Complexity in Action? Fringe Agro-forest Systems, Demography and Societal Transformations in Mediterranean Peri-urban Areas

Abstract

Urban expansion and the preservation of fringe landscapes are interconnected issues. This article discusses on the relation between landscape and peri-urban agriculture and the possible implications of sustainable land management for fringe land quality proposing a framework to evaluate the latent nexus between agro-forest systems and human settlements in southern Europe. Eco-sustainable planning integrated with multifaceted research and policy dimensions (e.g. social, economic, cultural and political issues) characterizing Mediterranean peri-urban areas is a relevant approach to urban fringe sustainability. Permanent assessment of these factors allows for the implementation of different development scenarios. The present study contributes to systemic and multi-scaling approaches informing environmental policies, with the aim of achieving an integrated management of peri-urban agricultural landscapes