One of the most important aspects that characterize the new social attitudes of the European populations living in highly anthropized contexts is a growing sensitivity to the environmental and cultural of the water-landscapes (Gandy 2014; Neimanis, 2017; Vallerani & Visentin 2018). The management and preservation of these water-landscapes demand multi-levels governance with a complex system due to the many stakeholders involved (Meadowcroft 2007; Robinson & Graham 2018). In this context, the Water Framework Directive (2000/60/CE) represents a strategic pillar for the E.U. water management.
The main objective of the WFD was to establish a new paradigm for water management based on bottom-up strategies as the active involvement through participatory processes of the stakeholders (Chave 2001; Kaika 2003; Bosselmann et al., 2008). Despite recognizing the value of stakeholders’ participation and participatory mechanisms in general, the growing rhetoric surrounding the need for public engagement in decision-making processes suggests this ‘new’ paradigm remains ambiguous.
The research project would like to follow the paths of ongoing research started at the beginning of 2020 on RCs. This study would like to contribute to analysing, mapping and co(de)-constructing the territorial processes of River Contracts (RCs). It is fundamental, indeed, for understanding the impacts of RCs to take into consideration the regulations but above all able to guarantee standards that are as inclusive as possible from the social point of view (multiple stakeholders and participations), ecological (non-human aspects) and economic-cultural.
Thanks to the recent agreement between the FVG Region and the University of Udine (DILL), the current research will have not only theoretical implications but also a strong impact relating to the "Third mission" favouring a commitment of the University with and ‘into’ the territory especially due to the future establishment of a Regional working-table of River Contracts (From now on: RWTRC) to favour the exchange and a debate between the various experiences and experts in order to ameliorate the processes of RCs.