Abstract :
[en] "The sixth webinar was focused on territory and local development. The Babel Tower hosted Tim Schauwecker, professor of landscape architecture in U.S.A. His interest for landscape history has the purpose of generating specifications for habitat restoration and ecological design. In his presentation, Schauwecker highlighted the role and importance of historical maps, historical survey documents and their use in ecological design. This set of information is very useful today for the management and restoration of river basins. As an example, Schauwecker explained a current engaged research project in the Catalpa Basin. Working with local farmers, he is using this set of historical information as a means for generating new restoration project. As such, Schauwecker has shown as this particular type of heritage (historical surveys and maps) can be used for ecological design processes today with the involvement of local actors.
Still from U.S.A., the Babel Tower hosted Katherine Lambert-Pennington, Associate Professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Memphis and Director of the School of Urban Affairs and Public Policy. Lambert-Pennington presented a reflection based on her fieldwork in suburban Sydney, where she lived and conducted ethnographic research in La Perouse. Her presentation proposed to trace the relationship between place and identity and how these connections can give elements for understanding what she defines restorative attachment. The idea of restorative attachment refers to human-eco-solidarity in which identity, place and becoming shape representations of connections using a particular space, the resources of that space, and allows to see the potential in the context of a post-colonial nation like Australia.
Finally, the same webinar hosted Donatella Murtas, an Italian independent researcher that has been long devoted to ecomuseums and local development projects, with a focus on landscape, heritage interpretation and community involvement, at the national and international level. From 1996 to 1999, she was part of the first working team for the Ecomuseum laboratory at the Piedmont Region. She is the developer and coordinator of the Ecomuseo dei Terrazzamenti e della Vite, whose experience she has presented. Reflecting on her experience in relation with the topic of cultural heritage, she pointed out the importance of rethinking and reconstructing the meaning of places of life, stressing the importance of concepts like trust and credibility at the base of ecomuseums.
During the debate, Martina Barcelloni Corte – professor at the University of Liège, Research Unit of Art, Archaeology and Heritage – reminded the urgency of acting in response to climate change and ecological fragility, and ecomuseums could be a feasible way toward renewed directions in this respect." Giusy Pappalardo
