Filling the old with new life. Application of original indicators for evaluating ecovillages as village repopulation initiatives

The recently intensified trend of centripetal movements from small to bigger centres has multiplied the number of inhabitants of large cities. In Italy, this has resulted in worrying figures: more than 70% of Italian Municipalities have less than 5,000 inhabitants. Despite several regional and national policies dedicating programs and funds to counteract this progressive phenomenon fostering the repopulation of abandoned villages, this trend is far from being halted. Though the functional gap between cities and villages is evident, this study and previous research on this theme aim to change the perspective on the possible uses and repopulation processes of villages, pivoting on their potential as places where to enjoy different lifestyles. The focus is on the ecovillage model, developing a set of specific indicators to individuate them through their peculiar aspects and assess their benefits and vulnerabilities. An experimental application is also proposed on 7 ecovillages. This set of indicators is not conceived as completely substitutive of those used in current policies, but rather as a suggestion of possible integrations to avoid demoting this category of villages in policy-related evaluations for funding allocation.