La riqualificazione delle attività estrattive dismesse nella Valle del Rio della Rocca (Re): un progetto tra fruizione e conservazione

The aim of this project is to deal with the issue of the requalification of abandoned extractive areas, through the case study of Rio della Rocca Valley in Castellarano (Reggio Emilia), which has been a Site of Community Importance since 1995. What is peculiar to these areas is the coexistence of several significant aspects such as industrial history, flora and fauna of a region; consequently, quarry areas represent much more than empty spaces in the landscape. There is the urgent need to renovate and requalify the area we are taking into examination, which is nowadays, as the mining activities ceased, in a general state of disrepair. Our purpose is to plan a system that allows the coexistence of the previously mentioned aspects with recreational fruition, in order to revitalize the area. Thanks to this system, the quarries will no longer be cut off on the borders of the valley, but they will be naturally linked to the nearby areas. Hence, some paths and elements of the area, as for instance the artifacts of industrial archeology, will continue to be proper attractions for visitors who are aware of the value of preservation