Geosite of Fiume Piccolo, Puglia: Innovative Technologies for Natural Heritage Monitoring

This study aims to enhance natural heritage through detailed monitoring aimed at evaluating ongoing environmental dynamics and anthropic impacts on fragile coastal ecosystems, with particular attention to dune ecosystems and back-dune ponds in Southern Italy. The integration of remote sensing technologies, such as thermal cameras and geospa- tial data, has made it possible to identify underground water sources that are useful for characterizing and monitoring the water regime of the targeted area. Through modelling software, different methods of assessing the environmental state, aimed at identifying the best sustainable practices that can be implemented in these fragile ecosystems, are also proposed. The presented multidisciplinary approach demonstrates how science and technology can support the sustainable management of protected areas, with positive implications for environmental protection and local development, and the adoption of best practices, inspired by international models, that can promote the conservation of biodiversity and the valorization of historical heritage.