Santa Maria d’Anglona. L’uso del GIS: le caratteristiche vegetazionali, paesaggistiche e storiche

Abstract

The apparent features of a rural landscape are the final results of the interaction of several natural and anthropic factors.
The analysis of a landscape can be improved when useful information regarding its modifications over a wide time period is available, so as to assess the effect of the transformations that have taken place there. The implementation within a Geographic Information System (GIS) of data derived from ancient historical maps, combined with modern digital cartography, may provide a very powerful tool for a better-informed analysis. With the purpose of detecting the land use changes in a typical rural landscape in the Basilicata Region (Southern Italy), spatial analysis using GIS tools was implemented. The multi-temporal analysis was carried out to investigate the landscape structure transformations through the assessment of land use change and the implementation of a methodology for the identification of areas in which there has been a natural evolution of the rural landscape.