A cross-border alliance to protect a natural heritage at risk
The over-exploitation of parts of the Ticino landscape has fragmented habitats and compromised the health of different ecosystems. The project aims at the complete restoration of the Ticino landscape and its ecosystems, also benefiting the social and economic wellness of the communities.
The Ticino landscape, shared between Italy and Switzerland, is one of the most important natural areas in Europe: it is the only one connecting the Alps with the Apennines through the Po Plain, home to rich biodiversity and a key resource to counter the adverse effects of climate change.
The historical colonization of the banks of the Ticino river, with the consequent economic activities linked to the presence of man, has partly modified the natural course of the river with embankments and barriers. Infrastructures and urbanization have fragmented different ecosystems in the area. The heart of the Ticino Valley, on the other hand, has remained intact: in many areas it still retains a high naturalness. But man, in the course of the centuries, have also had positive impacts on the area by shaping the traditional agricultural landscape closely linked to the waters of the Ticino river. This peculiar environment, which characterizes especially the southern part of the basin, is home to a unique biodiversity. But the spread of intensive agriculture and unsustainable farming practices, together with the effects of climate change, have led to the degradation of the agro-ecosystems and its biodiversity.
These are the reason why we work for the complete recovery of the Ticino landscape, in harmony with the social and economic well-being of the communities. With an Italian-Swiss alliance involving institutions, universities, protected areas, environmental protection associations and SMEs, we have planned the most concrete and effective measures to protect fragile ecosystems and endangered species, increase the resilience of ecosystems and communities to climate change and ensure a coordinated management of the area between Italy and Switzerland. The result of this great teamwork is the delivery of the Ticino Landscape Restoration Plan, available here.
We also want to encourage sustainable behavior: because all of us can take care of the territory in which we live, and we must do it.