Integrating cultural heritage and protected areas: case study of Cultural Routes in the Abruzzo Region

This case study revolves around exploring the “Cammini degli Altipiani” project in the Abruzzo Region (Italy), affected by the 2009 earthquake. Encompassing the four Cultural Routes (CRs) across 42 municipalities, the CRs are located within Protected Areas (PAs), comprising two National Parks and one Regional Park. Aiming to increase the area’s attractiveness and economic growth, these CRs promote historical, cultural, and natural heritage. The research adopts a GIS-based methodology to identify points of interest, focusing on historical, architectural, and natural sites within a 2 km buffer around the cultural routes. The CRs can be a bridge between cultural heritage and PAs, prioritizing the importance of preserving, understanding, and disseminating practices that support sustainable development and resilience while playing an important role in public awareness regarding biodiversity and habitat conservation. We aim to show that CRs contribute to the preservation of Cultural Ecosystem Services (CES), raising local economic development and enhancing environmental education, ecotourism, and cultural heritage conservation within PAs.