--- title: "Transitioning a Landscape" type: challenge locale: en url: https://liminalfutures.com/challenges/transitioning-a-landscape date: "2025-04-01" summary: "Transitioning a Landscape was a 2024 action-research Challenge in Monti Prenestini (Lazio, Italy) that explored whether a territorial lab, inspired by Living Labs and Land-Based Labs, can catalyze new, sustainable models of active land management in areas affected by agricultural abandonment and natural reforestation." --- # Transitioning a Landscape Type: challenge Status: complete Dates: 2024-06-10 – 2024-07-26 People: Ginevra D’Agostino; Nicolás Delgado Alcega; Jules Bernstein; Alessandro Caruso; Alessandro Gori; Hannah Leung; Sofia Manieri; Daniela Morales; Maren Louttit Johnson; Gabriele Pizzi; Alissa Serfozo Organizations: Comune di Castel San Pietro Romano; Comune di Capranica Prenestina; Comune di Rocca di Cave; Ministero della Cultura; Agriturismo La Mandera; MOU Contadini Birrai; Museo Civico Naturalistico dei Monti Prenestini; Azienda Agricola Valle della Fortuna; Kore Terra Madre Biodynamic Farm; Presidio Slow Food Tivoli e Valle dell’Aniene; Agromnia Agricola; Associazione A.L.API; GAL Castelli Romani e Monti Prenestini; Ristorante Da Peppe; Agriturismo Biologico L’Oca Bianca; Trattoria del Giardino Panoramico; Pratt Institute; Fine Dining Lovers; Parrocchia di San Giacomo Apostolo, Guadagnolo; Liminal Places: Castel San Pietro Romano; Capranica Prenestina; Rocca di Cave Commentaries: Transitioning a Landscape: The potential of Living Labs and Land-Based Labs in the arid prairies of Monti Prenestini ## Summary Transitioning a Landscape was a 2024 action-research Challenge in Monti Prenestini (Lazio, Italy) that explored whether a territorial lab, inspired by Living Labs and Land-Based Labs, can catalyze new, sustainable models of active land management in areas affected by agricultural abandonment and natural reforestation. ## Work Transitioning a Landscape was a 2024 action-research Challenge in Monti Prenestini (Lazio, Italy) that explored whether a territorial lab, inspired by Living Labs and Land-Based Labs, can catalyze new, sustainable models of active land management in areas affected by agricultural abandonment and natural reforestation. It ran from June 10 to July 26, 2024, with 11 days on the ground. The Challenge combined scientific analysis, spatial mapping, and stakeholder engagement to prototype a lab model that strengthens the local supply chains around niche, place-based food products while stewarding the historic arid prairies (dry grasslands) that characterize the area. Its outputs include 18 spatial maps, 12 international case studies (Living/Land-Based Labs), a structured SWOT, a classification of the causes of land abandonment, and a blueprint for a 2–3 ha territorial lab aligned with EU initiatives such as A Soil Deal for Europe. Seven observational exercises (e.g., soil profiles, vegetation transects, viewshed analyses) helped validate large-scale cartographies and local interviews; 9 local actors were directly involved and 63 stakeholders were identified for future collaboration. The approach reframes natural reforestation not as decline but as an opportunity to diversify landscape identity and rural economies, complementing the pastoral tradition. ## Sources - zenodo: [https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17094305](https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17094305) ## Outputs - Produced Transitioning a Landscape: The potential of Living Labs and Land-Based Labs in the arid prairies of Monti Prenestini ## Related - Led by [Ginevra D’Agostino](/people/ginevra-dagostino) - Led by [Nicolás Delgado Alcega](/people/nicolas-delgado-alcega) - Participant [Jules Bernstein](/people/jules-bernstein) - Participant [Alessandro Caruso](/people/alessandro-caruso) - Participant [Alessandro Gori](/people/alessandro-gori) - Participant [Hannah Leung](/people/hannah-leung) - Participant [Sofia Manieri](/people/sofia-manieri) - Participant [Daniela Morales](/people/daniela-morales) - Participant [Maren Louttit Johnson](/people/maren-louttit-johnson) - Participant [Gabriele Pizzi](/people/gabriele-pizzi) - Participant [Alissa Serfozo](/people/alissa-serfozo) - Authored by [Ginevra D’Agostino](/people/ginevra-dagostino) - Authored by [Nicolás Delgado Alcega](/people/nicolas-delgado-alcega) - Financing partner [Comune di Castel San Pietro Romano](/organizations/comune-di-castel-san-pietro-romano) - Financing partner [Comune di Capranica Prenestina](/organizations/comune-di-capranica-prenestina) - Financing partner [Comune di Rocca di Cave](/organizations/comune-di-rocca-di-cave) - Financing partner [Ministero della Cultura](/organizations/ministero-della-cultura) - Engaged actor [Agriturismo La Mandera](/organizations/agriturismo-la-mandera) - Engaged actor [MOU Contadini Birrai](/organizations/mou-contadini-birrai) - Engaged actor [Museo Civico Naturalistico dei Monti Prenestini](/organizations/museo-civico-naturalistico-dei-monti-prenestini) - Engaged actor [Azienda Agricola Valle della Fortuna](/organizations/azienda-agricola-valle-della-fortuna) - Engaged actor [Kore Terra Madre Biodynamic Farm](/organizations/kore-terra-madre) - Engaged actor [Presidio Slow Food Tivoli e Valle dell’Aniene](/organizations/presidio-slow-food-tivoli) - Engaged actor [Agromnia Agricola](/organizations/agromnia-agricola) - Engaged actor [Associazione A.L.API](/organizations/associazione-a-l-api) - Engaged actor [GAL Castelli Romani e Monti Prenestini](/organizations/gal-castelli-romani-e-monti-prenestini) - Engaged actor [Ristorante Da Peppe](/organizations/ristorante-da-peppe) - Engaged actor [Agriturismo Biologico L’Oca Bianca](/organizations/agriturismo-biologico-loca-bianca) - Engaged actor [Trattoria del Giardino Panoramico](/organizations/trattoria-del-giardino-panoramico) - Engaged actor [Pratt Institute](/organizations/pratt-institute) - Engaged actor [Fine Dining Lovers](/organizations/fine-dining-lovers) - Engaged actor [Parrocchia di San Giacomo Apostolo, Guadagnolo](/organizations/parrocchia-di-san-giacomo-apostolo-guadagnolo) - Authored by [Liminal](/organizations/liminal) - Located in [Castel San Pietro Romano](/places/castel-san-pietro-romano) - Located in [Capranica Prenestina](/places/capranica-prenestina) - Located in [Rocca di Cave](/places/rocca-di-cave)