Verification of Precipitation Forecasts from Two Limited-Area Models over Italy and Comparison with ECMWF Forecasts Using a Resampling Technique

Abstract This paper presents the first systematic limited area model (LAM) precipitation verification work over Italy. A resampling technique was used to provide skill score results along with confidence intervals. Two years of data were used, starting in October 2000. Two operational LAMs have been considered, the Limited Area Model Bologna (LAMBO) operating at the Agenzia Regionale Prevenzione e Ambiente-Servizio Meteorologico Regionale (ARPA-SMR) of the Emilia–Romagna region, and the QUADRICS Bologna Limited Area Model (QBOLAM) running at the Agenzia per la Protezione dell'Ambiente e per i Servizi Tecnici (APAT). A 24-h forecast skill score comparison was first performed on the native 0.1° high-resolution grids, using a Barnes scheme to produce the observed 24-h accumulated rainfall analysis. Two nonparametric skill scores were used: the equitable threat score (ETS) and the Hanssen and Kuipers score (HK). Frequency biases (BIA) were also calculated. LAM forecasts were also remapped on a lower-resolution grid (0.5°), using a nearest-neighbor average method; this remapping allowed for comparison with ECMWF model forecasts, and for LAM intercomparisons at lower resolution, with the advantage of reducing the skill score sensitivity to small displacements errors. LAM skill scores depend on the resolution of the verification grid, with an increase when they are verified on a lower-resolution grid. The selected LAMs have a higher BIA compared to ECMWF, showing a tendency to overforecast precipitation, especially along mountain ranges, possibly due to undesired effects from the large-scale and/or convective precipitation parameterizations. Lower ECMWF BIA accounts for skill score differences. LAMBO precipitation forecasts during winter (adjusted for BIA differences) have less misses than ECMWF over the islands of Sardinia and Sicily. Higher-resolution orography definitely adds value to LAM forecasts

Scelte modali e impatto sanitario del PM10

L’applicazione di metodologie per valutare l’impatto sanitario del PM 10 , derivante dall’uso dei trasporti, alle indagini dei comportamenti individuali per ottimizzare percorsi e uso dei mezzi, consente di valutare i benef ici sulla salute associati a nuovi scenari di emissioni legati alla propensione al cambio modale. Dalle conoscenze teoriche si può simulare l’impatto ambientale derivante dall’uso del mezzo privato, e quindi definire gli ambiti di intervento per l’abbattim ento di emissioni inquinanti in atmosfera. Queste emissioni sono costituite da sostanze gassose e da polveri (PM 10 , PM 2.5 e particolato grossolano) le quali oltre ad alterare l’ecosistema globale creano rilevanti effetti nocivi agli ambienti locali e alla salute umana. Lo studio analizza gli inquinanti atmosferici generati dai sistemi di trasporto su strada, contiene una review di alcuni studi internazionali sull’impatto sanitario del PM 10 , e infine utilizza le funzioni dose - risposta di vari studi epidemiol ogici e tossicologici per stimare gli impatti sanitari espressi in termini di mortalità e di morbilità determinati dal particolato e da gas inquinanti. L’obiettivo è valutare i benefici per la salute prodotti da nuovi scenari di emissione, associati al cam bio delle scelte modali degli utenti del trasporto privato, che determinano una diminuzione delle concentrazioni di PM 10 . La ricerca, che impiega indici di rischio empirici, si sviluppa su due percorsi: i) l’assessment della mortalità per tutte le cause, p er tumore al polmone e per altre patologie croniche quali l’infarto del miocardio, l’aterosclerosi e le malattie ischemiche, è effettuata considerando concentrazioni medie annue di PM 10 in termini di aumento degli effetti per incrementi del 10% delle conce ntrazioni in atmosfera delle polveri PM 10 ; ii) le valutazioni dell’incidenza di morbosità per cause respiratorie in bambini e adulti, sono calcolate in termini di diminuzione del rischio, considerando riduzioni di concentrazioni per intervalli di 10ug/m 3 . La metodologia proposta mostra scenari potenzialmente importanti per abbattere le emissioni inquinanti e conseguire il risultato di attenuare gli effetti nocivi sulla salute delle popolazioni. L’affermazione di tali scenari migliorativi è regolata principa lmente dai cambiamenti dello stile di vita delle persone. A livello europeo i progetti, le esperienze e le soluzioni in tal senso, che hanno riscontrato ampi successi, sono numerose. Le competenze e le politiche per la mobilità sostenibile dispongono di so luzioni per un sistema di trasporti più efficiente ed efficace. Gli studi a sostegno di una mobilità più sostenibile rappresentano lo strumento per creare una visione più cosciente e consapevole della natura al fine di condividere un vivere sociale più res ponsabile, ma lo strumento può divenire pratica solo se l’esperienza degli uomini è capace di trasformarlo in scelte politiche intelligenti e pragmatiche. La ricerca scientifica prosegue la sperimentazione di nuove linee e la messa a punto di nuove metodol ogie, ma senza l’applicazione nella realtà sociale delle conoscenze scientifiche e tecnologiche, ne risulterà solo un accanimento diagnostico e progettuale. Inoltre l’assenza di scelte politiche responsabili non consentirà di verificare l’efficienza e l’ef ficacia delle terapie messe a punto per curare le patologie indagate

