Ecohydrology, Water, Territories, and Communities Nexus

The essay highlights the importance of increasingly integrating ecohydrology into regional planning and urban regeneration. The paper analyzes the concept of ecohydrology, trying to extend its scope within urban planning as a support for choices for possible development or urban regeneration actions. An initial selective literature survey was then carried out to understand its potential in urban planning and design, following a reflection on the ability of nature to self-regulate on forced action by man and on the need to return to an integrated vision of water, territories, and communities. The contribution continues by reporting on action research carried out in fragile territories such as the Alpine arc to conclude with a review of international best practices on managing extreme weather events. Starting from this point of view, the paper is divided into four paragraphs: the first two deal with a general methodological approach to the principles of ecohydrology and their possible application in planning ( Ecohydrology, from hydrotechnical science to ecosystemic approach and The (forgotten) grammar of nature and the need to return to an integrated vision of waters, territories, and communities ); the third ( A Project for the Alps. Triggering Innovative Regeneration Processes Focused on Caring for Natural Fragility ) summarizes a recent European research on the European Alps that focused on the relationship between urban regeneration, natural fragility, and landscape restoration; and the fourth ( Best practices to manage extreme weather events in urban areas) highlights some innovative best practices (adopted in four cities: Milan, Rotterdam, New York, and Boston) for managing extreme weather events in urban areas, with particular reference to the integrated management of the water system.