Landscape protection and tourist valorisation of the cultural and natural heritage of the unesco site of Matera (Italy)

The use of advanced technological tools may considerably support the protection of landscapes with high cultural and naturalistic value, since they allow the implementation of multidisciplinary information, which may reveal crucial for a sound management of sites representing an heritage of outstanding value. In the present paper, a special analysis has been focused on the UNESCO site of the City of Matera, located in the Basilicata region (Southern Italy), where some protected habitats (Natura2000 areas) still coexist with a considerable number of cultural sites, earning to this location the role of European Cultural Capital in 2019. Suitable conservation strategies, focused to preserve the natural and cultural landscape, which may be affected by increasing touristic flows, are then necessary. A Geographical Information System of Matera's tourist routes, starting from already existing ancient paths, was implemented to develop new public recreation activities without negatively affecting the surrounding landscape. A specific database was therefore designed for the Matera landscape, which has been implemented with the dual purpose to be a useful tool for planning a sound management of the landscape structures and, through the implementation of a Web-GIS, to create new opportunities for enjoying the urbanized territory in close contact with natural landscapes.