Mapping Local Perceptions for the Planning of Cultural Landscapes

Abstract

Local perceptions in the definition of cultural landscapes have been on the radar of the scientific community for a long time, but very few studies have focused on integrating this information into heritage and planning practices. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate, with a practical example, how to do so through a Public Participation GIS (PPGIS) application. In this study, a landscape approach and participatory mapping framework were tailored to a case study area in the south of Italy, where an online map-based survey was shared with the public. The survey results illustrate how the application effectively brought to the fore local heritage perceptions as relevant sources for future potential spatial planning strategies.