Gran Paradiso National Park - Valle d’Aosta Autonomous Region
As the Aosta Valley is a mountainous region, it is difficult to provide adequate services and to maintain the population in the valleys, especially in the small villages, and to foster their economic development, particularly in tourism.
New technologies offer an opportunity for the local development of territories, to populate/repopulate mountain areas through new jobs and professions that can be carried out remotely. This has given rise to the phenomena of remote work and digital nomads. A further possibility is offered by technologies to develop the active participation of the population through citizen science and other e-citizenship activities. Finally, technology can contribute to the digital transformation of local culture and identity by transmitting and at the same time transmuting local knowledge.
Main focus
Natural Parks
Challenges addressed
Develop and test the Smart Community approach and how to exploit technologies to strengthen local Alpine identity, where there is a strong heritage/connection with the natural resources of the territory: the case of Communities living in National Parks (Lighthouse test area) and regional parks/protected areas (Follower test area).
Pilot solutions
1) “Workcation” for digital nomads: exploring new interactions between work and holiday time for workers and tourists, developing a concept for a new model of hospitality in natural and protected areas that favors the creation of new potential digital workers and the development of related coworking spaces;
2) Digital technologies to promote local products and their authenticity: explore the interaction between tourists/habitants/producers, promote and communicate local and protected area products, exploiting digital technologies for the promotion, tracking and creation of short supply chains;
3) Active involvement in the protection of natural resources and Participatory Science: exploring the interaction between natural areas and their inhabitants to involve them in biodiversity protection and awareness-raising, e.g. through initiatives using apps for biodiversity monitoring (e.g. iNaturalist);
4) Community and cultural heritage: exploring the possible interactions between older and newer generations to defend and hand down the cultural heritage of communities through digitization supporting the elderly population in using new digital technologies and access to PA services;
5) Digitally connected shared spaces: to explore the possible interactions between physical and digital spaces and how it is possible to provide the population with places where on the one hand they can receive support for services and practices in digital mode, and on the other hand these places can also be points where innovative practices can be implemented.
Fontanabuona Valley – Anci Liguria
The Lighthouse test area is the municipality of Cogorno which is one of the access gates to Fontanabuona Valley (Follower Test area). The “Val Fontanabuona” is one of the main valleys of the Metropolitan City of Genoa, it includes 15 municipalities, occupies a surface of 249,37 km² with a population of 28.844 inhabitants. The municipality of Cogorno extends for about 9 km2, gathers 5.689 inhabitants and is 3 km from the sea. It is a municipality of intermediate size in a suburban area characterized by a more urbanized part in the flat area and a hilly area with a more rural vocation.
Fontanabuona Valley is known for the artisan activities linked to the carpentry sector, as well as for the extraction and processing of slate. In the lower valley near the river, where large-scale distribution companies, industries in the agri-food and floricultural sectors are found. There are very diversified companies, but solid and largely innovative, some at the cutting edge, others are niche in the craft sector. The hilly area of the valley has agricultural activities, a traditional weaving company and outdoor tourism activities.
Main focus
Job orientation through gamification
Challenges addressed
The main challenge is to connect the Follower Test Areas Fontanabuona Valley’s secondary schools with the Villaggio del Ragazzo training centre (in the Municipality of Cogorno, Lighthouse Test Area) through a smart orientation tool, also thanks to the use of digital games to promote future environmental education paths for young people.
Pilot solutions
1)Pilot solutions are developed by the stakeholder group during the meetings that are taking place and will take place in the future.
2)The “Water Portal”, a recently built eco-sustainable structure in the Municipality of Cogorno, becomes a hub for training and educational initiatives. It facilitates research programs in the agricultural and environmental fields, including digital tools for an improved learning experience.
The project structures a system of orientation to technical professions related to environmental sustainability, using digital tools, including gamification.
The objectives that are being pursued are the support in choosing the training path, the prevention of school dropout, the development of transversal skills, knowledge of the labor market, “tailor-made” training path.
The project involves the co-creation of immersive environments through virtual and immersive experiences, augmented reality and recreational-educational experiences, to arouse curiosity and support the choice of school and work paths suited to the inclinations and abilities of third-year secondary school students.
