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E. Mussinelli et al.
specific in-depth studies, pre-feasibility studies and actions aimed at acquiring financing. The macro-areas are: the creation of new agro-productive models; the activation
of a food quality brand through sustainable processes involving short supply chains;
the enhancement of heritage for tourism and cultural use; the experimentation of
housing and social work models in the agricultural area.
The first phase of experimentation concerned the rural heritage of the Abbiatense
area, south of the metropolitan area, which represents a strategic context, representative of the strong historical-cultural link with the city of Milan. The analysis
of the territory, of the infrastructural connections, of the existing and planned productive and commercial activities, of the historical agricultural system and of the
environmental aspects, has provided the knowledge base on which to structure a
smart specialization strategy called “Agro-Active Landscape”. The strategy identifies two lines of action and then declined into pilot projects. The first line of action,
“Agriculture-woods-energy” (AWE), is aimed at implementing the arboreal heritage
along the Bereguardo Canal and near the Ticino River, in order to produce environmental results both in terms of CO 2 capture to compensate for greenhouse gas
emission from the urban heritage of the Foundation and in terms of absorption of
nitrates present in the agricultural subsoil, in view of an eco-environmental balance
between the city and the suburban rural area. The second line of action, “Channelsconnections-production” (CCP), focuses on the redevelopment of the Bereguardo
Canal, of the connected basins and of the hydraulic artefacts, with the aim of allowing its navigability in a productive, tourist-oriented key, also representing itself as a
hydraulic mitigation intervention during extraordinary events. Both lines of action
provide for an active involvement of farmers and stakeholders, called on to implement good practices for the production of quality goods and the provision of an
ecosystem and multifunctional services for the territory.
5 A Methodology for the Enhancement of Rural Heritage
The experiences described show how an increase in multi-functionality and an
enhancement of ecosystem services and the benefits of rural heritage represent possible levers for actions to regenerate a built environment, verified in their feasibility
and sustainability even with respect to the increase in the resilience of urban areas
and subways. “The concept of multi-functionality, which is inherent to resilience,
well interprets the need to improve a territory’s environmental effectiveness, meanwhile increasing the level of awareness of the local social system. The putting into
effect of resilience strategies is, in this sense, a particularly functional tool for the
redevelopment of suburban rural territories in which the critical points grow in
the environmental, cultural, social and economic aspects” (Mussinelli and Cerati
2017:252).
The presented cases allow us to derive a replicable methodology that sees as the
first fundamental step, the systemization, formalization and management of knowledge and information on the territorial context, aimed at highlighting critical issues
E. Mussinelli et al.
specific in-depth studies, pre-feasibility studies and actions aimed at acquiring financing. The macro-areas are: the creation of new agro-productive models; the activation
of a food quality brand through sustainable processes involving short supply chains;
the enhancement of heritage for tourism and cultural use; the experimentation of
housing and social work models in the agricultural area.
The first phase of experimentation concerned the rural heritage of the Abbiatense
area, south of the metropolitan area, which represents a strategic context, representative of the strong historical-cultural link with the city of Milan. The analysis
of the territory, of the infrastructural connections, of the existing and planned productive and commercial activities, of the historical agricultural system and of the
environmental aspects, has provided the knowledge base on which to structure a
smart specialization strategy called “Agro-Active Landscape”. The strategy identifies two lines of action and then declined into pilot projects. The first line of action,
“Agriculture-woods-energy” (AWE), is aimed at implementing the arboreal heritage
along the Bereguardo Canal and near the Ticino River, in order to produce environmental results both in terms of CO 2 capture to compensate for greenhouse gas
emission from the urban heritage of the Foundation and in terms of absorption of
nitrates present in the agricultural subsoil, in view of an eco-environmental balance
between the city and the suburban rural area. The second line of action, “Channelsconnections-production” (CCP), focuses on the redevelopment of the Bereguardo
Canal, of the connected basins and of the hydraulic artefacts, with the aim of allowing its navigability in a productive, tourist-oriented key, also representing itself as a
hydraulic mitigation intervention during extraordinary events. Both lines of action
provide for an active involvement of farmers and stakeholders, called on to implement good practices for the production of quality goods and the provision of an
ecosystem and multifunctional services for the territory.
5 A Methodology for the Enhancement of Rural Heritage
The experiences described show how an increase in multi-functionality and an
enhancement of ecosystem services and the benefits of rural heritage represent possible levers for actions to regenerate a built environment, verified in their feasibility
and sustainability even with respect to the increase in the resilience of urban areas
and subways. “The concept of multi-functionality, which is inherent to resilience,
well interprets the need to improve a territory’s environmental effectiveness, meanwhile increasing the level of awareness of the local social system. The putting into
effect of resilience strategies is, in this sense, a particularly functional tool for the
redevelopment of suburban rural territories in which the critical points grow in
the environmental, cultural, social and economic aspects” (Mussinelli and Cerati
2017:252).
The presented cases allow us to derive a replicable methodology that sees as the
first fundamental step, the systemization, formalization and management of knowledge and information on the territorial context, aimed at highlighting critical issues