The drawing and the dimension of protected agriculture into the Mediterranean landscape

The Mediterranean represents an almost closed basin within which numerous streams flow. The coastal territories that are part of it, constitute a well-defined ecoregion, characterized by a remarkable diversity of landscapes, geology and climate. The Mediterranean landscape is presented as the result of the interaction between the geo-environmental characteristics and the anthropic activities (Marzi, Tedone, 2009). The birth of agriculture occurred following the improvement of the climatic conditions due to the end of the last glacial period (Würm) and to the beginning of the Holocene (around 10,000 years ago) that still continues. Where there were the ideal characteristics to cultivate, the villages first arose, then the towns became cities and some of them in the present metropolis. It was agriculture that shaped the landscapes in its favor during the history, even today the rural territory draws a pattern of full and empty spaces, fields and greenhouses, variegated but easily recognizable. However, the need to adapt the climatic conditions to specific crops to meet the strong demand of the global market, led from the middle of the last century to a disproportionate and unconditional spread of agricultural structures with a serious environmental impact. This brief discussion highlights the dynamics that exist between the drawing of the agricultural landscape, the dimension of the rural sector, the Mediterranean landscape, European policies and future development prospects