Abstract
Living and working in the mountains is more challenging, especially in rural and marginalized areas, because of the specific physical characteristics of mountain territories. In the Alps, many of them are currently characterised by several criticalities such as a general demographic and economic decline, remoteness from centres, increasing lack of Services of General interest and social exclusion.
Despite that, mountainous areas are often rich in natural resources and cultural values and characterized by strong and hardworking small communities that have developed their own sustainable strategy for using scarce resources and adapting to the harsh conditions in rural territories.
The resilience of these communities must be encouraged and supported to preserve this heritage, enhance local economic and social development and to overcome challenges related to the natural circumstances.
The authors will present and compare the examples from two Italian Alpine communities, with different administrative and socio-economic backgrounds, that are involved in the implementation of specific bottom-up development strategies and territorial projects.
The first example refers to the Community of Val di Seren del Grappa (Municipality of Seren del Grappa), located in the Venetian Prealps in the Province of Belluno; the second one refers to the Community of Montagne (Municipality of Tre Ville), in the Autonomous Province of Trento.
Eurac Research support and monitor these actions and implementations. The two examples will be analysed to compare the methodological approaches, the interaction techniques and to highlight the differences and similarities.
The authors’ aim is to foster the academic discussion on the possibilities to strengthen these innovative processes of self-sustainable development through specific territorial policies supporting associated projects and actions in the medium and long term.