Marginality versus Resilience. Opportunities of Inner Areas' Territorial Heritage: the Case of Valle del Giovenco-Valle Roveto

The Italian territory is characterized by a widespread system of rural historical sites, which bear witness to unique settlement processes and socio-cultural models linked to a predominantly agro-pastoral economy. Today, this heritage is marked by conditions of marginalization and fragility. Rural historical sites contribute to forming a "territorial heritage", a set of cultural and natural, tangible and intangible resources that can be enhanced through sustainable regeneration interventions. In the current debate, regeneration is primarily associated with urban contexts, but it is crucial to adapt this concept to small rural centers by adopting a resilience-based approach. The research is funded by the Territorial Cohesion Agency and focuses on the municipalities of the "Valle del Giovenco – Valle Roveto" inner area, identified by the National Strategy for Inner Areas (SNAI). The objective is to develop an assessment tool for resilience parameters to support local administrations in managing existing built heritage, guiding strategies and actions for a sustainable and resilient regeneration of small centers in inner areas. As part of the adopted methodology, this paper illustrates the territorial, natural and built, heritage of this area and the tools used for surveying it. The aim is to identify the potential resources of the territory and define regeneration strategies capable of mitigating existing critical issues, in line with the planning instruments already in place or under development.