Environmental data year-book. Summary. Edition 2003

Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche - Biblioteca Centrale - P.le Aldo Moro, 7 , Rome / CNR - Consiglio Nazionale delle RichercheSIGLEITItal

Il consumo di suolo in Italia - Edizione 2015

Nel nostro Paese si continua a consumare suolo e la seconda edizione del Rapporto ISPRA fornisce un quadro completo sull’avanzata della copertura artificiale del nostro territorio. Il Rapporto sul consumo di suolo in Italia 2015 integra nuove informazioni, aggiorna le precedenti stime sulla base di dati a maggiore risoluzione e completa il quadro nazionale con specifici indicatori per regioni, province e comuni. Sono, inoltre, approfonditi alcuni aspetti che caratterizzano le dinamiche di espansione urbana e di trasformazione del paesaggio a scala nazionale e locale con riferimento alla fascia costiera, alle aree montane, ai corpi idrici, alle aree protette, alle aree a pericolosità idraulica, all’uso del suolo, alle forme e alle densità di urbanizzazione, ai fenomeni dello sprawl urbano, della frammentazione, della dispersione e della diffusione insediativa

Annuario dei dati ambientali. Sintesi. Edizione 2003

Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche - Biblioteca Centrale - P.le Aldo Moro, 7 , Rome / CNR - Consiglio Nazionale delle RichercheSIGLEITItal

Identificazione e mappatura di "Suoli Nudi" attraverso immagini tele-rilevate

La popolazione e la domanda di cibo ed energia sono destinate a raddoppiare entro il 2050 con conseguente crescita competitiva tra le risorse. Inoltre, dove viene praticata la rotazione agronomica i suoli permangono improduttivi in determinati periodi causando lisciviazione dei nutrienti, erosione ed accelerazione del consumo di materia organica. I dati telerilevati sono cruciali per l'agricoltura di precisione (droni) e per la caratterizzazione e il monitoraggio del suolo (satelliti) al fine di aumentarne la resa, la sostenibilità e limitarne il degrado. Sebbene sia nota la presenza temporanea di "suolo nudo" (SN) entro la superficie agricola utilizzata (SAU), non esistono studi atti a fornire un quadro regionale dedicato da sollevare la problematica. Questa tesi mira a mappare i SN in determinati periodi dell'anno tramite immagini satellitari definendone l'estensione areale e temporale. Inoltre, è stato proposto uno scenario per l’ottimizzazione della produzione di biomassa energetica, con colture no food. La metodologia applicata prevede l’elaborazione di immagini Sentinel-2 con risoluzione spaziale al suolo di 20 m acquisite nel 2017. Le immagini, pre-processate con SIAM™, sono state elaborate su QGIS e convalidate tramite ground truth fornite da Agrea. I risultati mostrano che circa il 15% della SAU è in condizioni di SN in marzo-giugno e luglio-ottobre. A livello dimensionale, il 30% dei SN ha dimensioni superficiali superiori a 3 ha sufficienti da giustificarne lo sfruttamento agronomico. Nello scenario in cui il sorgo da biomassa è coltivato da marzo a giugno e da luglio a ottobre, potrebbe essere prodotta una quantità totale di energia pari al 20% dei consumi regionali del settore trasporti attuali. Questo studio ha proposto una procedura per mappare i SN, ha suggerito e quantificato i benefici di un potenziale sfruttamento e ha posto le basi per nuove politiche agricole in grado di avviare percorsi a breve termine per la riduzione delle emissioni di CO

