Extensive Mobile Pastoralism: A Methodology to Counter Climate Change and Depopulation in Rural and Mountain Areas. Proposal for a Shepherd School to Foster the Sustainable Development of Mountain and Inland Areas

This study provides an overview of extensive and mobile pastoralism, challenging the widespread perception of its environmental unsustainability. On the contrary, it demonstrates how pastoral practices, when properly managed, contribute to ecosystem maintenance, climate change mitigation, and sustainable use of marginal lands. Pastoralism is also deeply tied to cultural heritage, food security, and rural vitality, recognised by UNESCO as intangible heritage and essential for the resilience of local economies. In the European context, however, pastoral systems face growing threats: weak policy support, rural abandonment, socio-economic marginalisation, lack of generational renewal, and poor recognition of ecosystem services. These challenges risk accelerating the decline of pastoral knowledge and land management techniques, with negative effects on biodiversity, landscapes, and communities. The research identifies five key priorities for action: strengthening governance, adopting agroecological approaches, recognising ecosystem services, valuing pastoral cultural heritage, and supporting shepherds with targeted policies. From this framework emerges the proposal of a School of Shepherds, developed through a case study in the Biella area. The project responds to concrete local needs such as demographic ageing and the erosion of skills while offering a model that can be replicated in other European regions. The School of Shepherds is conceived as both a training and innovation hub: it seeks to open pastoralism to new generations beyond traditional family backgrounds, revitalise rural areas, and integrate environmental, socio-economic, and cultural goals. By combining knowledge transmission, professionalisation, and community empowerment, the project provides a practical pathway to secure the future of pastoralism and enhance its contribution to sustainability.