The group of producers interested in continuing to implement the sustainable production practices they had learned, sought to organize themselves in a more formal way, understanding that together they could access more support and have their own personality before different institutions.

With support from GIZ, they formed a Civil Association called Agricultores en Ejes Sustentables A.C. (AESAC), which is an organization run entirely by the producers of Apaseo el Grande. In addition to the development and consolidation of the producers' technical capacities, AESAC contemplates the development of administrative and management capacities. This action seeks to generate in the producers the necessary managerial skills to achieve efficient administration, as well as the skills to achieve financial sustainability of the organization and future access to public and private resources to continue and improve the production model for the benefit of the producers and biodiversity.

In 2013, the National System of Phytogenetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (SINAREFI) together with the National Institute of Forestry, Agricultural and Livestock Research (INIFAP) initiated a monthly training program for small producers in the community of Ojo Zarco, in the Municipality of Apaseo el Grande, Guanajuato. A community seed bank was organized and a group of producers who are custodians of criollo corn seeds was formed.

Initially, many producers attended the training sessions in the hope of receiving economic support, but when Dr. Aguirre of INIFAP proposed that each producer conduct experiments to learn about the best conditions for his plot, a group of the most interested producers in the area began to consolidate. The experiments compared the "traditional" sowing with the one that applied a change of practice, with respect to data on grain production and shearing. The results in the color and size of the plants encouraged the producers, but the results in productivity were decisive.

The training process is very slow but effective in the semiarid rainfed agriculture zone. It takes 6 to 7 years to obtain good results when only small farmers have their own resources.

Las comunidades nativas y campesinas que se localizan en el ámbito de la RNM son aliados y participan en las actividades de vigilancia al interior de la RNM, en la zona de amortiguamiento y en el paisaje asociado a la RNM que utiliza cada comunidad. La información generada permite que se planteen estrategias conjuntas de acción para la protección de los ecosistemas o su uso sostenible por las comunidades y esta información a su vez es compartida con las autoridades para convocar, de acuerdo con sus competencias, su acción frente a la amenaza.

En la Reserva Nacional Matsés, la vigilancia y control se orientan a: a) la reducción de prácticas no sostenibles de aprovechamiento de los recursos naturales, y b) la reducción de ingresos a zonas y sectores no permitidos según la zonificación del área protegida. Para generar respuestas más rápidas y eficientes ante las amenazas se vienen utilizando el aplicativo SMART que permite hacer más eficiente la colecta y sistematización de datos recogidos durante las actividades de vigilancia y control.

The system of signage in place within the Greenway relies on the concept of “wayfinding”, an approach that seeks to organise spaces in order for users to navigate them easily. Within the Greenway, wayfinding has been pivotal to maximise the experience of visitors and enhance their relation to the site. The approach has also been sided by the installation of physical signage guided by the adoption of a Master Plan (2016) and the visibility given by the creation of a website, the development of a guidebook in four languages that also incorporates the EnjoyRespectFlorence campaign, the organisation of guided visits, and the release of videos and flyers. The interpretation of the itineraries is made accessible also thanks to the restoration of their physical attributes such as the ramps, the requalification of new components such as the Forte Belvedere, and the production of historical descriptions inserted in the signage system. Finally, the establishment of a Firenze Greenway Lab gathers students, graduates and professionals working together for the urban and environmental planning of the project.

The implementation of principles related to slow tourism and the creation of three urban green itineraries (one focused on the Medici town, one on the medieval components, one on the hills and surrounding environment) has also been connected to the concept of ‘Promenadologie’, the science of strolling, a philosophy to enhance environmental perceptions and experiences through walking. In the case of the Greenway, the ‘Promenadologie’ constitutes an alternative way to experience the connection between the two World Heritage sites, as well as the relations between natural and cultural elements, only by foot or bike. The walk becomes a powerful tool to reflect upon the aesthetic and sensorial qualities of heritage and nature, bridging the gap between visitors and the surrounding environment.

Greenway Florence is characterised by the successful coordination of research bodies, the Municipality of Florence, private stakeholders, and heritage institutions, which have formalised an inter-institutional partnership in order to manage, maintain and promote the project. The partners involved include “Firenze Greenway” Association, Fondazione Parchi Monumentali Bardini e Peyron, HeRe Lab - Heritage Research, the Municipality of Florence (Tourism Department, Directorate for Economic Activities and Tourism, Directorate of Culture and Sport, Department and Directorate of the Environment, ‘Florence World Heritage and relations with UNESCO’ Office), Fondazione CR Firenze, and the Uffizi Gallery.

The concept of urban countryside is becoming pivotal in recent years as a way to overcome the traditional dualism between city and countryside, encouraging holistic approaches. The creation of itineraries connecting urban green areas, the Historic Centre of Florence and the Medici Villas constitutes a successful approach to experience urban centres in a sustainable way and connect Core and Buffer Zone of the two World Heritage sites. The ‘urban countryside’ has become a solution to address the need for more green spaces within cities, while at the same time placing the well-being of visitors at its core.    

All the initiatives of HeRe_Lab follow the objectives and targets of the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development, as well as the strategic principles of the World Heritage Convention.

The collaboration between researchers and practitioners, as well as their direct involvement in activities and projects, has resulted in a tight synergy between heritage research and practice. Heritage researchers working at the Lab address practical challenges and needs through studies that guide and improve the sustainability of strategies and management systems. Some of the analyses carried out in the framework of the WH property ‘Historic Centre of Florence’ include the identification of Belvedere points and creation of the site’s buffer zone; the publication of the management plan and monitoring strategy; the study on the carrying capacity of the historic centre; the inventory of at-risk buildings that contribute to the OUV of the site; the creation of a protocol for the Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) of the site; the performance of studies for a comprehensive understanding of the intangible and religious heritage; and the preparatory study of a portal on the urban evolution of the city. These data have become practical and valuable tools employed in everyday heritage management practices.

By providing job and research opportunities, the HeRe Lab plays a key role in empowering emerging heritage professionals and researchers in Italy. The Lab supports emerging professionals in working long-term within the World Heritage field, a working area that is still unstructured and underdeveloped in Italy. This makes HeRe Lab a pioneering example in the country.

Emerging professionals and researchers are involved in relevant  research projects and they are directly contributing to: drafting of Management Plans of World Heritage properties located in Tuscany; Heritage Impact Assessments; museums-related activities; international conferences and projects, as well as a wide range of activities directly related to heritage research and practice.