Abstract
Las terrazas representan la solución más extendida para el cultivo en pendientes escarpadas. El número elevado de servicios ecosistémicos positivos producidos por paisajes con terrazas cuando están bien mantenidos se ve amenazado por el abandono continuo de la tierra y la transformación agrícola que no tiene en cuenta el paisaje. En este artículo, hemos analizado el estado actual de la zona de terrazas de Val di Cembra (Trentino-Italia). Nuestro objetivo fue analizar las causas detrás de la alta tasa de mantenimiento activo de la viticultura en terrazas, examinar los principales riesgos relacionados con la introducción de la gestión intensiva de la tierra y proponer posibles soluciones para garantizar un desarrollo sostenible a largo plazo de la zona. Hemos identificado los principales factores que determinan la elevada tasa de mantenimiento activo del paisaje en terrazas: el desarrollo de la viticultura orientado a la calidad del vino, la realización de infraestructuras importantes para garantizar la movilidad y el riego, y el fuerte sentido de pertenencia todavía presente también entre las generaciones jóvenes. Además del riesgo de obsolescencia que afecta a las zonas de terrazas más marginales del Valle, otros riesgos están asociados con la posible difusión de la transformación del territorio indiferente al paisaje y a la adopción de sistemas de cultivo que no son tradicionales, que pueden afectar negativamente el valor del paisaje. Las perspectivas futuras deben ampliar el proceso orientado a la calidad en la producción de vino en todo el territorio. La inclusión del paisaje en la planificación del manejo de la tierra garantizará una sostenibilidad duradera de la viticultura, respondiendo a la creciente demanda de servicios medioambientales por parte de la comunidad y de los consumidores. Proyectos en curso en el Valle, en los que participan tanto actores privados como autoridades locales, están indicando la intención de la comunidad de avanzar en esta dirección.
Highlights
Terraced landscapes are known as one of the most representative anthropic landscapes, the result of a longlasting process of domesticating high-steep landscapes to support agriculture and they are nowadays often identified as agro-ecological and cultural heritage (Agnoletti et al, 2015; Tarolli et al, 2014; Zoumides et al, 2017)
They safeguard the hydrological and geological integrity of the land (Alberti et al, 2018), reduce slope and soil erosion, increase infiltration water and enhance cultivable areas in difficult environmental conditions (Bonardi & Varotto, 2016; Tarolli, 2018). They are among the most endangered land use types. Both technical, and socio-economic reasons, caused a diffused abandonment of terraced areas in Europe and around the world starting from the second half of the 20th century (Arnáez et al, 2015; Barbera et al, 2015; García-Ruiz & Lana-Renault, 2011; Lasanta et al, 2017; Tarolli et al, 2014)
The Cembra Valley suffers from the problems that affect most of the agricultural mountain areas: (i) high production costs, with an estimate of 800 hours/ha (200 more than in valley-floor); (ii) high maintenance costs for the traditional dry-stone terraces; (iii) high levels of property fragmentation and (iv) a general low size of the properties which decrease competitiveness; (v) ageing rural populations, with lower propensity to introduce innovation; (vi) lower possibilities for mechanization, the presence on the market of small-sized machines that adapt to mountain viticulture improves the possibilities for their beneficial introduction in vineyard management
Summary
Terraced landscapes are known as one of the most representative anthropic landscapes, the result of a longlasting process of domesticating high-steep landscapes to support agriculture and they are nowadays often identified as agro-ecological and cultural heritage (Agnoletti et al, 2015; Tarolli et al, 2014; Zoumides et al, 2017). 3 between nature and man, witness of the evolution of societies and human settlement under the influence of opportunities and limits posed by the natural environment as well as social, economic, and cultural forces” (UNESCO, 2008) According to this interpretation, as pointed out by Agnoletti et al (2015), there is a need to overcome the narrow definition that identifies terraces only as the result of the practice of interrupting steep slopes of mountain sides by creating sub-flat plains for agricultural purposes. As pointed out by Agnoletti et al (2015), there is a need to overcome the narrow definition that identifies terraces only as the result of the practice of interrupting steep slopes of mountain sides by creating sub-flat plains for agricultural purposes This definition should instead be extended to include different sustainability functions provided by a terraced landscape, such as the economic-productive, the environmental-ecological and the historical-cultural ones, coming together to determine the territorial quality (Gisotti, 2003). The aims of this paper are: (i) to analyze the main reasons behind the active maintenance of the terraced agricultural area of the Cembra Valley (situated in the province of Trento -Italy), (ii) to discuss the main risks associated with current dynamics in land management; and (iii) to evaluate possible strategies to meet the current demand of improving the sustainability of land management
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