Globalization, cheap lemons and the crumbling away of a world heritage site

Globalization and production outsourcing have been blamed for many woes - Donald J. Trump's recent attacks on China being a classic of the genre - but I've never seen a story this week linking cheap foreign fruit to the possible destruction of one of the world's most iconic world heritage sites.

The Amalfi Coast, located in southern Italy in the Province of Salerno, was inscribed on UNESCO's world heritage list in 1997. With its picturesque villages and dramatic landscape, the region has long been a favourite destination for both Italian and foreign tourists.

Amalfi Coast (photo credit: Gilbert Bochenek

However, leading geologists have reportedly issued a warning that the coastal zone is at risk of crumbling into the sea. The problem is that the region's lemon farmers, who have built and maintained a system of stone retaining walls known as "lemon terraces" over hundreds of years, are abandoning their groves as lemon cultivation becomes a losing proposition in the face of cheaper lemons grown abroad.

The impact, according to geologists, is a mounting risk of landslides, and with it the natural beauty on which the region's world heritage designation and associated tourism depends.

Lemon orchard, Amalfi Coast (photo credit: Jensens)

Without wishing to romanticize what is undoubtedly back-breaking and sometimes dangerous work, it is sad to think that traditional lemon farming on the Amalfi Coast is disappearing, and with it the distinct character, history and perhaps even the physical landscape of a uniquely beautiful region.

Italy caps visitors to Cinque Terre in a victory for local residents

Designated a world heritage site in 1997, the stretch of coast between Cinque Terre and Portovenere in Italy's Liguria Region has some of the world's most picturesque villages and most striking landscape.

However, as reported on this blog last October, the region's beauty has proven something of a curse for the local population, as tourist numbers have skyrocketed following the establishment of a cruise ship terminal nearby.

Cinque Terre, Liguria (credit: Idéfix-commonswiki)

In a victory for those opposed to mass tourism in Cinque Terre, Italian authorities have announced this week that that they will limit visitors to the area through a ticketing system that will stop access to the area once a pre-defined maximum has been reached. In doing so, authorities hope to reduce the number of visitors from 2.5 million last year to 1.5 million in 2016.

I expect community groups adversely affected by mass tourism elsewhere will be watching this initiative this with interest.

Newly restored buildings opened to the public at Pompei

As reported previously on this blog, the famed Roman archaeological site at Pompei has been focus of a major restoration project over the past three years which has not exactly proceeded according to plan.

However, Italian authorities had something celebrate this week with the unveiling of six newly restored buildings at Pompei. The buildings, which include bathhouses and intricate mosaics, were opened to the public on Christmas Eve. A slideshow featuring photos of one of the buildings, the luxurious Fullonica Stephanus Domus, have been posted here by CNN.

Already one of the most visited tourist attractions in Italy, Pompei is likely to attract even more visitors in the coming months thanks to the tangible results being achieved through the restoration process.

Commercialism and conservation go head-to-head in Florence

If more proof were needed of the fine line between politics and cultural heritage, one need look no further than the furore that has erupted in Florence following the receet disclosure of a letter sent by UNESCO to Italian authorities. Echoing concerns that have already been voiced locally for some time, the letter raised concerns regarding the sale of historical palaces, the impact of large-scale infrastructure projects, including a high-speed train, and the lack of a tourism strategy for one Italy's most picturesque cities.

While it is difficult anywhere to get the balance right between preservation on the one hand and commerce on the other, unfortunately the lure of unbridled commercialism is particularly hard to resist where massive tourist volumes provide the temptation of easy money to individuals and businesses alike.

Not so Great Pompei Project

One of the most visited archaeological sites in the world, Pompei - in southern Italy near Naples - is at once a testament to the destructive power of volcanism (the site was engulfed by burning pumice and ash in 79 CE) and the complexity and sophistication of Roman civilization. 

Sadly however Pompei has suffered from mismanagement and corruption over the years, notwithstanding its importance to Italy in historical and economic terms. In an effort to counter the effects of this mismanagement, which include collapsed arches and sagging walls, in 2012 the European Union pledged EUR78 million in support of the grandiosely named "Great Pompei Project." However, as recently reported by Reuters, the funding commitment runs out at the end of December 2015, and to date only 20 percent of the money has been spent.

Faced with the prospect of losing tens of millions of Euros, managers overseeing the project are ramping up their restoration and preservation work, for example by hiring 20 additional technicians to work at the site.

While it remains to be seen whether a deal can be struck with the EU to extend the deadline by which funds must be used, the poor planning which led to this flurry of last minute activity hardly leaves one confident in local authorities' management skills, let alone the quality of the remedial work being done.

Coastal villages of Cinque Terre on Italy's Ligurian coast overwhelmed by mass tourism

The Telegraph newspaper reported this week that residents of the Italian coastal village of Cinque Terre feel overwhelmed by mass tourism in their region. The area surrounding Cinque Terre has been designated a world heritagesite on account of its "landscape of exceptional scenic quality that illustrates a traditional way of life that has existed for a thousand years".

However, with the establishment of a cruise ship terminal in nearby La Spezia the number of tourists has skyrocketed, congesting local streets and transportation networks, overwhelming refuse collection and leading to a widespread problem of public urination in back gardens and in doorways. Residents are expressing their unhappiness through an online petition, "Save the Cinque Terre from Mass Tourism", which calls for the number of visitors to the region to be managed better.

While the cruise industry was reportedly "saddened" to learn of residents' unhappiness, there is no word yet on what concrete steps if any the industry will take to address local concerns.