Annuario dei dati ambientali. Edizione 2002

CD-ROM includedConsiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche - Biblioteca Centrale - P.le Aldo Moro, 7, Rome / CNR - Consiglio Nazionale delle RichercheSIGLEITItal

Geotechnical characterization of the upper Pleistocene-Holocene alluvial deposits of Roma (Italy) by means of multivariate geostatistics: Cross-validation results

We are presenting an attempt to evaluate the spatial variability of geotechnical parameters in the upper Pleistocene–Holocene alluvial deposits of Roma (Italy) by means of multivariate geostatistics. The upper Pleistocene–Holocene alluvial deposits of Roma are sensitive to high levels of geohazard. They occupy a sizable and significant part of the city, being the foundation for many monuments, historical neighborhoods, and archaeological areas, and the main host of the present and future subway lines. We have stored information from more than 2000 geotechnical boreholes crossing the alluvial deposits into a relational database. For the present study, only the boreholes with lithologic/textural interpretation and geotechnical information were selected. The set includes 283 boreholes and 719 samples, which have a set of geotechnical information comprising physical properties and mechanical parameters. Techniques of multivariate statistics and geostatistics were combined and compared to evaluate the estimation methods of the mechanical parameters, with special reference to the drained friction angle from direct shear test (φ′). Principal Component Analysis was applied to the dataset to highlight the relationships between the geotechnical parameters. Through cross-validation analysis, multiple linear regression, kriging, and cokriging were tested as estimators of φ′. Cross-validation demonstrates that the cokriging with granulometries as auxiliary variables is the most suitable method to estimate φ′. In addition to proving that cokriging is a good estimator of φ′, cross-validation demonstrates that input data are coherent and this allows us to use them for estimation of geotechnical parameters, although they come from different laboratories and different vintages. Nevertheless, to get the same good results of cross-validation in estimation, it is necessary for granulometries to be available at grid points. Since this information being not available at all grid points, it is expected that, in the future, textural information can be derived in an indirect way, i.e., from lithologic/textural spatial reconstructions.Published251-2682.3. TTC - Laboratori di chimica e fisica delle rocceJCR Journalope

Atti del XIX Convegno Nazionale di Agrometeorologia. Nuove avversità e nuovi servizi per gli agroecosistemi. New adversities and new services for agroecosystems. Bologna 14-16 giugno 2016

Ogni anno l'Associazione Italiana di AgroMeteorologia organizza un convegno in cui vengono trattati i temi più attuali della ricerca e delle applicazioni in ambito agrometeorologico. Questo appuntamento nel corso degli anni è ormai diventato un momento d'incontro molto atteso dalla comunità agrometeorologica italiana. La XIX edizione del Convegno AIAM in programma dal 14 al 16 giugno 2016 a Bologna (BO) è stata intitolata: "Nuove avversità e nuovi servizi per gli Agroecosistemi". Il programma di questa edizione ha previsto due sessioni: Supporti agrometeorologici e nuove avversità Strumenti per la mitigazione e l’adattamento ai cambiamenti climatic

Metodi per la valorizzazione del patrimonio geologico, dal rilevamento geomorfologico all’itinerario geoturistico. Applicazioni in ambiente urbano e naturale

