Naturalistic engineering for erosion mitigation

Abandonment and agricultural mechanization of the Mediterranean internal areas have caused profound hydrogeomorphological instability with phenomena of severe soil erosion and landslides. In fact, the ecological fragility of the hily and mountainous Mediterranean landscapes has been heavily affected in recent decades by the reduced human presence. The depopulation of the internal areas has been accompanied by the degradation of a rural system oriented towards good agroforestry practices and the maintenance of large areas of meadows and pastures. The incipient agricultural mechanization of lands with sloping positions has increased the arable surface area. This, together with the reduced attention to cover crops and hydraulic, agricultural and forestry systems, has caused widespread hydrological instability. Italy is strongly affected by these problems due to the high percentage of territory represented by internal areas. A radical and shared conversion of these rural systems in disarray is now urgent.