Assessment of the Terraced Landscapes’ Integrity: A GIS-Based Approach in a Potential GIAHS-FAO Site (Northwest Piedmont, Italy)

Abstract

The GIAHS-FAO program enhances the agricultural systems coevolved with humans through their dynamic conservation to guarantee the livelihood of future generations. The aim of this research was to assess, with a dynamic perspective, the terraced landscape’s integrity in a potential GIAHS-FAO site (Northwest Piedmont, Italy, 545 ha) characterized by a pergola caremiese vine-breeding technique. We developed a GIS-based approach to explore the main features that can affect the landscape’s integrity, starting from the changes of the land use. The aerial IGMI images (1954–1968) and the AGEA (2018) orthophoto were photo-interpreted using QGIS 3.16.2 “Hannover” (minimum mappable unit 100 m2). The results showed that 70.16% of the historical landscape was preserved, while the surface of vineyards decreased because of their abandonment. We observed that vineyards are the land use that requires more attention in future planning strategies, and that the landscape’s integrity is affected by the limited introduction of non-traditional vine-breeding techniques (espaliers) and new crops (olives groves). The methodology was able to assess the terraced landscape’s integrity in a dynamic perspective. The good integrity makes the study area a potential GIAHS-FAO site. Future planning strategies will have to lead the changing processes and preserve the landscape’s integrity.