Characterizing population dynamics and early processes of urbanization in rural Tuscia, Central Italy

Urbanization adapts itself strongly in rural areas, in terms of shape and structure, depending on the local-cultural customs that are usually linked to agricultural activities. With its landscapes, Italy offers a variety of settlements used by the primary sector, that however have changed over time. In the last century, urban dispersion has mixed the typical rural settlements with the new residential low-density ones. Sprawl in Italy has been successful thanks to the irregularities and the lack of compliance with the plan rules, sometimes not present or inefficient. Tuscia, which coincides with the province of Viterbo, is still a treasure trove of great natural and agricultural value, located in the heart of Italy. Also there the dispersive dynamics took place, but following the only rules dictated by the agricultural mentality, escaping from the control of urban planning. The paper focuses that, even today this territory is certainly more liveable compared to the neighbourhoods around the capital city of Rome, the urbanization of Tuscia rural areas accords with a population that is still strongly sensitive to the primary sector’s activities, which therefore allows to preserve a strong naturalness of the local context. Tuscia is probably one of the rare Italian reality in which the spatial dynamics have had to adapt to the lifestyle of its inhabitants, who persist to defend the local rural identity, still reaping the fruits of their territory.