Antropologia pubblica (2025). Vol. 2

Framed within the Horizon Europe BIOTraCes project, this study examines transformative biodiversity practices and participatory action research in Sicily's Simeto River Valley. Historically degraded by hydraulic engineering and intensive monocultures, the basin faces new socio-ecological pressures from the rapid expansion of industrial photovoltaic installations. Conducting multispecies ethnography, archival research, and collaborative GIS mapping alongside the Participatory Presidium of the Simeto River Agreement, the authors analyze local pathways toward socio-ecological restoration. The research highlights three main domains: civic stewardship via the Simeto Ecomuseum, regenerative permaculture practices by small-scale farmers, and critical bottom-up energy mapping to support democratic spatial planning and Renewable Energy Communities. By bridging tradition and innovation, the study illustrates how community-led initiatives resist environmental degradation and foster inclusive, nature-positive territorial governance.