Water bodies: Considerations and Emerging Prospects in Alpine Settings. – This research highlights the importance of the relationship between glacier health, snow cover, water resources availability and territories in the Alpine region. Snow has the strategic task of protecting glaciers, feeding freshwater reserves, regulating sea level and supporting local communities. However, snowfall is decreasing and snow and ice are melting faster due to global warming. Therefore, planning future risk management strategies is mandatory for water governance and environmental protection. In this regard Engadin represents an interesting case study. In this region, a local project aims at slowing down the retreat of the Morteratsch glacier. Moreover, a watercourse renaturation project has also been implemented in order to overcome the problem of substantially increased river flow due to rapidly melting glaciers. These are examples of policies that should take into account current climate changes and the physical conditions of the mountain environment.
Analysis and perspectives on water stress reduction: territorial implications and innovative approaches. – Ensuring water sustainability through technological innovation is crucial, especially for groundwater, a vital component linked to the hydrological cycle. It plays a pivotal role in supplying drinking water for various purposes, including agriculture and industry. Climate change pose significant threats to groundwater conservation, raising concerns about both quantity and quality with significant socio-economic implications. Effective preservation requires hydrogeological monitoring of underground basins, coupled with dynamic water balance modelling to provide predictive insights. These modern tools are essential for proper physical resource management. Implementing innovative technologies and strategic political and management planning for underground aquifers are imperative for initiating a robust program to mitigate risks and achieve a sustainable balance for this precious resource.
The river in the city: requalification and shared management of the water resource. – The watercourse of the Basento river, in the segment that runs through the regional capital of Basilicata, Potenza, has undertaken enhancement and redevelopment initiatives, in order to allow its reintegration into the urban fabric. The pourpose of this contribution is to outline the process that is leading to the requalification of the river area – in the context of the Basento River Park – as well as the ex Cip-Zoo, a former industrial area. The aim is to return them to the community, which is attempting to participate in decision-making processes through voluntary and spontane-ous actions. A qualitative analysis, based on questionnaires addressed to citizens, reveals that the community is searching for a space of agency, hence the demand of governance tools that can make these participatory processes more structured and effective.
Territorial education through the rivers. The “Flowing with the rivers” public engagement project. – The contribution reflects on how the value of water resources in the ecological transition can be shared and strengthened through geo-graphical education. In particular, the Public Engagement project “Flow-ing with the rivers”, financed with 48,500 euros by the University of Turin, whose objective was the development of an educational model to sustainably reconstruct the relationships between human communities and territory around water as a resource and fundamental element in all relationships between natural and human systems. The project activities developed between 2021 and 2023, concentrating the action on the territory between Turin and Savigliano, in particular between the Po, Tanaro and Maira rivers, and involved universities, associations, schools with teachers, students and parents, citizens, media and local administrations. The involvement of local communities was considered a basis of geographical education, starting from the idea that through awareness of the ecological, cultural and economic value of rivers it is possible to arrive at a plan for life, care and sustainable development that produces a social and cultural change in the valorization and management of water resources. The interdisciplinary working group, scientifically directed by Cristiano Giorda, involved fifteen researchers from six different departments and scientific areas. The main methodology followed was that of territorial education through outdoor education and place and art based learning activities, ca-pable of territorialising the scientific and artistic dimensions with skills linked to territorial values, landscape, sustainable development -bile and active citizenship.
Culture e patrimoni dell’acqua nel Mediterraneo: una proposta sull’onda del “futuro liquido”. – Nuove prospettive di sviluppo economico e sostenibile possono nascere da una perfetta combinazione di turismo e digitalizzazione, conoscenza storica e valorizzazione del patrimonio nel Mediterraneo. La creazione di reti per condividere le migliori esperienze turistiche nazionali e internazionali nella tutela del patrimonio liquido è senza dubbio un aspetto fondamentale. In questo quadro, emergono esperienze e musei legati al mare volte a offrire al grande pubblico piattaforme rappresentative - sia fisiche che digitali - del patrimonio esemplare delle civiltà e delle culture nel Mediterraneo. Questo consente ai turisti di entrare in contatto con realtà istituzionali e imprenditoriali che implementano, in una logica sinergica, pratiche turistiche sostenibili; connettere turisti e comunità favorisce, inoltre, un dialogo che può motivare soprattutto i giovani a diventare narratori consapevoli e attori del proprio “futuro liquido”.
Rationalities and socio-spatial effects of hydraulic infrastructure in Sardinia. – The infrastructural processes of the water system unfold over extended periods, often resulting in nonlinearities within the processes themselves, despite originating as explicit projects aimed at material control over resources and territorial development. These constructions give rise to various interpretations of irrigation systems, intersectoral conflicts, and power struggles among the different actors involved in their management and use. The aim of this article is to engage in dialogue regarding the water infrastructure process in Sardinia, examining its intersection with the different rationales guiding water management and territorial development policies. It highlights both internal and external factors influencing these processes, as well as the significance of historical legacies.
