Agricultural and forest management related to bio-­-cultural diversity

The olive tree is an important element of the Mediterranean habitat and characterizes the natural and anthropic landscape. It constitutes an element of the historical and cultural heritage of the Mediterranean populations. An example is given by the rural landscape of the Amalfi Coast, planted with olive trees, which offers terracing as a technique for arranging the slopes. Thanks to its easy adaptation to both conditions of scarce water and nutrient availability, its ecological value for the conservation of steeply sloping soils as well as its remarkable landscape value, the olive tree is an important element of cultural landscapes. The geographical location of the olive trees gives this agricultural production very peculiar economic and social characteristics. The extension of monoculture in areas characterized by an irregular topography affects the possibility of intensifying hilly or mountain olive production. This is why the olive tree has often involved geomorphological changes in the territory; however, it made it possible to preserve the delicate water balance of the hillsides.