Setting the Methodological Framework for Accessibility in Geo-Mining Heritage Settings—An Ongoing Study of Iglesiente Area (Sardinia, Italy)

Abstract

This paper aims to discover why and how accessibility is fundamental to sustainable local development in heritage settings. We discussed the dimensions and variables of accessibility that control the development. Correspondingly, we proposed an interpretative framework for sustainable development planning and management of low urbanized spatial settings and accessibility for the Iglesiente Geo-mining heritage in Sardinia (Italy). The Iglesiente area is affected by a deep post-mining crisis that is reflected in poor socioeconomic conditions and an evident space oriented set of problems (a disorder in landscape matrix, low readability of space, scarce infrastructure and low accessibility). To revert negative trends of space-related problems, the paper proposes a theoretical model acting as an anticipatory landscape planning tool. The model copes with the context-specific problems in combination with theoretical findings. It acts at various scales through the definition of boundaries and variables of the internal and external environment, providing the territorial matrix of equity and cohesion. Furthermore, we argued the limitation and advantages of the model to its implementation capacity for the Geo-mining heritage and low-urbanized spatial settings. The empirical findings from an ongoing project about accessibility to territorial knowledge and services in the Iglesiente area, currently in progress, allow us to test and adjust the methodological framework in the next steps.

Smart Dashboard and Slow Tourism. A Case Study of2 Santa Barbara Walk (Sulcis – Iglesiente, Sardinia, 3 Italy)

“…Within the debate on urban walkability [39,18], according to Blečić et al (2015) [40], the authors have rethought the definition of walkability adapting it to the peculiarities of the SBW, inserted in a extra-urban environment, marked by elements from the former industrial processes of considerable landscape value, together with the physical properties of the path and the reference context.…”

“…The area of Sulcis -Iglesiente, located in the South-Western part of Sardinia (Italy), went through a phase of economic conversion based on sustainable slow tourism development [14][15][16][17] referred to abandoned mines [18,19]. This is the part of cultural tourism that arises from the reinterpretation, conservation and enhancement of the material and immaterial mining heritage [20].…”

A Dashboard for Supporting Slow Tourism in Green Infrastructures. A Methodological Proposal in Sardinia (Italy)

“…This classification then allowed us to elaborate two indexes for each stage: The walkability index (WI), and the attractiveness index (AI). Within the debate on urban walkability [22,71], according to Blečić et al (2015) [72], we have rethought the definition of walkability, adapting it to the peculiarities of the SBW, inserted in an extra-urban environment, marked by elements from the former industrial processes of considerable landscape value, together with the physical properties of the path and the reference context. As a prerequisite for the realization of the dashboard, and therefore as a knowledge instrument for managers and planners, we hereby propose a walkability index (WI).…”

Green Infrastructure and Slow Tourism. A Methodological Approach for Mining Heritage Accessibility in the Sulcis-Iglesiente Bioregion (Sardinia, Italy)

“…This is what is emerging in the Sulcis-Iglesiente bioregion, located in the South-Western part of the Autonomous Region of Sardinia (Sardinia Region) in Italy, went through a phase of economic conversion based on sustainable slow tourism development [8][9][10] referred to abandoned mines [11].…”