Redefining the city-river relationship: a look at the Turin area. – The relationship between the city and the river is being profoundly redefined in the context of the water crisis, in the relationship between the natural and the built environment. The paper will focus on the case of Turin, where deindustrialisation has led to morphological, functional and symbolic transformations of previously industrialized areas, with a new process of landscape construction, in some cases based on the heritage of the industrial past, in others on a new meaning (re)attributed to the environment, as the main physical and symbolic dimension of the re-territorialisation of post-indus-trial spaces. This paper focuses on the relationship between rivers and cities, and in particular on how rivers are once again becoming a (potentially) founding element of post-industrial landscapes. We will draw on some case studies in the Turin area, where the river emerges as a potentially structuring element in rethinking places deeply marked by deindustrialisation and in imagining and constructing a new landscape.
Artificial Intelligence for Sustainable Water Resources Management. Case Study: Gorgovivo, Ancona. – The urgent need to address challenges related to the sustainable management of water resources has prompted the scientific and technological community to explore innovative solutions that can make a significant contribution to achieving the goals and sustainability strategies of the UN’s 2030 Agenda. In this context, Artificial Intelligence (AI) emerges as a powerful ally, offering advanced tools for the collection, analysis, and management of water data efficiently and effectively. Using machine learning algorithms and neural networks, AI enables accurate prediction of water demand, facilitating optimal planning and allocation of resources. Moreover, the integration of smart sensors and monitoring systems allows real-time control of water resources, improving the response capacity to environmental variations and emergencies.
The purpose of the research is to examine how AI can optimize water treatment and distribution processes, reducing waste and enhancing the energy efficiency of water facilities; the use of predictive models based on historical data and environmental variables allows for proactive management of resources, thus contributing to their conservation and long-term sustainability. In this perspective, an AI-based system will be adopted to predict the groundwater levels of the Gorgovivo spring (AN), using historical data from the spring itself, the level of the Esino river, and rainfall stations. The proposed AI model is based on the Prophet predictive algorithm, specifically designed to manage time series forecasting applications; as adapted by us, the predictive model was evaluated using the mean absolute error (MAE), mean squared error (MSE), and correlation criteria.
Hydric resources as patterns for a community regeneration: the Gleno dam between memory and innovation in Scalve Valley. – Geography offers tools for territorial analysis and planning which, by integrating field research with geographic information technologies, propose innovative approaches to support re-generation processes. This is strategic in mountain contexts where, over time, water resources management has been at the core of a delicate co-evolutionary relationship between humans and non-humans and, sometimes, has caused catastrophic fractures induced by anthropic action, like dam collapsing. The essay presents the case study of the Gleno Dam in the Scalve Valley, province of Bergamo, where, since the collapse centenary (1923-2023), the geographers of the Imago Mundi Lab at the University of Bergamo have been carrying out research aimed at reconstructing the territorial stratification generated over time, focusing on the role of water and the disastrous results of the dam collapse on the entire valley. Many places abandoned after the disaster can today be regenerated through co-design processes using mapping systems and placing water at the centre of new symbolic meanings, cultural functions, and production practices.
A research-action path for the participatory and collaborative management of water bodies: River Contracts in Friuli Venezia Giulia. – Starting from the experience acquired through a research-action which involves the geographers of the University of Udine in the coordination of the Regional Board of River Contracts, in agreement with the Autonomous Region Friuli Venezia Giulia, this contribution analyzes the results and effectiveness of some initiatives implemented for the promotion of participatory and collaborative governance of water bodies. Through participant observation and the analysis of a questionnaire, the facilitation and training role of geography in the process of River Contracts to make participation more effective and aware, will be highlighted.
In the Flood. Circumpolar cultures and global warming. – The imaginaries of water in circumpolar cultures are changing. The erosion of old cosmologies and the accelerated melting of permafrost and continental ice are gener-ating new syncretic narratives that are beginning to be studied by ethnology and cultural geography. In the Arctic, water has become a new concrete threat and the hydrogeological disruptions triggered by rising temperatures and human mechanical alterations are redefining the local way of describing the world and man’s place in the world. By relying on some case studies centered on real and symbolic risks that come from water, this contribution intends to illustrate how the Anthropocene is shaping the concrete and imagined geography of the circumpolar regions.
Agreements on the use of water, cooperation, policies and conflicts: river contracts in Italy. – The paper aims to explore the concept of river contract as a tool for participatory management of water resources, analyzing in this context the key role of conservation and management of their naturalness. The main objective of the research is to understand how river contracting can facilitate the conservation, enhancement and transmission of cultural heritage while promoting the sustainable development of local communities. The methodology is based on a review of the available literature on the river contract concept, its role in cultural heritage enhancement, and the need for the geo-mediation phase as an important moment of shared and participatory planning. The results of the research, in addition to highlighting regional differences in the application of River Contracts in Italy, indicate that the river contract although not widespread can act as a catalyst for the management and enhancement of cultural heritage, actively involving local communities in the conservation of their territories. The implications of the research may be useful for scholars, practitioners and institutions interested in the conservation and enhancement of water resources through the implementation of planning strategies by identifying the figure of the geomediator as a facilitator of performative processes.
