CONSIDERATIONS REGARDING THE PLANNING OF PROTECTED AREAS ARISING FROM A STUDY OF THE TUSCANIA NATURAL RESERVE (CENTRAL ITALY)

Following the increase in protected territories over recent years, emphasis has been laid on improving nature conservation and management effectiveness. In particular, special attention has been given to areas where the interaction between people and the environment has produced a distinct character, rich in both ecological and cultural values. Such areas are known as Protected Landscapes and require a special planning and management focus, in which relevant weight is given to local people. The aim of this research is to present a planning process case study in central Italy (Tuscania, north of Rome), where the protected area plan tackles nature conservation and environmental concerns (i.e. water quality, soil conservation, landscape restoration etc.). The results are of general interest because they are the fruit of an experience in debating and improving both the plan’s contents and planning methods. In particular, they show: i) the primary role of local people in the various phases of planning, including delicate decisions such as the park’s limits and its buffer area; ii) that a protected area plan should not be strictly prescriptive, but should have the role of a strategic master plan; iii) that the protected area policy should be emphasised in the park regulations document, rather than in rigid territorial zoning.