Ecosystem Services and Rural Innovation: The Liguria Region Case Study

The exploitation of environmental resources and the growth of urbanization significantly altered natural ecosystems, turning over time into socio-ecological systems strongly influenced by urban regions. Spatial structures and ecosystems are required to address a mutually reinforcing symbiosis with environment and natural resources that can no longer be postponed, so as to combine the conservation needs with the reduction of socio-economic inequalities. The case study concerns the Liguria Region, characterized by a strong polarization between linear coastal conurbation and hinterland. This territorial structure is responsible for the mismatch between areas that provide most of Ecosystem Services (ES) and those with the highest population and urbanization density, which, on the other hand, are configured as major demand poles. This paper therefore aims to analyze the relationship between environmental values, in terms of ecosystem multifunctionality, and forms of rural innovation that contribute to support territorial competitiveness. The aim is to explore how a systemic approach can foster opportunities for integration between inner and coastal areas, qualifying the valley systems as new components of the anthropic-environmental structure of the region.