Integrated Remote Sensing and 3D GIS Methodology to Strengthen Public Participation and Identify Cultural Resources

Abstract

In the context of territorial development, the construction of specific and competitive local resources is based on the identification of their intangible and material elements but also their links to the region. The connection between these links and local heritage, along with their spatial dimension, makes the active participation of residents in the entire process necessary. This paper presents the application of an integrated methodology that fosters the involvement of residents in a process of collecting relevant implicit information, with the assistance of experts, in order to identify cultural resources from different historical periods. This methodology is based on the synergy of three components: interdisciplinarity, local community participation, and the use of non-destructive cutting-edge technologies (remote sensing, UAV mapping, ground-penetrating radar, and 3D GIS interactive representations). The use of various methods and tools is organized in successive phases, the objective being the substantial participation of residents through 3D interactive visualisations of their area. 3D representations enable the activation of local memory in conjunction with the collection of information regarding location, type, and traces of cultural resources. The entire process validates the implicit information that guides the competent authorities and experts in the further search for more precise information, both from satellite data (high-resolution images) and images from subsurface mapping (ground-penetrating radar). The proposed methodology significantly accelerates the process of identifying cultural resources and provides a comprehensive picture to local government and cultural institutions about the area’s cultural resources and planning possibilities while reducing the failures and costs of the research process.