Social Construction of Space in Heritage Conservation

Like many other post-mining regions in Europe, Geo-mining Park in Sardinia faces severe socio-economic crisis designed by the increasing trend of neglecting the mining landscapes and depopulation. The Sardinian post-mining phenomenon characterizes the low operational capacity of the Park and exclusion of the civic sector from the making decision process resulting in the disposal of spatial dynamics and loss of identity. In order to reverse these negative trends, the paper elaborates new and changing the concept of heritage as a theoretical concept in heritage and urban research and its application to the Sardinian case. The paper examined the aspects and components of heritage conservation and the pivotal role of peoples’ activities, social construction, and production of space and, local community practices as a development approach to the heritage. In addition, the paper argued the importance of the geographical concept of scale and levels, degrees or extents to the heritage concept. In conclusion, the paper indicated heritages values as a living idea to fund sustainable development strategy for the Geo-mining Park in Sardinia. Comprehensive understanding of heritage, interpretation, and reinterpretation of cultural identities and essential role that plays public participation are three main pillars contributing both, the well-being of the local community and heritage conservation that narrates the past lives and mining activity through contemporary local practices.