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Terraced Landscapes and Hydrogeological Risk. Effects of Land Abandonment in Cinque Terre (Italy) during Severe Rainfall Events

Author

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  • Mauro Agnoletti

    (Department of Agricultural, Food and Forest Systems Management (GESAAF), University of Florence, Via San Bonaventura 13, 50145 Firenze, Italy)

  • Alessandro Errico

    (Department of Agricultural, Food and Forest Systems Management (GESAAF), University of Florence, Via San Bonaventura 13, 50145 Firenze, Italy)

  • Antonio Santoro

    (Department of Agricultural, Food and Forest Systems Management (GESAAF), University of Florence, Via San Bonaventura 13, 50145 Firenze, Italy)

  • Andrea Dani

    (Department of Agricultural, Food and Forest Systems Management (GESAAF), University of Florence, Via San Bonaventura 13, 50145 Firenze, Italy)

  • Federico Preti

    (Department of Agricultural, Food and Forest Systems Management (GESAAF), University of Florence, Via San Bonaventura 13, 50145 Firenze, Italy)

Abstract

During 25 October 2011, an extremely intense rainfall event occurred in Eastern Liguria and Northern Tuscany. Severe damages were registered in the Monterosso and Vernazza basins, located in the famous area of Cinque Terre, which have been affected by hundreds of landslides, mud flows, and erosions. The main feature of the Cinque Terre landscape is the presence of terraced cultivations on steep slopes facing the sea. The area represents a remarkable cultural landscape, is a National Park, and is included in the World Heritage List of the UNESCO. This work aims to analyze the effect of abandoned terraced land on hydrogeological risks and in landslide prevention, by comparing what happened in Cinque Terre to other experiences presented in scientific literature. The cessation of maintenance of dry stone terraces due to the crisis of traditional agriculture was identified as the main cause of failure during the heavy rainfall event. However, we found some contrasting and, in some cases, unexpected results in the literature regarding the effects of the vegetation that develops on abandoned terraces. This paper compares different results in order to better understand what the future of terraced landscapes is and which are the best management strategies for such complex and fragile territories. In particular, where they represent a cultural heritage and a resource for the rural economy.

Suggested Citation

  • Mauro Agnoletti & Alessandro Errico & Antonio Santoro & Andrea Dani & Federico Preti, 2019. "Terraced Landscapes and Hydrogeological Risk. Effects of Land Abandonment in Cinque Terre (Italy) during Severe Rainfall Events," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(1), pages 1-12, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:1:p:235-:d:195027
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Mauro Agnoletti & Leonardo Conti & Lorenza Frezza & Antonio Santoro, 2015. "Territorial Analysis of the Agricultural Terraced Landscapes of Tuscany (Italy): Preliminary Results," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(4), pages 1-18, April.
    2. Mauro Agnoletti & Leonardo Conti & Lorenza Frezza & Massimo Monti & Antonio Santoro, 2015. "Features Analysis of Dry Stone Walls of Tuscany (Italy)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(10), pages 1-17, October.
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    Cited by:

