Between Nature and Culture: the "Sardinia Geopark" case

The paper exams the possibilities for culture based revival of mining heritage in Sardinia, putting its users as a target group to projecting for and with. People relate emotionally to their environment and environments affect... [ view full abstract ]

The paper exams the possibilities for culture based revival of mining heritage in Sardinia, putting its users as a target group to projecting for and with. People relate emotionally to their environment and environments affect their behavior and social activities. The research has pragmatic orientation with qualitative character, to determine what and how to do in relation to wanted to do, taking a place in a specific social, cultural, historical, economic and political context. The research results are the cumulative outcome of the study and the field research (work 'in situ'). The main research questions are: what is the local culture based strategy to create a place facing current and potential users of Sardinian mining heritage landscapes? And what are the positive distractions planning and design can contribute to?

The mining heritage of Sardinia dates back 8 thousand years. Mainly, mines are closed in '60 of XX century, then recognized and proclaimed by UNESCO as the first in the European network of Geo-Parks in 1997, (Cultural Heritage Sites, and subcategory of Industrial Heritage). Nowadays, they are characterized by depopulation and lack of management and managing. Less than 20 years after the institutionalization, the astonishing landscapes remained conceived, semi-perceived and pseudo-lived.

The tourism in Sardinia changes constantly the environmental fabrics, material and immaterial, both. But, it is maybe not ‘just’ tourism the only cause. Communication code has changed within the relationship system, while the concept of limit is losing its meaning: authenticity, belonging, perceiving, evaluating and the subject we are projecting for and with. The sustainability of the outcome model bases on the hypothesis that tourism (even the strongest industry like in Sardinia, is a threat same as potential) is 'just' a seasonal activity that can 'overshadow' the 'ordinary', everyday life of the local community. The model lies down and rises on vital activities that ensure the presence of the people on a daily basis during the whole year, including tourists. The model is culturally based, bottom-up and top to down in parallel, demonstrating potential strategy, development phases, and stakeholders and is jurisdictions, as its multilevel contributions.