This research develops within the framework of a recent, widespread, need to give space to the popularization of Earth Sciences and to highlight the scientific work in these disciplines. The geological heritage is an essential part of the cultural heritage of a territory and it needs land planning, conservation, valorisation and dissemination. In the context of sustainable development, different forms of "thematic" tourism have grown in recent years, including the geotourism. The scientific community is increasingly involved in the economic development of the territory, through the research on geological heritage too. Different aspects are being studied: -the analysis of the territory for the recognition of geological aspects of scientific interest; -their evaluation; -the analysis of the risks to which they are subject and the conservation strategies; -the strategies for the use of the sites, the understanding of scientific aspects by users and tools for the mediation of knowledges. Aim of the research Through the scientific literature and the direct knowledge of an area it is possible to understand the geological heritage value, depending on its conservation and enhancement. For this reason institutions, public and private structures involved in land management often address to the universities and to the research to develop territories potential through the use of geo-environmental information, education, dissemination and sustainable management of the landscape. The aim of this thesis was to prepare a methodological procedure for the geoheritage enhancement, that defines the steps for the analysis of an area, beginning from the geomorphological survey to the creation and dissemination of instruments to popularize the geological heritage. The procedure has been developed starting from pure research, but aimed to its direct application as a guideline for the institutions and structures mentioned above. Study areas The development of the methodological procedure is supported by verifying its functionality through the application on two areas. A natural area, the mountain range of Monti Ernici (Southern Lazio) of known geomorphological interest and of interesting cultural aspects related to karst phenomenon; and an urbanized area, the city of Rome, characterized by the enormous knowledge accumulated in bibliography and the great potential of its geological and cultural heritage. The application of the method involved the geomorphological survey of the areas and the production of thematic cartography. Were inventoried and evaluated the geosites and geomorphosites characterizing the two territories and their data were organized in a relational database, functional to the processing for the automathic choice of geotourist trails. For each area was developed an enhancement proposal. This PhD thesis presents the research work describing it in three parts and an appendix. Part I The first part develops in three chapters introducing the context in which the work fits in. In Chapter 1, summarizing the remarkable bibliography consulted, are introduced the terms of geological heritage and the definitions adopted among the various developed in the history of this kind of studies. In particular geological goods are described as part of the cultural heritage and the definition of geosite is explained through its historical evolution (Strasser et al., 1995; Grandgirard, 1997, 1999; Wimbledon et al., 1999), its increasing specificity depending on the fields of application (Panizza & Piacente, 1999, 2003; Panizza, 2001) and through the definition of descriptive attributes of the quality of a geological site (Reynard, 2004, 2005). Some important concept are introduced such as geodiversity and geoconservation, and the application concepts of “geodiffusione” (spreading geological knowledges, Piacente, 2003) and geotourism (Hose, 1995, 2000; Newsome & Dowling, 2010; Gray, 2011; Arouca Declaration, 2011). The Chapter 2 is a retrospective of the projects, the research and the legislation about geological heritage, starting from the understanding of the need to safeguard geodiversity such as biodiversity. This excursus is a pan of the national and international initiatives. It is highlight the importance of Geoparks initiative, under the auspices of UNESCO, and the Italian Geological Service's role in launching the national-level projects. Particular attention was paid to the state of the art in the Latium region, to mark the starting point of the work on the study areas. The Latium regional geosites inventory was arranged by the Regional Park Agency-ARP (Cresta et al., 2005), in the context of initiatives undertaken by the Geological Survey, in collaboration with it and with the Latium Region. The ARP provided the geosites evaluation too, developing an evaluation model that indexes the Intrinsic Value of Sites of Geological Interest (VISIG). This index allows to give a priority order to the protection and preservation of geosites. The Regional Park Agency also contributed to the promulgation of regional laws for the geosites protection (D.G.R. Lazio 859/09). In the Chapter 3 are described the interventions of the research on geological heritage, in particular the axis on which the studies develop (evaluation, protection, popularization) and the problems they face. The first paragraph introduce the results of international and national research on the evaluation models of geological heritage goods. There are different models depending on the purpose of the evaluations, which can be summed up in three kinds: awareness and conservation of geosites (Panizza & Piacente, 1993; Serrano & Gonzales Trueba, 2005; Pereira et al., 2007; Fattori & Mancinella, 2010; Coratza et al., 2012), environmental impact assessments (Rivas et al., 1997; Coratza & Giusti, 2005; Bruschi & Cendrero, 2005), education and/or local development through thematic tourism (Reynard, 2007; Bollati, 2012). The same type of description is made of the tools developed for the protection, legislation and management of geosites, which concerns the administration of the territory. Management is also the issue of the vulnerability of the sites, exposed to flows of visitors, but also the vulnerability of the visitors in the presence of active geosites and, in particular, active geomorphosites (Reynard, 2004). Finally, are described the geo-heritage enhancement strategies on which the majority of studies concentrate: geotourist trails planning (Coratza et al., 2004; The Via Geoalpina VVAA, 2010; Del Monte et al., 2013; Magagna et al., 2013) virtual and non-virtual ones, static mapping (Carton et al., 2005; Castaldini, 2005; Coratza & Regolini-Bissig, 2009; Regolini-Bissig & Reynard, 2010 and bibliography inside; Regolini, 2012 ) and dynamic (Ghiraldi et al., 2009, 2010), the preparation of informational supports, panels, guides and smartphones applications (Small, 2005; Qiu & Hubble, 2012 e bibliography inside; Magagna et al., 2010; divulgando.eu), methods for the scientific information interpretation (Cayla, 2009; Dowling, 2010; Calonge, 2010; Cardozo Moreira, 2012) and in conclusion the evaluation of the efficacy of these products (Sellier, 2009; Martin et al., 2010). The chapter closes by raising issues like the need for a uniform methodology of analysis, the disclosure of evaluations and the need to use the environmental interpretation, particularly in the geotourist cartography. Part II In this part of the thesis are shown the purpose of the work, the methods chosen to built the enhancement procedure and the integrations improved on the methods, to optimize the purposes. The Part II develops in two chapters in which it deals with the revision of several existing methods for the inventory, evaluation and enhancement of the geological heritage (methods chapter). The other chapter (materials chapter) describes the instruments chosen for enhancement and summarize the work in the proposal for a methodology that allows to start from the territory to get to its usability in geotourist terms. The chapter 4 refers to methods consulted for each step of the analysis and geotourist enhancement of an area, then arousing the interest on the integretions. Bibliographic consultation, for example, based on scientific publications, is complemented by tourist and popularization ones, such as data about the historical-archaeological heritage. This informations are needed for the enhancement of cultural landscapes in which the geosites are inserted. Among the methods for the analysis and the representation of the areas there are the geomorphological survey and mapping. In the paragraph related to the materials of enhancement the geotourist mapping methods are described and the proposal of a model for geotourist map legend. The selection and integrations of the inventory and evaluation methods constitute the fundamental element of the chapter. The methods have been analyzed and dismantled in their parts to build a new inventory and evaluation card: it contains informations open to every kind of reader and it shows the significance of a site for geotourism. The card is based on two models: the geosite inventory card by ISPRA (Italian insitute for Environmental Protection and Research, isprambiente.it) and the geosite evaluation model proposed by the ARP (Latium Regional Park Agency; Fattori & Mancinella, 2010). The integrations to this methods are described below. Geosite inventory card: • the information given is useful and essential (the document is simple, easy to read and it uses a non-specialist language); • the iconographic and representative aspects of the geological site are widely highlighted (images, maps, explanatory schemes of genetic processes); • the scientific description is in non-specialist terms and it is based on the interpretation of scientific language (Ham, 1984); • in the card are described scientific interests of the site and additional (contextual) too; • the informations given are useful for the approach to the site (land use, conservation status, guidance on usability and accessibility). Geosite evaluation card: The use of a site of geological interest for economic development through geotourism