REMOTE SENSING AND SPATIAL DATABASES FOR INVESTIGATING LATENT URBAN-RURAL DYNAMICS IN RURAL, INLAND DISTRICTS OF SOUTHERN ITALY

It is well-known that rural-urban patterns help to capture socioeconomic interactions between different settlement forms. The sustainability challenge requires to consider the evolution of these patterns as a reliable indicator of the dynamics of land use change and potential land degradation processes occurred in a timeframe. In this research, by using multisource data (Corine Land Cover, Keyhole KH-9 and Landsat satelliteimages), we trace the diachronic evolution (1990-2018) of the rural-urban pattern in the provinces of Avellino andBenevento (Campania region, Southern Italy) with a specific focus on the key municipality of Ariano Irpino (1975-2018). The analysis confirms the considerable urban growth occurred in the study area, mostly in the form of urban sprawl phenomena decoupled from population growth. This happens concurrently with a transformation of the agricultural sector projected toward a greater specialization favouring agritourism activities and valuable crops (e.g., vineyards). These findings can support policy makers in future planning activities by mixing conservation,mitigation, and restoration actions.