Commonlands Cultural community mapping in alpine areas (IT) VAL GRANDE Participatory Governance NATIONAL PARK How ? Challenge In November 2016, the 10 municipalities engaged Val-Grande National Park is shared between 10 1 residents in a community mapping of cultural and mountain communities located in the remote alpine natural heritage features of their territory through area in the Piedmont region.Low production capacity interviews, collection of images, videos, documents and depopulation are two pressing challenges for and objects. local communities. These socio-economic changes put at risk both tangible and intangible vernacular The mapping resulted in one comprehensive Commonlands Map and 10 individual maps for each heritage including oral history and traditions, of the communities. All the sources have been dialects, and architectural and crafting techniques no 2 incorporated in a shared digital archive. longer transmitted to younger generations. Awareness raising facilitated dialogue across communities and tourists including more than 60 3 meetings (public presentations, workshops, focus Solution groups). Locals were involved in planning, managing and delivering ‘Community Walks’ as Through extensive collaborative efforts, the 250 guides, showing the most iconic assets accompanied inhabitants from 10 municipalities triggered a with personal stories reaching more than 1,500 sustainable bottom-up process to co-design and participants. manage cultural and tourist initiatives. The participatory approach enabled local Almost 200 plaques indicating QR-codes create a communities to re-appropriate natural and cultural thick signalling system of the cultural identity. On-site activities are complemented by heritage as a source for local development and 4 www.comuniterrae.it, a digital-storytelling sustainable tourism. In the medium-long term, the platform which makes available the digital project is expected to lead to the creation of a archive and the community maps to a larger Commonlands Ecomuseum. audience for awareness raising in sustainable local development at national and international level. Budget/Financing € 100,000 Transferability Consider your project as a long-term journey: The total budget of the initiative is €100,000: co-creation of bottom-up engagement tools is The project is an initiative of ARS.UNI.VCO not a one-off endeavour but requires Association and Val Grande National Park which continuity to stimulate locals’ collaboration both supported the action (25% each). towards common goals, trust and empathy. The Region of Piedmont contributed to funding Do not be afraid to use digital storytelling and the initiative, thanks to a call for projects narrative tools to promote your territory to a enhancing the regional intangible cultural heritage wider audience. (25%). Engage with as many sectors as possible to The Verbanio-Cusio-Ossola Foundation, a local ensure shared and integrated territorial NGO, sustained the project thanks to a call for development opportunities. projects targeting historical heritage (25%). Impact Management Increased local participation in heritage. Improved collaboration between local The 10 Alpine communities sharing the Val Grande authorities, local people and stakeholders in co- National Park (Premosello Chiovenda, designing culture and sustainable tourism Trontano, Beura Cardezza, Vogogna, San initiatives. Bernardino Verbano, Miazzina, Cossogno, Intragna Improved data collection and mapping. ed Aurano) drive implementation in cooperation Co-creation of innovative narrative tools and with local stakeholders. community-based tourism initiatives for The local NGO ARS.UNI.VCO and Val Grande sustainable territorial promotion. National Park are crucial management partners. Improved awareness raising and activation of The Piemonte Region offered financial support to social responsibility in sustainable local the initiative for the year 2017-2018. development. Additional support is provided by Improved knowledge-sharing on local culture research centres and local associations. and heritage. Enhanced valorisation and discoverability of territorial gems. Link http://www.comuniterrae.it Contact Andrea Cottini Project Manager for ARS.UNI.VCO Association [email protected].