need to evaluate different aspect of a geosite. Among the several attributes which could be quantified, can't miss the attributes summarized in the new index proposed in this thesis, the Value of a Site for Geotourism (VSG) index: VSG= RP+RR+SCE+SAC+AC the attributes are representativeness (RP), rarity (RR), scenic value (SCE), historical-cultural-archeological value (SAC) and accessibility (AC). The card allows to confer a value to each attribute identifing the characteristics of the geosite and recognizing them in the descriptions in the card. Each description try to remove the subjectivity of the selection and confers a value to the analysis of the geosite characteristics. The integrations to the base model lie in: • some aspects included in representativeness (RP) evaluation has been redefined; the relationship between frequency of a geological aspect and the geographical setting of analysis is a new proposal for rarity (RR) evaluation; sub-attributes describing the scenic value (SCE) of a site are integrated from other models (Reynard et al, 2007; Ghiraldi, 2011) and “peculiarity of the forms” has been introduced as a new characteristic ; the evaluation of historical, archaeological and cultural value (SAC) of the site has been included in the geosite evaluetion; the difficulty to reach a site and the presence of nearby services are the sub-attributes for the accessibility (AC); • the card has been reviewed in order to make possible to understand the evaluation of a geological good to "non-specialists" users. • finally, when compared to other evaluation models, the Value of a Site for Geoturism doesn’t present weights of the attributes. Infact, scientific attributes of the geosite are as important as additional ones, as the definition of geotourism wants (Arouca Declaration, 2011). The chapter 5 describes the materials of this research, consisting of geoturist enhancement tools. Chief among these a relational database in G.I.S. environment, for storage, management and analysis of all data (results of the survey, the geosite inventory and evaluation, network of touristic attractors of the analyzed areas, etc.). The geographical characterization of geomorphosites (forms present in geographic space, which are mapped and spatially georeferenced), linked to a number of attributes, makes them ideal objects to be managed by G.I.S systems . The database consists of 3 types of data: raster files, vector files, tables. The tables are structured on the basis of the assessment model of the VSG. Using the potential of relational database (connections between tables with one-to-one relationships and many to one and/or query formulation) it is possible to get the selection of geosites that respond to specific needs (Gregori & Melelli, 2005). The geographic properties of the data (georeferencing) also allows to create connection paths between sites, which take into account additional features such as usability or accessibility (geotourist itineraries). This is the procedure used to develop geoturist itineraries, described in the paragraph dedicated to enhancement tools. It is shown how to set a query, from the choice of a set of specific requirments for the itinerary: -choosing data from query -joining tables -queries of type ‘select by attributes ... ' and ' select by location ... '. Geosites with requested attributes and the closest traces (paths or roads) are selected in this way and joined to build the itinerary. The popularization of the geotourist itinerary consists in the description by stops, which is combined to the geoturist map. The problems of geoturist mapping (Regolini, 2012) are analyzed in this chapter to propose simplifications, changes and integrations of a geomorphologic map used to develop a the geoturist one. In particular, integrations include: the theme of the map, the base, the scale, the legend and the geo-morphological symbology. Each map product in this thesis is the synthesis of digital georeferenced data, which constitute the G.I.S environment relational database. The data stored in the database will appear as a paper geoturist map or as digital frame, via a web-gis that works on computerized platforms with a user-friendly interface. At the moment, the work still lack of the web-GIS implementation and interface. The last paragraph of chapter 5 summarizes in a flowchart the procedure proposed for the geoturist enhancement of an area, which may have application as a guideline for the institutions and public and private structures involved in the management and development of the territory. Part III The last part of the thesis is divided into three chapters, focusing on the areas of application of the methodology proposed. The chapter 6 briefly describes the landscapes of the Lazio region and places Rome and the Ernici Mountains within their variety, reflecting the distribution of the litostructural units and hence the regional geo-diversity. It also mentions the tourism dynamics in Lazio and the fusion of natural and cultural aspects of the territories represented in the selected areas. It gives an