Interraced Net project - Interreg Italy-Swizerland program

The area of interest of InTERRACED-NET is represented by the terraced landscape, typical of the cross-border territory. The terraces, made with dry stone containment walls, were not born as landscape elements but represented the response to the adversities of the territory by the populations living in unfavorable environments. The terracing technique allowed to increase the cultivable areas, facilitating water management and preventing hydrogeological instability.

In recent decades, the neglect and poor maintenance of these areas in the Alpine regions, has often involved the reduction of productive soil, the increase of hydrogeological risk and the loss of heritage and cultural and historical identity. The focus of InTERRACED-NET is precisely the activation of participatory processes, transversal to geographical boundaries and capable of generating actions of government and protection of a common good. The objective will be to restore "life" and attractiveness to marginal territories where only agricultural and rural activities are no longer competitive and sufficient for survival.

Through the analysis of the "Landscape Charter", a preliminary tool to the action plan, the thematic characteristics of the actions on the reference territories will be defined. The cognitive, narrative and technical heritage of the terraces, obtained in the preliminary phases of the project, has originated a Networking of content that will return current and available through workshops and educational models aimed at trainers, operators tourism/ environmental, technical-professional associations, maintainers and managers of the territory.

9 partners (7 Italians and 2 Swiss) participating in the project; among them one leader per nation and precisely the Authority for the Management of the Regional Park of Montevecchia and Valle del Curone in the province of Lecco as ITALIAN LEADER and the Polo Poschiavo, in the canton of Graubünden, as SWISS LEADER.
The other partners are: The Ossola Protected Areas Management Authority and the Val Grande National Park in Verbano Cusio Ossola, the Lario Intelvese Forest Consortium (CO), the Monte Barro Park (LC), the Fojanini Foundation of Higher Agricultural Studies (SO), the Cervim (Research Centre, Studies, Safeguarding, Coordination and Enhancement for Mountain Viticulture) of Aymavilles (AO) and the Mont Grand Landscape Foundation, Soazza (Canton Graubünden).

Thanks to InTERRACED-net takes shape a contemporary concept of "Network of places" capable of recovering a common identity and heritage. The "Network" will allow, in an organic way, to promote and make accessible also in a tourist key expressive initiatives of the multiple potentialities of the cross-border terraced territory: cultural and theatrical events, packages of stay in relation to events and activities, trekking and excursions, as well as educational paths for schools. Not to be neglected is the valorization of the typical and enogastronomic productions; the agricultural terraces thanks to their sunny and favorable exposure could become home to experimental crops and valuable capable of affecting the markets of quality food and catering.

With the launch of the communication plan of the project, in addition to the reference website, will be active social profiles, a timely press office activity and the creation of periodic informative newsletters. In the months to come, in the territories covered by the program, the actions and projects will start according to a chronoprogram that will end in May 2022 and that aims to consolidate the brand "Terraced Landscape".