«Forty years ago, it was said that the birth of a reserve would mummified the territory And development blocked. Today we can say that, in most cases, this was not the case.” It is the reflection with which the president of the association Sicilian nature Fabio Morreale begins to celebrate the important anniversary of first protected areas established in Sicily. There mouth of the Platani river in the Agrigento area; L’Simeto OasisThe Fiumefreddo river and the tympa of Acireale in the province of Catania; the mountains of ferns and leeks in the Messina area; The Aleppo pine in the Ragusa area; Ciane river and Saline di SiracusaL’Vendicari wildlife oasis And Cavagrande del Cassibile in the Syracuse area; the islands of the Marsala lagoonthe mouth of the Belice river and the Alcamo forest in the province of Trapani. Protected areas which on the island occupy approximately 20 percent of the regional territory.
Starting from 1984, the start of the institution of protected areas in Sicily has safeguarded the biodiversity of the territories. «It was also a measure – underlines Morreale – to put an end to the many speculations of which natural areas had been victims or were at risk of becoming victims”. Give her refineries of oil to villages tourist, from the reserves of hunting to farms intensiveup to areas to be excavated to obtain building stones. «The preserved beauty – adds the president of Sicilian nature – it is not a gift of chance but the fruit of battles of many environmentalists and forty years of protection». Which, however, did not lead to the same results everywhere. «There are excellent cases of places that have done so huge steps forward – says Morreale – This is the case, for example, ofVendicari wildlife oasis». Other areas, however, if they have taken steps, have been backwards. «After forty years – he analyzes – we can say that protected areas entrusted to environmental associations they have had appropriate management which has also improved their conditions usability». Opposite situation for the areas managed by the former provinces, now free consortia.
«Given in hand, where the protected areas are managed well – underlines Morreale – they bring benefits to the territory not only in terms of conservation of natural heritage but also of economical progress». In fact, they become tourist attractions like symbolic places like i temples of Agrigento or the Greek theater of Syracuse. «And the naturalistic one – he adds – is a quality tourism: slow, sustainable, conscious, with a strong sense of respect for the territory”. Yet, arriving at the results of these first forty years has not always been easy. “We had to counter many clichés especially among entrepreneurs and administrators and we also received threats and intimidation. But – says the president of satisfied Sicilian nature – we managed to protect ecosystems that have disappeared elsewhere». And it is precisely on the basis of the positive outcomes that environmentalists look to the future: «To continue guard the territoriesit is necessary for politics to decide to move forward on the same path – concludes Morreale – starting from the establishment of natural reserves such as that of Plemmirio he was born in Iblei park».
Tags: threats intimidation preserved beauty
