Despite the broad attention, both political and academic, to the theme of "Natural Capital", in our country a real economy based on it has never existed. Even today, the fundamental elements remain unclear: products/services to be offered, information flows, rules governing the territory, market transmission models, economic values at stake, assets identification and protection methods, transaction and value remuneration models for various public and private stakeholders, etc.
Nevertheless, in Italy a "Natural Capital Economy" already exists, thanks to the extraordinary evocative capacity of our cultural heritage, which includes a broader concept of natural capital, and to the versatile creativity of the operators, who act in the sector. However, it is necessary to go beyond the environmental economics typically promoted by the public decision makers, and to define a sort of "theatrical scenography" of the natural heritage, making visitors able to be attracted by emotional experiences in which they can identify and mirror themselves. In this scenario, by carefully reading the contemporary panorama of the demand for services and cultural experiences, the project aims at tracing in all its aspects a new model of governance and enhancement of Natural Capital and to define methodologies and tools that allow a complete and sustainable economic and social development of it. In this framework, the present proposal consists of a multidisciplinary project that, as such, requires the collaboration of different scientific fields. In particular, the interdepartmental project will be developed by experts in the following fields of study: design (in its components of Strategy, Services, Communication, Exhibit); territorial planning and management; governance, management; statistics; economic-financial analyses; stochastic analyses and forms of insurance coverage.
The research¿s most significant aspect definitely lies in its multidisciplinarity. The research involves disciplines such as Design (service design, visual and multimedia design, exhibit and the "Design Thinking" approach as a multidisciplinary bridge), land planning, economy and statistical sciences.
The challenge (concerning planning, economic, management and cultural aspects) can not therefore be limited to the traditional requirements of accessible tourism, but it must aim at creating the real conditions of sustainable coexistence between the emergencies of nature and the needs of the widest range of possible users. In this way it is possible to experience a model of inclusiveness that becomes a fundamental factor for the creation of places that themselves become "ecological tools through socialization". According to John Thackara one of the reasons why the so-called ¿new economy¿ is failing is the lack of interest in the contexts. In the book ¿In the Bubble¿, Thackara defines in the concept of "territorial patrimony"; a set of natural beauties, cultural heritages, unique specificities of the territory, social cohesion, civic sense, memories [Thackara, J.: In the bubble: Designing in a complex world. Cambridge: MIT Press (2006)].
All the actions oriented to ¿localization¿ so contribute to the redefinition of social structures and relationships between resources, activities, nature and communities. Natural parks, as we said, are aimed to maintain the environmental balance of a specific place, increasing or protecting its biodiversity, and at the same time providing services (scientific, educational, touristic, recreational) to ordinary or occasional users. "Accessibility is a function of the interaction between the user, with his skills and demands, and the environment, consisting of natural resources and the organization of equipment, personnel and tools aimed at the enjoyment of the natural environment" [Monzeglio, E.: La natura accessibile, in Astrusa, Rustichelli, Zampicini (curated by) Barriere architettoniche. Un progetto per l¿uomo. pp.136-158. BE-MA. Milano (1991)].
The model of the "sanctuary" precluded to anthropogenic contaminations has to be substituted by places where ecology and ecotourism can coexist. These are places able to provide visitors with high-quality experiences. In this sense, the park can be a place in which natural and artificial factors interact; and its fruition is managed by a "complex and articulated system of elements, inter-connected or interdependent, which allows the user to tend to the targets of autonomy and self-sufficiency". The design of these specific products and services is not limited to solve problems of accessibility, interaction and usability, but includes the study of needs, expectations and behaviours of different kind of people.
In addition to that, the research is part of a complex framework of agreements with external partners, both national (AIDAP _ Italian Association of Directors and Officials of Protected Areas, etc.) and local (Nazzano, Tevere-Farfa Natural Reserve, Punta Campanella Marine Protected Area, of Abruzzo, Regno di Nettuno Marine Protected Area, Lazio and Molise National Park, etc.).
The potential success comes from an integrated approach between multiple disciplines and real actors.
Thanks to these key aspects, the research is characterized by:
¿ interdisciplinary and multi-functional solutions;
¿ universality and replicability;
¿ social inclusiveness and positive territorial impact;
¿ sustainability (economic, energy, employment, environmental, systemic);
¿ reversibility;
¿ valorisation of the natural-territorial capital;
¿ safety, predictability and reliability.
These characteristics determine strategic innovation conditions in the production chains, and in construction, decision-making and management processes of high value naturalistic capitals and support territories, local economies and communities.