Terrace Abandonment Hazards in a Mediterranean Cultural Landscape

Abstract

The phenomenon of the abandonment of terraced landscapes compromises environmental well-being and is a preamble to hydrological instability and, consequently, the collapse of terrace retaining walls, soil erosion, and loss of agricultural lands. These problems will escalate in the coming years because of climate change (CC), especially in areas in which a rise in rainfall events is expected, such as the coastline of the Campania region, which is exposed to extreme rainfall events. This study identifies a landscape management guideline for Crapolla Fiord on the Amalfi coast (Campania region), a typical cultural landscape characterized by the presence of archaeological ruins. Potential hazards were evaluated and quantified, taking into account the flow rate and the rain intensity both at the mountainside and microbasin scale. This study shows that potential hazards have increased because of the loss of terraces and may further increase due to the abandonment of agriculture. This paper points out that supporting measures are necessary in areas in which agricultural land use is still present and that the introduction of small interventions designed to raise the infiltration capacity of the soil and/or to regenerate vegetation in areas in which terraces have been lost is a best practice.