Beyond the Nature–Heritage Divide: A Biocultural Perspective on Historic Urban Landscapes

Although contemporary policies promote renaturing approaches to address emerging urban challenges, the nature–heritage divide continues to influence management practices in historic urban centers, where vegetation is often perceived as a threat rather than a structural component. Drawing on the Historic Urban Landscape approach and the concept of biocultural heritage, the paper supports the interpretation of the historic city as the outcome of co-evolutionary processes between ecological systems, cultural practices, and the built environment. Through the comparison between Milan and recent strategies implemented in Paris, the paper highlights both barriers and potentials of a dynamic reading of urban heritage, capable of integrating transformation, climate adaptation, and historical continuity. Within this perspective, urban design emerges as a mediating tool between ecological systems, urban form, and social practices, fostering renewed relationships between memory and future.