Cultural Ecosystem Services in Rural Landscapes: A Regional Planning Perspective from Italy

This paper proposes an innovative methodological framework for integrating Cultural Ecosystem Services (CES) into landscape planning, with the aim of enhancing the conservation and adaptive management of rural historical landscapes. Grounded in the principles of the European Landscape Convention and the recent Nature Restoration Law, the study advocates for a shift from prescriptive and sectoral approaches toward performance-based and ecosystem-oriented models. The research focuses on the Marche Region (Italy), where the historical landscape shaped by the mezzadria (sharecropping) system provides a representative case for testing the proposed methodology. Six spatial layers have been selected as ecosystem-based indicators to identify new potential landscape CES’ hotspots as agricultural landscape high-value areas, and to redefine protection and management strategies. The analysis integrates historical, ecological, and cultural dimensions to construct a spatially explicit value matrix, supporting the definition of differentiated management zones. Results reveal the persistence of high landscape and ecosystem values in mid- and upper-hill areas, contrasted by the progressive loss of structural and functional diversity in lowland and peri-urban contexts. The findings highlight the need for more adaptive and flexible planning models, capable of incorporating nature-based actions, climate-smart agriculture, and performance-oriented evaluation criteria. The proposed approach demonstrates potential for replicability and policy integration, providing a decision-support framework to align landscape planning with rural development strategies and climate adaptation objectives. Despite limitations related to data availability and model simplification, the methodology contributes to the ongoing paradigm shift toward dynamic, evidence-based, and transdisciplinary landscape governance across Mediterranean regions.