The Lazio TAR will decide the fate of the Matese National Park in the hearing scheduled for 18 June on the appeal brought by Italia Nostra, the national association for the protection of the historical, artistic and natural heritage of the nation.
In consideration of the unacceptable delays in the definitive establishment of the National Park, Italia Nostra has in fact appealed to the Administrative Judge to rule on the institutional defaults (Ministry of the Environment and Energy Development and Campania Region) relating to the establishment process, which to date have not finalized, requesting the adoption of the temporary perimeter provision of the Park itself, the issuing of the transitional regulations necessary to guarantee the conservation of the state of the places and, also, the appointment of a commissioner ad acta to take action in the event of further non-compliance.
The Matese National Park, which includes over 50 municipalities, including those of Campania and Molise, was established with the 2018 Budget Law (L. 27 December 2017, n. 205, art. 1 c. 116) in order to safeguard the extraordinary historical, naturalistic and landscape heritage. For some time, in fact, the Matese Massif has been identified not only as a Priority Area for the conservation of Biodiversity in the Central Mediterranean Eco-region, but also as a bearer of historical and cultural values of different eras, dating back to Italic civilizations of over three thousand Years ago.
The unacceptable delay in completing the Park’s establishment procedure, in addition to facilitating the wind attack underway on the Campanian ridge of the Matese Massif, has also resulted in the lack of receipt of public funding, intended by law for protected areas, to be used for actions of conservation and valorization of the Parks. A delay which, moreover, appears even more incomprehensible when one considers that in Italy the terrestrial protected areas cover just 21.7% of the territory (as regards Molise, just 7617 Ha, equal to 1.42% of its surface), while the The EU biodiversity strategy for 2030 foresees a substantial increase in protected areas.
Italia Nostra hopes that the judicial action undertaken will serve, even before the pronouncement of a sentence on the merits, to put an end to the inertia and to implement a state law that will allow the communities concerned to build a sustainable future, based on the protection and valorisation of an area of particular value in various respects, putting a stop to the degradation and depopulation to which it would otherwise be destined.
Antonella Caroli
National President Italia Nostra
