Integrated approach in the planning stage for landscape conservation in the coastal Italian areas

Abstract

This paper analyzes the relationships between 'biodiversity conservation' and 'landscape quality aims' in the coastal area of the Molise Region in Italy, in order to provide useful tools for spatial planning choices. The fine-tuning of our methodology is the result of the substantial experience in research matured by the L.a.co.s.t.a. laboratory. Our research on regional coastal territory as embodied in the GES.S.TER Project, through the use of GIS software for spatial analysis, wants to reconstruct the main changes in the geography of the coastal zone such as the change of the coastline, variations in the river mouths and stretches of coastline erosion. It also wants to investigate major changes due to the settlement of the territory along the coast especially in relation to tourism activities.