A fire during the night destroyed the grove of the Parco della Rinascita located on the outskirts of Ribera, between the state road 386 exiting towards Calamonaci and the cemetery. Little could be saved from the high flames, despite the prompt intervention of the operators of the nearby forestry detachment and the Sciacca fire brigade. Hundreds and hundreds of pine plants transformed with burning embers and many young seedlings of varieties chosen and planted by the Ribera scouts about a year ago, were also burned. It seems that the origin of the flames, from what the technicians and firefighters have ascertained, arose from inside the woods so a fire of arson can be assumed. This is incalculable damage to the environment and to the sacrifices made by hundreds of scout volunteers and by the civic administration itself which has operated with men and means in recent years.
Below is the press release that we received from the Agesci Ribera 1 group.
“The Rebirth Park in Ribera is a project on which we scouts of the “Tol Eressea” Clan of the Agesci Ribera 1 group worked for two years, redeveloping a grove that was in a state of abandonment, with dry trees and lots and lots of rubbish. The area was entrusted to us by the municipality and, thanks to the donations of numerous citizens and associations, trees and hedges were purchased and planted. The rubbish was removed and, after a short time, people began to have more respect for the place, so much so that lately there was always less rubbish found.
The project planned to bring a note of color and beauty, thanks to trees with colorful blooms and the presence of hedges that could attract birds and butterflies. Many new trees also bore the names of children born during the pandemic years and had been donated by their parents with great joy. In recent weeks, cleaning and raking of dry grass had been undertaken to try to reduce the risk of possible fires.
Tonight someone canceled everything done so far, starting a fire that burned all the undergrowth and all the seedlings planted. The fire started from inside and was therefore voluntarily lit by someone. The reasons remain unclear!
This is a hard blow for all those who wanted to believe in a better Ribera.
However, we will not give up.
Most of the plants planted are “Resilient” plants, that is, capable of recovering after damage. It is hoped that new shoots will soon emerge from the trunks and roots. The municipal administration will do everything necessary to help restore what has been destroyed and to ensure that such an act never happens again; but in the meantime we ask the Ribera community to join us in condemning this vile act.
Let’s realize that the city belongs to everyone and let’s start respecting it.”