    1. Suresh Chaudhary & Yukuan Wang & Amod Mani Dixit & Narendra Raj Khanal & Pei Xu & Bin Fu & Kun Yan & Qin Liu & Yafeng Lu & Ming Li, 2019. "Spatiotemporal Degradation of Abandoned Farmland and Associated Eco-Environmental Risks in the High Mountains of the Nepalese Himalayas," Land, MDPI, vol. 9(1), pages 1-19, December.
    2. Antonio Santoro & Martina Venturi & Mauro Agnoletti, 2020. "Agricultural Heritage Systems and Landscape Perception among Tourists. The Case of Lamole, Chianti (Italy)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-15, April.
    3. Emanuela Cicinelli & Giulia Caneva & Valentina Savo, 2021. "A Review on Management Strategies of the Terraced Agricultural Systems and Conservation Actions to Maintain Cultural Landscapes around the Mediterranean Area," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-12, April.
    4. Ahmadreza Shirvani Dastgerdi & Reza Kheyroddin, 2022. "Policy Recommendations for Integrating Resilience into the Management of Cultural Landscapes," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-17, July.
    5. Manganelli, Simone & Piras, Francesco & Agnoletti, Mauro, 2020. "Covid-19 and rural landscape: the case of Italy," Working Paper Series 2478, European Central Bank.
    6. Enrico Pomatto & Marco Devecchi & Federica Larcher, 2022. "Coevolution between Terraced Landscapes and Rural Communities: An Integrated Approach Using Expert-Based Assessment and Evaluation of Winegrowers’ Perceptions (Northwest Piedmont, Italy)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-27, July.
    7. Guido Paliaga & Fabio Luino & Laura Turconi & Fausto Marincioni & Francesco Faccini, 2020. "Exposure to Geo-Hydrological Hazards of the Metropolitan Area of Genoa, Italy: A Multi-Temporal Analysis of the Bisagno Stream," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-20, February.
    8. Claudio Bellia & Pietro Columba & Marzia Ingrassia, 2022. "The Brand–Land Identity of Etna Volcano Valley Wines: A Policy Delphi Study," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-32, June.
    9. Donatella Cialdea & Sandro Privitera, 2021. "Landscape Values as a Driving Force to Increase Nature Conservation. Environmental and Planning Policies as a Possible Integration," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-18, June.
    10. Grazia Brunetta & Ombretta Caldarice & Martino Faravelli, 2022. "Mainstreaming climate resilience: A GIS-based methodology to cope with cloudbursts in Turin, Italy," Environment and Planning B, , vol. 49(5), pages 1431-1447, June.
    11. Anna Roccati & Guido Paliaga & Fabio Luino & Francesco Faccini & Laura Turconi, 2021. "GIS-Based Landslide Susceptibility Mapping for Land Use Planning and Risk Assessment," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-28, February.
    12. Enrico Pomatto & Marco Devecchi & Federica Larcher, 2022. "Assessment of the Terraced Landscapes’ Integrity: A GIS-Based Approach in a Potential GIAHS-FAO Site (Northwest Piedmont, Italy)," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(12), pages 1-21, December.
    13. Andrea Ferrando & Francesco Faccini & Guido Paliaga & Paola Coratza, 2021. "A Quantitative GIS and AHP Based Analysis for Geodiversity Assessment and Mapping," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(18), pages 1-18, September.
    14. Antonio Santoro & Martina Venturi & Francesco Piras & Beatrice Fiore & Federica Corrieri & Mauro Agnoletti, 2021. "Forest Area Changes in Cinque Terre National Park in the Last 80 Years. Consequences on Landslides and Forest Fire Risks," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(3), pages 1-15, March.
    15. Pietro Piana & Francesco Faccini & Fabio Luino & Guido Paliaga & Alessandro Sacchini & Charles Watkins, 2019. "Geomorphological Landscape Research and Flood Management in a Heavily Modified Tyrrhenian Catchment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(17), pages 1-22, August.
    16. Shirvani Dastgerdi, Ahmadreza & Sargolini, Massimo & Broussard Allred, Shorna & Chatrchyan, Allison Morrill & Drescher, Michael & DeGeer, Christopher, 2022. "Climate change risk reduction in cultural landscapes: Insights from Cinque Terre and Waterloo," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 123(C).
    17. Salvatore Praticò & Francesco Solano & Salvatore Di Fazio & Giuseppe Modica, 2022. "A Multitemporal Fragmentation-Based Approach for a Dynamics Analysis of Agricultural Terraced Systems: The Case Study of Costa Viola Landscape (Southern Italy)," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-19, March.
    18. Antonio Santoro & Martina Venturi & Mauro Agnoletti, 2021. "Landscape Perception and Public Participation for the Conservation and Valorization of Cultural Landscapes: The Case of the Cinque Terre and Porto Venere UNESCO Site," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-24, January.
    19. Enrico Pomatto & Paola Gullino & Silvia Novelli & Marco Devecchi & Federica Larcher, 2023. "Landscape Strategies for Terraced Landscapes in the European Alpine Region Using a Mixed-Method Analysis Tool," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-21, June.
    20. Xuan Fang & Zhujun Gu & Ying Zhu, 2023. "Quantification of Agricultural Terrace Degradation in the Loess Plateau Using UAV-Based Digital Elevation Model and Imagery," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-16, July.
    21. Giacomo Pepe & Elena Baudinelli & Matteo Zanini & Domenico Calcaterra & Andrea Cevasco & Patrizio Scarpellini & Marco Firpo, 2020. "Application of Bioengineering Techniques as Geo-Hydrological Risk Mitigation Measures in a Highly Valuable Cultural Landscape: Experiences from the Cinque Terre National Park (Italy)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(20), pages 1-22, October.

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