Below are summarized the results of the project groups of discussion, as presented during the last meeting of the partners (12-13th October, Goriška Brda, Slovenia).

The methodological reflections focused in particular on four fields related to terraces: mapping, hazard assessment, strategies for recovery and tourism.

Mapping

The project has identified a series of steps that are useful for a better knowledge of terraced areas, examining the activities carried out by the partners and by previous experiences in the EU.

 Collection of existing maps and examination of aerial photographs

 Survey on the ground with the use of ’data-sheets’

 Construction of a GIS including the main territorial characters

A final outcome of collecting data about terraced areas can be their classification, with regard to signifcant indexes as the surface ratio. In the attached presentation a first proposal about this task can be found, together with a summary of all the mapping activities.

Hazard assessment

The attention has focused on risk assessment through the usage of computer and GIS-based tools, enabling to produce ’risk maps’ useful to administrative institutions and decision-makers.

After considering different methods, the project has generally identified a statistical approach as the most effective and feasible for terraced areas. This process comprehends the crossed analysis of:

 Natural factors

 Human factors

 Geological disorders

The data are firstly collected, through GIS elaboration or through direct survey, and then statistically cross-matched with geological disorders, using a multi-variate analysis. In the attached presentation the first results coming from the Liguria Region can be found, while the activities carried out in Goriška Brda testify another interesting example.

Recovery projects

The reflections of the project partners have focused on some points concerning the difficult objective of promoting recovery of terraced area:

 Evaluation of the importance of terraced areas

 Integrated approaches to recovery and management

 Recovery tools (protecting bonds, funds, etc.)

 Technological elements of the works

These points, that are described in the attached presentation, will be developed in the project ’strategic guidelines’, aimed at promoting reflections on recovery of abandoned areas as well as providing tools for field works.

Tourism

A survey about tourist activities in the project study areas has provided interesting results about the existing supply, with regard (for example) to:

 Accommodation

 Infrastructures

 Eno-gastronomic tourism

 Terraced areas adjoining to cultural towns

An important line of work aims at identifying the elements of terraced landscapes presenting the greatest appeal on tourists, through a statistical analysis based on interviews. All these activities will lead to define a series of actions useful to promote tourism in terraced areas.

More proposals, oncoming, on agricultural production.