Water as a resource and as a value: territories in competition and the need for protection as a strategic tool. – The aime of this work the value of water as a primary good, focusing the attention on the sustainability and value of water as a limited and not infinite resource, to arouse a new awareness. The protection of water resources and aquatic ecosystems is one of the cornerstones of environmental protection. The value of water is the result of both the complex interactions between natural and anthropic factors distributed across the territory, and of their dynamics over time. The Danube region is facing several challenges and a new development protection strategy aimed at promoting economic development and envi-ronmental protection. A truly important step for the protection of biodi-versity and the environment. UNESCO has designated the Danube River as “the first 5-country Biosphere Reserve in the world”. The adhering States undertake to administer with particular attention to resources and sustainable development, with the full involvement of local communities. Is underlined the need for balance taking into account the multiple val-ues of water: biological, social, environmental, symbolic and cultural.
Geospatial methodologies for the monitoring of eutrophication of water bodies. – As collective awareness of environmental issues increases, the debate on water pollution becomes more focused on all anthropogenic activities (industrial, agricultural and domestic discharges, waste management) that cause water eutrophication. This paper aims to highlight how the use of GIS makes it possible to examine soil erosion and to calculate the theoretical load re-located over time in watersheds by human activities. The USLE/RUSLE and CREAMS models, coupled with satellitary data, allow to examine the evolution of land and watersheds. In the first part of the paper, the focus was on the Mediterranean, one of the most polluted seas on the planet; in the second part, the watersheds of the Rio Santa Lucia, Rio San Girolamo and other minor ones in south-western Sardinia were investigated. The research highlighted the connection between spatial planning and environmental processes, underlining the importance of best practices of territory management, especially in contexts with water vulnerability. The objective is to set up an integrated methodology to monitor soil erosion and eutrophication of water resources, in order to identify strategies and actions to mitigate these phenomena.
Wetlands, leaf fodder trees and ancient grasslands: a characterization of the environmental heritage of transhumance. – For centuries, transhumance has been a socio-economic system capable of shaping mountain landscapes and environments. The paper presents two case studies aimed at identifying the historical-ecological traces of seasonal breeding systems to characterize the environmental legacy of transhumance. The proposed approach enables the evaluation of the positive externalities of past pastoral practices in terms of vegetation resources activation (leaf-fodder trees, ancient grasslands) and water resources maintaining (springs, ponds, small lakes, peat-bogs, etc.).
"Waters, stones and stories. Mediterranean waterfronts, coastal urban landscapes"
Community Readiness for Local Covid-19 Management. – In these days, we are learning important lessons in citizen science. Today, local administrations must equip themselves with the management of infrastructures (unimaginable before Covid-19) for enforcing social distance and tracking positive cases. One of the tasks that geographers are expected to take up is the determination of the levels of societal readiness, the levels of integration in society of new technologies, products and services. The pandemic requires policies of social and cultural innovation that make communities ready to respond to catastrophic events on their territory through access to data, communities of practice, co-creation, reflection and inclusion. Finally, Covid-19 ought not to undermine the work done so far to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 1 (Poverty), 3 (Health), 4 (Education), 5 (Gender), 6 (Water), 8 (Work), 10 (Inequalities) and 16 (Peace). Pope Francis has made it clear: «This is the moment to see the poor».

The “Global ’68” of the Students. An Introductory Historiographical Survey. – The article highlights the historiographical issue represented by the planetary character of the youth movements that operated around 1968 in the Western world, in the Socialist world and in the developing countries. The wave of student protest is therefore considered as a phenomenon of global history, and presented in its various aspects in the light of the historiographical debate developed in the context of the Global History current. Particular attention is given to the problem of periodization and to the comparison between political, social and cultural history. 1968 emerges as a great watershed of the second post-war period, which acts as a hinge between the first globalization of Bretton Woods (the so-called Golden Age) and the new scenarios of postindustrial modernity.

Land use changes, human activities (deforestation, agriculture, urban sprawl, ecc.) and abnormal weather events are the common reasons of hydrological problems like floods or landslides. Neglecting the terraced landscape, for example, reduced several times the drainage capacity of the water network surface, increasing the hydrological risks. In this paper we study terraced agricultural system of two villages (Prosecco and Contovello) near Trieste. First at all, we gave a detailed description of this rural landscape. Then, we applied a GIS analysis in order to evaluate main changes in the last forty years, overlaying not homogeneous cartography sources (aerial IGM photos of the 1974 and current ortophotos). So, we identified neglecting processes and reforestation dynamics of this terraced landscape. In a restyling perspective, we identified main local tourist attractions. Finally, we hypothesized a pathway aimed at sustainable tourism.