A new perspective for Sicily inner areas for a harmonized human-environment approach

The aim of this paper is to reflect on the crisis of the relationship between the city and its environment and to propose a new approach aimed at the heritage care and enhance-ment, starting from the analysis of the settlement principles and the relationship with the land-scape. The field of investigation is the area of the Erei mountains in central Sicily, and the town of Leonforte is well suited as a case study, offering a high potential for an integrated enhancement of local resources. The development of the town over the past sixty years led to a depletion of the relationship with the surrounding landscape and environment. While the new suburb was spread-ing, the spotlight on the historic district went out. The approach proposed in this paper aims at exploiting the potential of the town, believing that the care and enhancement of the historical heritage and the old district can trigger beneficial effects to face the problem of depopulation and reverse the overall land consumption and the negative trends that characterize the inland areas.