Handbook of governance models
Facing the challenge of transforming rural territories affected by demographic decline and economic stagnation, the WP05 Handbook serves as an operational reference tool. This handbook has been designed to support local communities, public administrations, railway infrastructure managers, and development agencies in the design of collaborative strategies. Furthermore, it demonstrates how tourism, linked to sustainable mobility and community initiatives, constitutes an effective lever for the revitalization of areas with low-demand railway lines.
Main Objectives of the Handbook
The purpose of this document is to provide a practical guide based on empirical evidence, moving away from purely theoretical approaches. Its fundamental objectives include:
Synthesizing experiences: Extracting lessons from European governance in a concise and transferable format.
Practical application: Translating governance models into operational tools aimed at rural revitalization.
Strategic coordination: Supporting joint actions in tourism and mobility within low-density territories.
Adaptability: Providing flexible guidelines that are suitable for diverse territorial contexts.
Content and Structure of the Document
The core value of this document lies in its ability to articulate three interconnected dimensions that are rarely addressed together: rural development governance, sustainable mobility in the context of low-demand railway lines, and tourism revitalization strategies.
The content of the manual is structured around the following key axes:
European empirical base: The analysis is founded on the European Union’s Rural Pact Good Practice Database, examining more than 118 cases from 29 countries.
Governance Models: It defines and classifies five essential models for shared territorial management: Multi-level Hierarchical Governance, Participatory Local Development, Collaborative Network Governance, Participatory Democratic Governance, and Social Economy Governance.
Documented case studies: It presents a detailed analysis of two European benchmarks that illustrate the successful revitalization of railway infrastructures: the Douro Line in Portugal and the Aulla-Lucca Line in Italy.
Action guide: It provides strategic and operational recommendations specifically aimed at local and rural development agents, as well as railway managers and operators.
