Go to main contentGo to navigation menu
University of Catania  >  Di3A
Reserved Area
ITA
Logo UniCt

Degree Course in

Land and landscape planning and protection

Search

PAESAGGIO, AREE PROTETTE E PROCEDURE AMBIENTALI
Module ECONOMIA E GESTIONE DELLE AREE PROTETTE E PROCEDURE AMBIENTALI

Academic Year 2026/2027 - Teacher: GIOVANNI SIGNORELLO

Expected Learning Outcomes

Knowledge and understanding: demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the main concepts related to protected areas and environmental planning, their purposes and classifications, the relevant regulatory framework, management and monitoring tools, as well as the fundamental principles of environmental assessment procedures (SEA, EIA and Appropriate Assessment).

Applying knowledge and understanding: be able to use statistical sources and indicators to analyse the characteristics and dynamics of protected areas, including tourist flows, and to apply economic concepts and tools to examine the social costs and benefits of protected areas and their relationships with local economies.

Making judgements: be able to critically analyse issues related to the planning and management of protected areas, assessing the environmental, economic and social effects of different management options and identifying the most appropriate environmental tools and assessment procedures in different contexts.

Communication skills: be able to present and discuss, using appropriate technical terminology, information, data and analytical results concerning the planning, management and assessment of protected areas and related environmental procedures.

Learning skills: develop the ability to independently expand the knowledge acquired, consult and interpret regulatory, statistical and scientific sources, and keep their knowledge and skills in protected-area planning, management and assessment up to date.

Course Structure

Teaching includes  21 hours of frontal participatory and cooperative lectures and 42 hours of various typologies of exercises, including team works, examination f relevant study cases, field visits, individual research and presentations, seminars.

As a guarantee of equal opportunities and in compliance with current laws, interested students can ask for a personal interview in order to plan any compensatory and/or dispensatory measures, based on their specific needs and on teaching objectives of the discipline. It is also possible to ask the departmental contacts of CInAP (Center for Active and Participatory Integration - Services for Disabilities and/or DSAs)

Required Prerequisites

None

Detailed Course Content

  1. Protected areas and conservation planning: concepts, scopes, tools and normative frameworks
  2. Classifications of protected areas 
  3. Statistics and indicators on protected areas
  4. Managment of protected areas
  5. Monitoring tourism in protected areas 
  6. Social costs and benefits of protected areas 
  7. Local economic impact of protected areas
  8. Environmental assessment procedures: SEA, EIA
  9. Environmental assessment procedures: IA (ex art. 6 Habitat Directve)

Textbook Information

Worboys G.L., Lockwood M., Kothari A., Feary S. and Pulsford I. (eds),  Protected Area Governance and Management, ANU Press, Canberra, 2015

Kettunen M. & ten Brink P (eds), Social and Economic Benefits of Protected Areas. An Assessment Guide, Routledge 2013 

Signorello G. (a cura di), Materiali di approfondimento per l’economia e gestione delle aree protette, Catania, 2026

Marino D., La valutazione di efficacia per le aree protette, Franco Angeli, Milano, 2012​

Sassone S., Vademecum dell'ambiente, EPC editore, 2020

Piccioni L., Parchi naturali. Storia delle aree protette in Italia. Il Mulino, Bologna, 2023

Learning Assessment

Learning Assessment Procedures

Oral exams. 


Votes will be attributed according to the following scheme:

Unsuitable
Knowledge and understanding of the topic: Significant shortcoming and inaccuracies
Analysis and synthesis skills: Irrelevant. Frequent generalizations. Inability to synthesize
Use of references: Completely inappropriate
18-20
Knowledge and understanding of the topic: At threshold level. Obvious imperfections
Analysis and synthesis skills: Barely sufficient ability
Use of references: Barely appropriate
21-23
Knowledge and understanding of the topic: Routine knowledge 
Analysis and synthesis skills: Is able to analyze and synthesize correctly. Argues logically and coherently
Use of references: Uses standard references
24-26
Knowledge and understanding of the topic: Good knowledge
Analysis and synthesis skills: Has good analysis and synthesis skills. Topics are expressed consistently
Use of references: Uses standard references
27-29
Knowledge and understanding of the topic: Knowledge more than good
Analytical and synthesis skills: Has considerable analytical and synthesis skills
Use of references: Has deepened the topics
30-30L
Knowledge and understanding of the topic: Excellent knowledge
Analytical and synthesis skills: Has considerable ability to analyze and synthesize.
Use of references: Important insights

"To ensure equal opportunities and in compliance with current laws, students may request a personal interview in order to plan any compensatory and/or dispensatory measures based on educational objectives and specific needs. Students can also contact the CInAP (Centro per l’integrazione Attiva e Partecipata — Servizi per le Disabilità e/o DSA) through the referring professor within the department, (https://www.cinap.unict.it/content/referenti)".

Examples of frequently asked questions and / or exercises

Nation law on protected area. Natura 2000 framework. IUCN classification of protected areas. Benefits of protected areas. Estimating recreation demand. Management plans. Environmental assessment of plan and project on Natura 2000 sites.