The model

The research project has allowed to create a proposal of systematization of the decisive variables about the different kinds of “Parks” (thematic, historical, natural, archaeological park) in an analysis structured model. Through a deductive process of extrapolation of peculiarities taken from successful experiences on the national and international territory, it has been possible to describe an interpretative model. It can be used to compare the mentioned parks types and to define the new reality of “Culture Park”. This process, which brings to a specific model for the operative validation of the “culture park” itself, becomes essential in order to verify the coherence of the pre-existent experiences and plan a proposal of “culture park”.

Three macro-descriptors are useful for defining the “Culture park”:

structure qualifications: territorial and structural characteristics that the park must have, in order to be considered a “Culture” Park.
Objectives: goals and strategies pursued by the analysis; they characterize the analysis itself.
Constitution modalities: the formal organization needed for the creation of a culture park.

These concepts describe real frontiers of meaning, important to define a Culture Park:

it is an area particularly rich of meaningful and homogeneous natural and cultural values.
It preserves and reclaims natural and cultural places of the territory, in order to make their own evolution possible and foster the landscape harmony.
It stimulates the development of cultural systems of the area’s communities by giving importance to habits, customs, beliefs, works, artistic and linguistic products, myths, legends, popular festivals, food and wine traditions.
It promotes the social and economic development of the interested communities, and focus on cultural and ecological activities.
It develops social and scientific researches, training activities, cultural and environmental information.
It helps the incoming tourism and the recreational activities with respect for nature and the environment by making up the contact with the landscape and local cultures.

These points define concepts which can be often related to each other, so that it is not possible to point out particular and distinctive elements. This approach allows to treat the abstract categories in a freely and clearly way at the same time. The reorganization of the elements previously defined on the basis of the three macro-descriptors leads to the following scheme:

Tab.1
Conceptual scheme of “Culture Park”: structure qualifications, objectives and constitution modalities.

Culture Park
Structure qualifications	Territory of various wideness, where a significant and harmonious concentration of cultural and natural values is set.
Objectives	It preserves and reclaims natural and cultural places of the territory, in order to make their own evolution possible and foster the landscape harmony.
	It stimulates the development of cultural systems of the area’s communities by giving importance to habits, customs, beliefs, works, artistic and linguistic products, myths, legends, popular festivals, food and wine traditions.
	It promotes the social and economic development of the interested communities, and focus on cultural and ecological activities.
	It develops social and scientific researches, training activities, cultural and environmental information.
	It fosters the tourist fruition.
Constitution modalities	It helps the incoming tourism and the recreational activities with respect for nature and the environment by making up the contact with the landscape and local cultures.

The project wants to study exhaustively some of the descriptors concepts, and especially the most meaningful ones, linked to “Objectives”. This is gotten by an indicators definition and formalization of some minimum standards, which have to be respected in order to define the park as a “Culture Park”. In this way, the work is not only analytic, but means to reach a prescriptive importance for the planning and judgement of real experiences (see the guidelines for the realization of a Culture Park).

Outputs – Proposals
The research process has enabled the creation of a study proposal for the start up of the Culture Park in the Appennino Modenese. The two main thematic streams followed for the creation of the Parks, are: the Middle Ages one and the Places of the Soul. These subjects have been chosen among the various proposals which were presented to privileged exponents of the territory.
This test of practicability and redaction of the development plan can be defined as “participated”, because it has been shared by all the subjects involved in the project, which is the result of observations, evaluations and proposals expressed during the meetings in the interested area. Specific focus groups were organized with the participation of the local administrations and private operators, in order to analyse the subject and take decisions about it.
The two plans of practicability and endurableness about the Middle Ages and Places of the Soul Parks rely on the research results: systematization, creative elaboration and thematic mapping ideas (events, activities and products). The planning contents of the two Parks are shown on the web sites www.parcodelmedioevo.it and www.parcoluoghidellanima.it, and follow a conceptual scheme, which foresees:

an exhaustive presentation of the project and the whole offer explaining the characteristics of the project, names choice, operators involved, project’s mission, peculiarities of the Parks: activities, products, special and continuing services.
A market analysis about limits and opportunities, competitors, related best practices, similar initiatives and possibilities for a connection with other projects.
A forecast of the organization aspects and model about human, material, economical and instrumental resources.
Planning of a marketing and promotion strategy concerning target selection, creation of a communication plan (communication means, instruments and activities).
expectations of suitable instruments for testing the project efficiency and efficacy, in short (15 months) and medium ( 3 years) terms, regarding:
- Individuation of the costs causes (human resources plan, fixed and variable costs plan);
- definition of the income sources;
- proposal of guide-lines for the project evaluation;
- estimation of the project endurableness.

The project | The model | Main charcters of the culture patks | Contacts | ITA - ENG

Informations: IAL Cisl Emilia Romagna - Direzione Area Emilia
Tel.+ 39 059 821459 - email: info@parchidicultura.it