Locality Management through Cultural Diversity THE CASE OF THE MAJELLA NATIONAL PARK, ITALY

To get the support of local communities for the Majella National Park in the Italian Abruzzo region, the park administration decided to celebrate the relationship between human activity and nature. This was to be done through developing a new rural culture. Using the memories and reminiscences of local inhabitants, and involving farmers in the reintroduction of fruits, vegetables and cereals that had formerly been grown in the area, local communities were encouraged to take an active part in landscape management. This study addresses how the promotion of local food was employed as a strategy to gain support for management regimes. The results indicate that the initiation of localized food production served to realize the political goals for sustainability and rural development. However, while those farmers, shop-keepers and restaurateurs who have been involved in management concur with the strategies for safeguarding natural and cultural heritage, other entrepreneurs feel marginalized and undervalued, becoming more skeptical of the park with the passage of time.