The two projects admitted to financing under the Interreg program, presented by the Province of Grosseto, are called Ricrea and CasTour. The first concerns the water improvement of the Diaccia Botrona and the creation of a path laid out within the nature reserve and the second the valorisation of the chestnut paths of Monte Amiata and the Colline Metallifere. The launch event of the Interreg projects was held at the end of May with the province of Lucca as the leader and the steering committee meeting with all the partners is scheduled for the first week of October. “Interreg projects represent a great growth opportunity for the territory – says the president of the Province of Grosseto, Francesco Limatola – both from the point of view of comparison and exchange of good practices in the cross-border space, and for the implementation of interventions that go in the direction of sustainable development and adaptation to climate change, according to the new challenges posed by the 2030 agenda and the cohesion policy 2021-2027. The Province of Grosseto has put its planning skills to good use, obtaining funding of 150 thousand euros for the Ricrea project which concerns the Diaccia Botrona and 30 thousand euros for the CasTour project which concerns the valorisation of one of the typical products of the area, the chestnut. in detail the Recreate project aims to encourage greater circulation of fresh water in the Diaccia Botrona since the Marshes encounter crisis situations linked to drought in summer, with significant increases in salinity and the creation of anoxic zones that threaten the habitat. For these reasons it is important to constantly ensure a change of both fresh and salt water. The project also includes GPS mapping of the routes to improve the experience of visiting Diaccia Botrona. The CasTour project concerns the valorisation of the Monte Amiata PGI chestnut routes and the itinerary of the Sasso Forte chestnut groves and the Chestnut grove route with restoration and maintenance of the damaged sections, but also investments in signage of the educational paths of the Via della Castagna and the Via delle Fonti of the House Museum of Monticello Amiata. Furthermore, phytosanitary interventions will be carried out a defense of monumental chestnut trees present along these paths, the cutting of unsafe plants, the cleaning of the bottom of the paths where necessary, the construction of fences and the marking of trees and natural elements to allow visitors to have reference points along the path.
