Alta Murgia, Italy
Case Study site features
Alta Murgia Park is a National Protected Area in the southern peninsular region of Puglia, Italy, at an elevation of 285 to 680 meters above sea level. Renowned for its unique karst landscape and rich biodiversity, the park represents a blend of natural and agricultural environments.
In this area, the land is utilized for a variety of purposes, including crop cultivation, livestock grazing, and the preservation of natural grasslands, woodlands, and orchards.
The region experiences a Mediterranean climate, characterized by a mean annual air temperature of 15 °C. Average annual precipitation measures approximately 650 mm, while the evapotranspiration rate reaches 1,030 mm. The climatic conditions influence the area’s vegetation patterns and agricultural productivity, posing challenges for water management and sustainable farming practices.
0.50 indicating Semi-Arid to Dry Sub-Humid Climate
Aridity Index (AI) is a measure used to assess the dryness of a region by comparing the amount of precipitation (rainfall) to potential evapotranspiration (the water loss from soil and plants).
Aridity Index is calculated as the ratio of annual precipitation to potential evapotranspiration.
Lower values indicate drier conditions, with very low values representing arid or desert-like environments.
The aridity index is essential in climate studies, water management, and agriculture, as it helps classify climates and assess water availability.
In Alta Murgia Park the main LDD drivers are land use intensification, leading to biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation, land abandonment, wildfires, and mining, which contributes to soil contamination.
LDD drivers
Land degradation and desertification drivers are factors that lead to land deterioration and loss of productivity.
LDD drivers include natural causes, drought, and human activities, such as deforestation, overgrazing, and unsustainable farming. These drivers reduce soil fertility, increase erosion, and harm vegetation, making land more prone to degradation.
Ecological restoration of grassland-based habitats through harvesting and seeding of plant materials
Conservation agriculture practices
Green infrastructure
Innovative grazing systems
Nature-Based Solutions
(NBS)
Nature-based solutions use natural processes and ecosystems to address challenges like climate change and land degradation.
Examples include reforestation and cover cropping, which improve environmental resilience and provide benefits like water filtration and habitat preservation.
Co-Design (CoD)
Co-design involves stakeholders working together to plan and create solutions, ensuring that local needs, knowledge, and values shape the outcome.
This approach fosters community ownership and relevance of the solution.
Co-Implementation (CoI)
Co-implementation is the shared execution of a plan by stakeholders, with each actively participating in putting the solution into action.
This approach builds capacity and strengthens commitment to the project’s success.
Livestock farmers
Farmers’ unions
National Park Organization
Groups of local National Park-friendly Farms
Regional Ministers for Agriculture and Environment
Alta Murgia landscapes and solutions
