XXXIII CIOSTA - CIGR V Conference 2009, Reggio Calabria (Italy) “Technology and management to ensure sustainable agriculture, agro-systems, forestry and safety” Heritage itineraries and tourism valorisation of the forestry landscape in the Serra san Bruno district (Calabria, Italy) Salvatore Di Fazio1, Luigi Laudari 1, Giuseppe Modica 1 1 Mediterranea University of Reggio Calabria, Department of Agroforestry and Environmental Sciences and Technologies (DiSTAfA) – Loc. Feo di Vito Reggio Calabria e-mail of corresponding author:
[email protected] Summary This paper presents the first results of a research aiming at the characterisation, interpretation and valorisation of the forestry landscape in the area of Serra San Bruno, in Calabria. A GIS was implemented for landscape resource management so as to define a system of thematic itineraries connecting the most relevant heritage resources and to favour their integrated valorisation. Focus elements of the heritage trails here proposed are the sites of traditional charcoal production, the old forests, other heritage sites related to the ancient monastic settlements and to industrial archaeology. The Heritage Trail System defined is the starting point for the design and creation of a thematic Wood and Water Ecomuseum in the study area. Key word: heritage itineraries, tourism valorisation, rural landscape, Calabria Introduction Landscape analysis and characterisation are key and basic elements for the interpretation, management and valorisation, also for tourism activities, of a given territory. Over the last three decades in the rural and forestry space, today seen both as spaces of labour and recreation, the need to define integrated infrastructure networks has become more and more urgent, particularly in protected areas where the environmental function of agriculture and forestry is stressed.