Dynamic mapping of seasonal landscape phenomena across Italy’s inner areas

This contribution focuses on the mapping of seasonal landscape qualities across Italy’s inner areas, by exploiting the potential of the integration of Remote Sensing (RS) and Geographic Information System (GIS), which can support interactive Web-based Map (WbM) applications with the main aim to provide firstly the knowledge of these territories and secondly support the engagement of new territorial development strategies oriented to sustainable tourism. Specifically, the research provides an overview of the Dynamic Mapping Methodology (DMM), which enables showing seasonal landscape phenomena both at large-scale and small-scale contexts, by exploiting the potential of multispectral satellite and UAV-based imagery acquisition. By considering that inner areas are largely defined by ‘voids’, extensive natural, semi-natural, and agricultural landscapes, this research seeks to uncover the hidden potential of these territories, resulting from seasonal landscape expressions derived from colour changes. Specifically, it aims to develop a visual tool which can support decision makers to establish strategies oriented to increase the attractiveness of some marginal places, promoting them as unconventional destinations to be experienced at specific times of the year. In this perspective, by exploring, at the national level, the landscape features across inner areas, the research shows some of the applications of DMM to different case studies, matching potentialities, limitations and future development.