The construction of a golf course on the Daine terrace, above the town of Nago, must be set aside, because “it represents a geological testimony to be protected and made known” and “it must be protected by the Province, like the Marocche di Dro”. The SOS Altissimo Association of Nago does not discount the words of Roberto De Laurentis, president of “Alto Garda Golf Srl” who intends to build an 18-hole golf course in that area (read the article). For De Laurentis and his company, that investment represents an opportunity to keep attention alive on the town of Nago, when it will be cut off from the tourist flow due to the “Loppio-Busa” tunnels. For environmentalists, however, there is nothing to be done. On the contrary. “This process – they write from SOS Altissimo – has given rise to erratic stones sculpted by the water, has allowed the growth of unique flowers and plants, creating an area very rich in biodiversity, where wild animals can live undisturbed”.
Furthermore, local environmentalists explain, “this place also houses the first human presences with the presence of the Neolithic, engravings from the medieval era, as well as the ancient pavement that leads to Monte Baldo. Within this territory there are also particularly important traces dating back to the First World War, as it was the defense line on the border between the Austro-Hungarian and Italian empires”.
“We therefore find unacceptable even the thought of creating a golf course in such a precious and unique area – they write again – De Laurentis’s thought of safeguarding those traces of history and enhancing them along the route of the 18 holes is disconcerting; these finds, trenches, field positions, military paths, etc., deserve to be valorised in a specific historical-educational path and not trivialized within a play space”.
“This is also with a view to quality tourism – they illustrate – that tourism that comes to admire particularities that cannot be found elsewhere, that wishes to know, see, immerse themselves in the history of the place, that passes the word on to others, that stops in the small B&B , who frequents the restaurants in the town and buys in the small shops, who returns because he realizes that there is more to discover, who returns because he becomes attached”.
The SOS Altissimo Association of Nago highlights another problem: “The dimensions of this 50 hectare golf course are equivalent to approximately 70/80 football pitches – they explain – in addition to the environmental and landscape havoc, it is also consider the problem of “water resources”, to maintain a turf of these proportions… How can we accept a structure that would have enormous water consumption? Is there a study on the economic sustainability of this project, considering the fact that many golf courses are closing for economic reasons? Finally, we would like to point out that the Province of Trento has included the Marocche di Dro among the protected areas, which are similar from a geological point of view to the post-glacial landslide of Nago; the Province itself on the “Protected Areas of Trentino” website finds the proposals made in recent times to build a golf course in this area absurd. For logic and coherence, could the same protection and attention also be applied to the Marocche di Nago?”.
