CC BY 4.0Tomou, NioviSerraos, Konstantinos2024-01-232024-01-232023978-908-28191-9-9https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14235/1281Book of proceedings: 35th AESOP Annual Congress Integrated planning in a world of turbulence, Łódź, 11-15th July, 2023The fear of space confinement during Covid 19 pandemic, led many citizens to flee to rural areas, opening again the dialogue regarding rural development. Through the case study of a borderline rural community in Epirus (Greece), the possibility of reviving rural settlements that face severe problems of abandonment and isolation, is investigated. By evaluating the current national and international regulation on rural areas and a SWOT analysing the case study area, this research sets out to examine the character of a modern management of rural areas and contribute to the revival of these isolated communities. The subject of this paper is considered critical and needs immediate attention, as rural areas gather most of the planet's natural capital, which is currently being depleted and degraded. Keywords: regeneration, decentralisation, desertification of rural areas, post pandemic rural planningEnglishopenaccessConference object1665-1680