Strategie di Valorizzazione del Patrimonio Proto-Industriale della Calce in Basilicata. Valorization Strategies for Basilicata’s Lime Proto-industrial Heritage.

Calchere, the traditional vertical lime kilns characteristic of Basilicata and other Italian regions, constitute a significant example of proto-industrial heritage that illustrates the historical interplay between human settlement, environmental context, and natural resource management. Despite their cultural and technological relevance, most of these structures are currently abandoned, lacking both legal protection and systematic documentation. This research develops an integrated methodological framework for their sustainable valorization, combining heritage conservation, environmental education, and territorial development. The proposed approach draws on the case study of La Cal de Morón (Andalusia, Spain), a UNESCO-recognized model of living lime heritage, to outline strategies for the controlled reactivation of traditional kilns as functional laboratories for vocational training, material experimentation, and the production of low-impact lime-based materials. Within the broader context of circular economy principles and sustainable innovation, the study emphasizes the potential of such initiatives to generate socio-economic value, foster community participation, and reinforce local identity through the preservation and contemporary reinterpretation of material culture.