CHANGING FUNCTIONS AND IDENTITY OF THE ISTRIAN RURAL LANDSCAPE

Tourist brochures often present rural Istrian landscape as an idyllic place. In their descriptions they usually mention agricultural elements of landscape (eg. vineyards, olive groves, agricultural terraces, hard-working farmers). On the contrary, the identity of contemporary rural areas is shaped by a mix of production, protection and agriculture. We were interested in the relations among these three functions in rural areas of Izola municipality in the present and in the future and on the influence of these relations on the identity of rural areas. We analyzed a variety of spatial (GIS) and statistical data from different sources. The analysis has shown that the three functions are not in balance. We confirmed that agricultural terraces are being abandoned in areas that were made to protect them. By using Lidar data we also calculated their area (128 ha), but overestimated it, due to the method used. Rural areas are characterized by many relations to other spaces and time periods. This is the so-called relational space. Rural areas in Izola municipality are connected to Mediterranean (with vineyards, olives, terraces, and food) and to other regions (with thematic trails and brochures). They are also connected to past time periods. If the elements that create these connections disappear, the landscape identity changes. Istrian landscape is not a landscape of "big hoes and hardworking hands" (Urbanc, Juvan, 2012, 311) anymore. It is more a landscape of protection and disappearance. The brochures do not describe the rural landscape as it is now, but a rural landscape as we all wish existed.