The regeneration of urban landscape in mediterranean areas

THE REGENERATION OF URBAN LANDSCAPE IN MEDITERRANEAN AREA. GENERAL ISSUES Mediterranean is an extraordinary region of this planet for the wealth of human and natural resources and the diversity of landscapes. Yet for an uncontrolled and chaotic human and industrial development, this heritage is eroded little by little. Despite international efforts, made over the last thirty years or so to protect heritage, it remains fragile and continues to deteriorate as a result of increased anthropogenic pressures exerted on the environment. THE DECLINE OF RECENTLY FORMED MEDITERRANEAN URBAN AREAS The Mediterranean population will be almost doubled in half a century, going from 285 million in 1970 to 525 million by 2020. The deterioration of standards of urban quality of life and health because of traffic congestion, noise, bad air quality and the rapid growth of waste production. The loss of valuable agricultural land due to urbanization and salinization. The loss of traditional landscapes and the creation of new landscapes that is not playing characters in which people can identify. DEFICIENCIES OF LANDSCAPE MANAGEMENT POLICIES IN BENEFICIARY COUNTRIES The absence of a landscape policy in Mediterranean countries, especially in the southern shore, has favored practices increasingly unbalancing, of neglect and aggression, however violent and destructive, that translate in disastrous effect both for the landscape and the environment. One priority consists of integrating landscape into policies of territory planning, urban policies and in those cultural, environmental, agricultural, social and economic. A STRATEGY TO START The landscape is an “organism”, in never-ending changing without activities, functions, services carried out by a settled community it is destined to die. The present condition of the Mediterranean urban areas is a clear confirmation. Not possible solve immediately all the problems. Obtainable aims with actions which interpret the vocations of places and that involve the communities of inhabitants, the real protagonist of the regeneration process of the landscape. Starting from these considerations can propose a program for regeneration of urban landscape in Mediterranean areas with two systems: vegetation and mobility. PRODUCTIVE GARDENS / ECOLOGICAL MOBILITY Usually in the territory near the Mediterranean cities, was a prestigious agricultural area, organized system of gardens on both banks of the river with a vegetation: palms, citrus groves and well grown kitchen-gardens. Some important European towns are carrying out programs of re-qualification of rural urban zones (for example LLobregat parc in Barcellona) with a triple aim: productive, environmental, social. Some possible actions: re-qualification and evaluation of fragments of agricultural landscape; recovery of traditional hand works: stone terracing, cottages, mills, hydroelectric power stations assign to manage, farm holidays, B&B; evaluation of agricultural areas to promote projects of urban gardens and selling at km0; creation of new green zones in the strips of neglected territory; definition of a green area system which allows the functional connection between natural suburban zones and public urban space; walk-ways and cycling to link directly the most densely inhabited areas with the extra urban natural spaces; ecological climbing ways or crossing of the urban rivers; construction of tracks for horses and trekking paths. In these activities the regeneration of the rural landscape with the ecological connection, can so represent a winning strategy; a network with a new system of public spaces equipped with parks and gardens for the community of future Mediterranean Metropolis.