Hunting and Fauna: Lucca, according to 2013 data, there is a significant decrease in the damage to agriculture caused by ungulates.
Agricultural damage caused by animals is decreasing. The final figure for 2013 shows a substantial decrease in the area of competence of the Atc 12 - Lucca, Piana, Media Valle del Serchio and Versilia - and of the Atc 11 - the Garfagnana - compared to the previous year, passing, respectively, recently less than 82 thousand to 26 thousand euros and from 34 thousand to 22 thousand euros. The provincial councilor for agricultural policies, Diego Santi, commented “We are faced with an objective fact that arises from the careful prevention policy that has been implemented over time. These are initiatives ranging from the use of bollards, to the prevention of neglect and abandonment of land, which are giving more than appreciable results, both on suitable areas, substantially the woods, and on those not suitable ". During 2012, in the Atc 12 alone, the most significant damage was caused by wild boars and ungulates in general and amounted to about 60 thousand euros between suitable and non-suitable areas; in 2013, on the other hand, there was a sharp decline in both areas and the liquidated cases amounted to 18 thousand 131 euros. Trend change also with regard to birds. In 2012, nearly 21 euros (20 689 euros) were recorded, with the transfers that alone caused 13 233 euros of certified damage. In 2013, the refunds requested were less than 7 thousand euros (6 thousand 669 euros).
"This decrease - underlined Santi - is the demonstration that, by implementing the policy of the bollards, it is possible to reduce the damage in agriculture, especially in cases where it is possible to have a close collaboration and a synergy of intentions between administrations, farmers and hunters, aimed at balancing the presence of animals with human activity. In particular, with regard to wild boars and ungulates, the Province allocates funds for the installation of latest generation olfactory dissuasion systems, which have been shown to give good results, avoiding predation in the bud phase ".
Continuing Santi explained “In addition to this, the provincial administration and the ATC provide complete electric fences, which prevent the animal from physically entering the field. In particular, then, with regard to wild boars, these are getting closer and closer to inhabited areas, also due to the presence of abandoned fields that offer perfect shelters to ungulates that therefore have food at will and easily available: a therefore, an ideal situation to attract them. For this reason, in agreement with the municipal administrations, when potential wild boar refuge fields are identified, the owners are invited to clean the field or, alternatively, the Municipality will take care of it, but charging the costs to the defaulting owners. In fact, it has been shown that where this has been done, the animals have immediately moved away from the inhabited area ”.
Despite the positive signs, some areas of the province still remain particularly subject to the phenomenon of damage to crops and agricultural arrangements, and efforts are being concentrated there, applying tried and tested methods alongside other more experimental ones that we believe can give good results especially where manages to get the contribution of all the citizens involved.
The Province is also moving on the political front: "The regional law, at the moment - concluded Santi - contemplates compensation only for holders of agricultural VAT numbers, but we are working so that the possibility is also extended to those who have an activity agricultural supplement to other income, a very widespread reality in our territory and important as it also serves as an effective prevention of hydrogeological instability ".
27 March 2014
Source: Luccaindiretta