Shutdown of ITALIAN NATIONAL PARKS
July 23rd, 2010Press release of the Italian National Association of staff members of protected areas (394),
denouncing the Italian government measures approved by the Italian Senate some days ago and
now under examination by the Italian House of Representatives which will cut down by 50% the
budgets of all Italian National Parks, de facto causing their total paralysis or even shutdown
for some of them.
NO to the shutdown of ITALIAN NATIONAL PARKS
On 23rd July 2010: SIT-IN IN ROME
People of parks are going down in the street in Rome on the 23rd of July to protest against
the government measures, approved by the Italian Senate some days ago and now under examination
by the Italian House of Representatives, which imply a 50% reduction of financial resources for
the National Protected Areas.
It is a heavy hit for the fragile system of Italian Parks that will cause their total paralysis
or even the shutdown for some of them. .
A serious blow for nature and tourism in Italy: wildlife, habitats, rivers, forests and coasts
in the last 24 Italian natural paradises (Gran Paradiso, Stelvio, Dolomiti Bellunesi, Foreste
Casentinesi, Arcipelago Toscano, Sibillini, Gran Sasso, Abruzzo, Circeo, Cilento, Vesuvio,
Gargano and many others) will be once again subject to speculation and indiscriminate exploitation.
Every environmental policy required by the European Union will be canceled, and this just during
the International Year of Biodiversity that recognizes, as the National Biodiversity Strategy,
the strategic role of Parks and the need to strengthen them.
Altogether the National Protected Areas, which include about 5% of the national territory,
cost to the Italian Government 50 millions Euro, which is equivalent to the price of one coffee a year
for each Italian resident. But, for the Italian government, environment, biodiversity, sustainable
development and EU policy strategies, do not deserve even this coffee!
On the 23rd of July, the associations which represent the parks world (guides, employees,
managing directors, park wardens, environmental educators) and the environment NGOs have organized
a sit-in in Rome in front of the Italian Ministry of the Environment to say NO to an irrational
reduction of financial resources for National parks, a real shame for a civil country, a serious
violation to international, European and constitutional rights.
It is time to say NO to the continuous attacks that weaken and discredit parks and their institution.
The casket of the Italian natural treasures, that parks cannot defend any more for future generation,
will be symbolically given back to the Italian Minister Stefania Prestigiacomo, asking for:
1) a concrete and definitive recognition of the national parks’ role as
important and strategic instruments for environmental policy;
2) the exclusion of the protected areas from the reduction of financial
resources (item 7 paragraph 24 Law by Decree 78/2010) and the commitment to provide parks
the necessary means to comply to strategic international and national aims.
Everybody is asked to participate to defend the Italian parks and environment.
The following associations and NGOs will participate to the sit-in:
UNIONE per i parchi e la natura d'Italia
394 Associazione nazionale personale aree protette
AIDAP Associazione italiana direttore e funzionari aree protette
AIGAE Associazione italiana guide ambientali
AIGAP associazione italiana guardie dei parchi e delle aree protette
WWF Italia Onlus
LIPU Lega Italiana Protezione Uccelli
ISTITUTO PANGEA - MOUNTAIN WILDERNESS
PRO NATURA - ITALIA NOSTRA
COMITATO NAZIONALE DEL PAESAGGIO
VAS Verdi Ambiente Societa'
ALTURA Associazione Tutela Rapaci Italiani e loro Ambienti
for further informations,
please contact Andrea Gennai:
Tel. +39.320.4270842
38th congress of the French Herpetological Society - Grenoble
July 20th, 2010The 38th congress of the French Herpetological Society (SHF) will be held in Grenoble (Isère) from September 30 to October 2 2010. The main theme of the congress this year is amphibians and reptiles and ecological connectivity. This topic is particularly important for amphibians and reptiles, as connexion between populations and sustainable corridors are key elements to the conservation of many species. This congress will welcome scientists and also landscape managers and conservation organizations.
This congress is organized together with the LPO-Isère, a local NGO working on the conservation of fauna.
The registration form -in French- can be downloaded directly by clicking on this link (pdf).
Visit the SHF website by clicking this link.
French: Le 38ème congrès de la SHF se tiendra cette année à Grenoble (Isère) du 30 septembre au 2 octobre. Il est co-organisé par la LPO-Isère, et aura pour thème principal amphibiens et reptiles et la trame verte et bleue. Ce congrès accueillera scientifiques ainsi que gestionnaires d'espaces et membres d'associations de protection de la nature, pour des échanges sur ce thème important pour la conservation de l'herpétofaune.
Le bulletin d'inscription, avec toutes les informations pratiques, est téléchargeable directement sur ce lien (pdf).
5th International Symposium on Emys orbicularis
June 1st, 2010More information in the pdf attached.
Circular-Emys10.pdf
Course on pond management and conservation
May 26th, 2010The course will be held in Trieste (Italy) at the Trieste Natural History Museum between June 14 and June 16. The course will be taugh in English and some of the covered topics are:
- Ecological assesment methods
- Pond management
- Pond creation
- Public involvement and networking
- Historical and archeological value of ponds
The course is FREE and OPEN to everyone with priority given to members of the European Pond Conservation Network and partecipants from outside Italy (as there is a specific Italian course on pond menagement and conservation).
Contact information: Nicola Bressi, bressi@comune.trieste.it
To register to the course, fill in the following info and send it by email to the above email address.
REGISTRATION FORM
Full
Name:
Email:
Organisation:
Please give details of any health or dietary
requirements:
Please indicate if you would like to present a 20 min talk about a pond
management or pond creation project which you have been working on
CHELONIAN CONFERENCE IN FLORIDA
April 16th, 2010The Turtle Survival Alliance (TSA) and the IUCN/SSC Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group will have a joint symposium at Orlando (Florida) this summer (16-19 August, 2010).
Registrations to submit a poster or oral communication are open until June 15.
Some (but not all) of the special sessions that are organized for this meeting include:
- Madagascar turtle conservation
- Chelonian health and disease
- Community ecology of turtles
- Survey methods for tortoises
However, presentations on other topic seems to be welcomed too.
For additional info, please visit the website of the conference.
