Nothing green left in Italy?

To save money, it seems that the Italian policy is to cut here and there from the least important areas in which the money were going: science and nature.

The recent proposal concerning Italian protected areas, is to cut them down to 50%. Here below I attached the press release of the Italian National Association of staff members of protected areas.

Instead that progressing, I feel that in Italy we are more and more going backward. Italy is an amazing beautiful country, why not try to protect it?

Press release of the Italian National Association of staff members of protected areas (394), denouncing the Italian government measures approved by the Italian Senate some days ago and now under examination by the Italian House of Representatives which will cut down by 50% the budgets of all Italian National Parks, de facto causing their total paralysis or even shutdown  for  some of them.


NO to the shutdown of ITALIAN NATIONAL PARKS
On 23rd July 2010: SIT-IN IN ROME

People of parks are going down in the street  in Rome on the  23rd of July  to protest against the government measures, approved by the Italian Senate some days ago and now under examination by the Italian House of Representatives  which imply a  50% reduction of financial resources for  the National Protected Areas.
It is a heavy hit for the  fragile system of Italian  Parks  that will cause their total paralysis  or even  the shutdown  for  some of them. .
Aserious blow for nature and tourism in Italy: wildlife, habitats, rivers,  forests and coasts in the last 24 Italian natural paradises (Gran Paradiso, Stelvio, Dolomiti Bellunesi,  Foreste Casentinesi, Arcipelago Toscano,  Sibillini, Gran Sasso,  Abruzzo, Circeo, Cilento, Vesuvio, Gargano and many others)  will be once again subject to  speculation  and indiscriminate exploitation.
Every environmental policy required by the European Union  will be canceled, and this just during  the International Year of Biodiversity that recognizes,  as the National Biodiversity Strategy,  the strategic  role of  Parks and the need to strengthen them.
Altogether the National Protected Areas, which include about  5% of the national territory,  cost to the Italian Government 50 millions Euro, which is equivalent  to the price of one coffee a year for each Italian resident.  But, for the Italian government, environment, biodiversity, sustainable development and  EU policy strategies,  do not deserve even this coffee!

On  the 23rd of July, the associations which represent the parks world (guides, employees, managing directors, park wardens, environmental educators) and the environment NGOs   have organized a sit-in in Rome in front of the Italian Ministry of the Environment   to say NO  to an  irrational reduction of financial resources for National parks, a real shame for a civil country, a serious violation to international, European  and constitutional rights.
It is time to say NO to the continuous attacks that weaken  and discredit  parks and  their  institution.

The casket of the Italian natural treasures, that parks cannot defend any more for future generation, will be symbolically given back to the Italian Minister Stefania Prestigiacomo, asking for:

1) a concrete and definitive recognition of the national parks' role  as  important and strategic instruments  for environmental policy;
2) the exclusion of the protected areas from the reduction of financial  resources (item 7 paragraph 24 Law by Decree 78/2010) and the commitment to provide parks the necessary means  to comply to strategic international and national aims.

Everybody is asked to participate to defend the Italian parks and environment.

The following associations and NGOs will participate to the sit-in:

UNIONE per i parchi e la natura d'Italia
394 Associazione nazionale personale aree protette
AIDAP Associazione italiana direttore e funzionari aree protette
AIGAE Associazione italiana guide ambientali
AIGAP associazione italiana guardie dei parchi e delle aree protette
WWF Italia Onlus
LIPU Lega Italiana Protezione Uccelli
ISTITUTO PANGEA  -  MOUNTAIN WILDERNESS
PRO NATURA - ITALIA NOSTRA
COMITATO NAZIONALE DEL PAESAGGIO
VAS Verdi Ambiente Societa'
ALTURA Associazione Tutela Rapaci Italiani e loro Ambienti

for further informations,
please contact Andrea Gennai:
Tel. +39.320.4270842