added value for Lazio classic tourism. The chapter 7 introduce the geographical and geological framework of Rome, followed by a description of the geomorphologic detection. Rome has been the subject of numerous studies, some of which about geomorphological setting (Bellotti et al., 1997, Della Seta & Del Monte, 2006; Ascani et al., 2008; Del Monte et al., 2013). Data avalaible in bibliography are not homogeneous, beacause of the different subjects and objectives of the studies. The analysis of different aspects did’nt include the geomorphological survey and the description of results, traditionally structured in the genetic classification of forms and data representation on a geomorphological map. For this reason, the geomorphological survey was conducted, at 1: 10,000 scale and produced the geomorphologic map of Rome. The geosite inventory was supported by this analysis and the geomorphological map is the basis for the geoturist map. The geosites inventory allowed to add two new geosites (geomorphosites) to the regional inventory: the Tiberina Island, a fluvial bar arosed where the Velabrum Maius merge into the Tevere counter flow and with an almost flat confluence angle; and the Testaccio Mount, an example of human morphogenesis, with its 48 m s.l.m. consisting of testae, broken Roman amphoras. The VSG (Value of a Site for Geotourism) of these geomorphosites, and the geosite reported by ARP (Regional Park Agency), has been evaluated. The results data, stored in ESRI ArcMap ® (ArcGIS software), were interrogated through specific queries, selecting the geosites of " mid-high VSG, linked to historical and archaeological aspects of high importance and quoting Roman legends or traditions, with high scenic value (SCE attribute) due to grandeur and presence of naturality colors ". Queries are the translation of this sentence. The enhancement proposal of the area consists of a geotourist itinerary, developed linking the selected geosites. The geotourist map includes the itinerary description with suggested stops of natural and cultural interests. Text and diagrams allow the scientific explanation of geological and geomorphological aspects and refer to historical-archeological ones (Coarelli, 2001; Insolera, 2001; Puliga & Panichi, 2009; Touring Club Italiano, 1999). The structure of chapter 8 is the same of the previous one: Ernici Mountains geographical and geological framework, geomorphological survey, geosites inventory and evaluation, enhancement. The literature about geomorphological setting of this area is very lacking. The mountain chain extension is about 550km2, this wide area demanded the choice of two sub-areas representative of the morphological aspects, on which concentrate the 1: 10,000 scale geomorphologic survey. An area includes Lazio and Abruzzi slopes of Viglio Mount and the ridges towards Campo Catino, including the homonimous hollow; the second sub-area insists on the Fiume river valley, Trisulti of Collepardo, including the foothills of the Rotonaria and Monna Mountains. The geosites inventory for these areas has identified three new geomorphosites unreported in regional inventory: the Viglio Mount wreck glacial cirque, fine example of the last glacial maximum glacialism forms on the Lazio-Abruzzi Apennines; the Madonna delle Cese (Our Lady of Meadows) Cave, a karst open cave that now houses a chapel; and the Arch in the rock of Trisulti, the wreck of a pressured karstic pipe of an ancient karstic underground grid. The superficial streaming reached and intruded by erosion the underground one, so nowadays the Fiume river flows thorugh the ancient pipe track. The VSG (Value of a Site for Geotourism) of these geomorphosites, and the geosite reported by ARP (Regional Park Agency), has been evaluated. The procedure of automatic selection of sites to develop the geotourist itinerary was not applied, because of the geographical separation of the two sub-areas and the related difficulty to develop an itinerary connecting them. The enhancement proposal of the Ernici Mounts consits of the geoturist map (paper)of the Rotonaria Mount-Trisulti of Collepardo sub-area, which includes a geoturist itinerary described by stops, schematic scientific aspects explanation and images. The itinerary tells about the cultural landscape (Sauer, 1925; Andreotti, 1998, 2008; Unesco, 2005) of the area, through Karst, hermitages and spirituality. Appendix Appendix is about the formative experience at the Adamello Brenta Nature Park, Geopark of the European UNESCO Network. The experience was a curricular internship, based on an agreement between La Sapienza University and Adamello Brenta Natural GeoPark. The internship objectives and subjects were the experience with geological heritage enhancement and dissemination tools and related practical activities; geological heritage mapping; geomorphological hazards analysis along geoturist itinerariess. The result of the internship is a partnership with the Geopark, that allowed the application of the enhancement methodology developed during this doctorate on the geopark area of UNESCO Dolomites