Osservatori Locali del Paesaggio in Emilia Romagna Sguardo in prospettiva

The paper comes back to the topic of Landscape Observatories, retracing the cultural premises that, since 2008, have encouraged a proliferation of institutional and spontaneous initiatives across Europe. Two different approaches have been experimented with and progressively refined: the first is quantitative, involving the development of indicators that pursue a scientific perspective of the landscape as a fragmentable reality, and the second draws on the tradition of regional geography, yielding more narrative- descriptive outcomes. Due to the impact on territories caused by globalization, climate change, advancements in communication technologies, population growth, and the increasingly established practice of monitoring through integrated approaches, interpreting the landscape requires a more nuanced vocabulary. From this perspective, the focus is on the activities of the Regional Landscape Quality Observatory of EmiliaRomagna and the network of current local Observatories operating within the region's boundaries. In conclusion, four monitoring themes are identified, connected to specific local characteristics that can contribute to the development of quality landscapes rooted in local identity. The iconographic apparatus is sourced from the "Landscapes to Live" research project, promoted by six Local Action Groups (GAL) in Emilia-Romagna, and compares the historical evolution of some identity-defining places within the regional territory.