Geomorphological hazard assessment of the Area of the Medieval Village of Riola di Labante (Bologna Apennines, Northern Italy

The medieval village of Riola has recently been gaining increasing interest for possible future tourist exploitation. This study is aimed to assess the geomorphological hazards of that area, through detailed geomorphological mapping (cross-verified by applied-geology investigations). Particularly, the area’s instability has been analysed, also with the aim of verifying the official maps of the Bologna Province’ territorial plan, where the greatest part of the area has been defined at elevated hydrological risk, strongly limiting future development. This study has demonstrated how a detailed geomorphological mapping, coupled with an hazard classification method adopted, with modifications, from the Swiss hazard-mapping guidelines, can give a more realistic picture of the slope instability framework of a municipality than that given by the provincial maps. The latter are based on geological maps and on interpretation of aerial photographs: the primary aim of geological maps is not to identify landslides, while aerial photographs can only give a first glimpse of a landslide’s body, not having much to say on its state of activity.