Rural Heritage as Territorial Commons: Agroecological Practices and Participatory Governance in the SalentoKm0 Experience

This paper examines the SalentoKm0 association and its network as a case of territorial commoning in rural Southern Italy. Founded in 2011 in response to environmental conflict, the association has evolved into a polycentric ecosystem combining agroecological innovation, participatory governance and heritage-making practices. The study shows how grassroots actors mobilize rural heritage through the recovery of ancient crop varieties, solidarity-based food systems and collective management of common spaces. SalentoKm0 operates as a territorial infrastructure of commoning, where agricultural practices, community rituals and ethical consumption reconfigure place-based meanings and values. The case contributes to debates in rural sociology, heritage studies and political ecology by showing how rural heritage can become a generative resource for participation, youth engagement and the re-territorialization of local economies and cultures.Keywords: rural heritage, territorial commons, agroecology, participatory governanceRiassunto. Patrimonio rurale come bene comune territoriale: pratiche agroecologiche e governance partecipativa nell’esperienza di SalentoKm0L’articolo analizza l’associazione SalentoKm0 e la sua rete come caso di commoning territoriale nel Mezzogiorno rurale. Nata nel 2011 in risposta a un conflitto ambientale, l’esperienza integra innovazione agroecologica, governance partecipativa e pratiche di costruzione del patrimonio. Attraverso il recupero di varietà locali, sistemi alimentari solidali e gestione collettiva di spazi comuni, SalentoKm0 opera come infrastruttura territoriale di commoning. Il caso mostra come il patrimonio rurale possa diventare risorsa generativa per partecipazione, cura del territorio, coinvolgimento giovanile e riterritorializzazione delle economie locali.Parole chiave: patrimonio rurale, commons territoriali, agroecologia, governance partecipativa