Man and territory: a relationship in continuous evolution

Abstract

The dualism between man and nature has always been at the center of many studies of a philosophical, geographical, sociological and psychological nature. Throughout history, different thought settings have followed one another and each of them has highlighted a particular aspect of the relationship between man and nature. Man is immersed in a landscape characterized by natural and non-natural elements that influence his way of being and the relationship with his surroundings. In the relationship between man and the surrounding area it is necessary to state that the goal is the development of a system that makes every planning choice loaded with those territorial planning values necessary to make the protection of the environment and landscape vital: we need to start from the assumption that the whole territory, for the history that has formed it, for the landscape and cultural values, for the collective memory that animates it, for its own recognizability, is to be considered in the first instance an environmental asset to be protected, above all in the relations between objects and phenomena linked to each other by functional relationships. It can therefore be said that where the physical elements of the territory constitute collective reference points, these elements are to be considered "environmental values" and their interrelations can represent a "common good" to be protected. The territory belongs to us, it is part of our inner world, it is a place of reference, a never forgotten good that nourishes the essence of memory. It is earth, it is home, it is life, it is the man of today, but also that of yesterday that recognizes itself in the bond it has with its land. It is necessary to find the right balance to maintain the testimony of one's own memory, but at the same time the ability to design a compatible future for the protection of our planet.