The operation, completed between March and April, allows a photograph of the route to be taken to ascertain the quality of the water, the management, maintenance of vegetation and the conservation of natural habitats.
The first stretch of the Arno passed with flying colours
Its health is good: few plastics, good care of the banks, rather clean waters, enchanting environments are the result of the monitoring.
The watchword is active surveillance. The Reclamation Consortium 2 Alto Valdarno he found in the ASD Canottieri Comunali Florence a valid ally against hydrogeological risk.
Given the difficulty of reaching all points of the river on foot or with mechanical means, last year the Consortium successfully experimented with observing the river from the water, in collaboration with the association T-Rafting.
This made it possible to identify dangerous ones accumulations of timber near bridges and other critical issues, promptly resolved by the Consortium.
This year the institution decided to complete the monitoring operation and, in agreement with the Florence Municipal Rowers who, to celebrate their ninetieth anniversary, have planned a descent of the river from source to mouthhas developed a complete check up of the stretch that falls within the Alto Valdarno district.
A careful observation of the watercourse was planned in stages, starting from the Casentinesi Forests down to the valley.
Objective: assess the health of the river also identifying any problems that are difficult to diagnose by land.
At the end of the navigation, a short report was presented today on the ecological, environmental and hydraulic conditions of the Arno.
The results are encouraging: the Arno is doing quite well here. Few plastics, good care of the banks, rather clean waters, enchanting environments are the assessments that emerge from monitoring.
“The method of observing the river from the water has proven to be extremely useful and important – explains the President of the Reclamation Consortium 2 Alto Valdarno Serena Stefani -. It allowed us to become aware of some aspects that are difficult to evaluate through ordinary inspections.
Furthermore, in this way we have the opportunity to gather the point of view of those who frequent the river and experience it for sport, relaxation, entertainment and socialising. It is a truly precious form of active surveillance to combine hydraulic safety with the liveability and usability of our river. Among other things, we will continue our collaboration with the Florence Municipal Rowers to also evaluate the adoption of possible technical solutions aimed at expanding the navigable sections, while respecting the hydraulic defense of the territory”.
“Our company celebrates 90 years since its foundation: it has been on the Arno ever since. Our activity is to raise awareness of the river and introduce young people to canoeing and rowing. This year we decided to travel the entire river to check its health.
Only by traveling along it by water do we become aware of some pollution and erosion problems. At the same time it is a test of the river’s practicability for tourism and amateurs as there are many barriers present and prevent tourist development of the river as happens in European countries. This initiative called the Vie d’Arno aims at this”, comment Giancarlo Fianchistipresident of the company.
And he adds: “We discovered a stretch of the Arno that we had never traveled before; it is a very beautiful, uncontaminated stretch, an itinerary certainly worth developing for canoeing and rafting. It is a much more attractive route than the downstream part, where the presence of industries, houses and infrastructure significantly affects the environment. It’s a river in almost perfect condition!”.
“Le Vie d’Arno is an important initiative which sees the Consorzio di Bonifica 2 Alto Valdarno collaborate with the Canottieri comunali Firenze company. I thank the Consortium for the work it carries out every year on the Arno and the other waterways and for the activity it carries out in our territory. For us, having an in-depth analysis of the characteristics of the Arno that crosses San Giovanni Valdarno is an extraordinary added value.
For 5 years we have been redeveloping the entire long course of the Arno with interventions also of a hydraulic nature to contain landslides and bank movements. We are sensitive to all initiatives that enhance the Arno and our territory through the Arno. The fact that the rowers have decided to stop in our municipality is a great opportunity for us”, she explains mayor of San Giovanni Valdarno, Valentina Vadi, which welcomed the canoeists at their landing near the Pertini Bridge.
Ugh. Print Reclamation Consortium 2 Alto Valdarno
