Rural commons represent one of the oldest and most sustainable forms of land management in Italy, based on community governance models deeply rooted in local customary law. These lands — forests, pastures, and rural infrastructures — belong to local communities and are collectively managed to ensure the protection of natural resources and biodiversity, especially in mountain and hilly areas.
With Law No. 168/2017, Italy officially recognised the legal and environmental value of rural commons and the communities that manage them. However, the so-called enti esponenziali — the local institutions responsible for representing and governing these areas — still face significant regulatory, administrative, and management challenges that limit the full implementation of the law.

Led by the University of Palermo, the project Valorising rural commons for a greener and fairer society. Insights from Southern and Northern Italy aims to highlight the role of rural commons in supporting ecological transition and social justice, fostering dialogue between experiences from Southern and Northern Italy.
Among its main activities, the project includes the preparation of a policy brief to analyse the main challenges faced by enti esponenziali in applying Law No. 168/2017 and to propose practical recommendations to overcome operational barriers.

Etifor provides technical assistance to the University of Palermo in the participatory development of the first policy brief focused on rural commons in Northern Italy.
Through participatory methodologies and an inclusive governance approach, we support the drafting of analyses and recommendations on key topics such as protected area management, biodiversity conservation, and the empowerment of local communities in common land governance.
Our goal is to contribute to the creation of fairer and more effective public policies that recognise rural commons as a key lever for building greener and more resilient territories.

• Policy brief: “Valorizzare le proprietà collettive: Raccomandazioni di policy per una efficace implementazione della Legge 168/2017”
• Valorising rural commons for a greener and fairer society. Insights from Southern and Northern Italy – Marco Bassi