A joint resolution
The Italian Center for Ornithological Studies and the scientific community express "their deepest concern" over the Montagna Bills. At the conclusion of the 22nd Italian Ornithological Conference, held in Lecce from September 8 to 12, 2025, the CISO and the entire Italian ornithological scientific community issued a joint resolution expressing "unanimous and deep concern" over two recent legislative measures: the Montagna Bill and the Malan Bill (DDL 1552). These bills, according to the scientific community, seriously threaten the conservation of ornithological biodiversity in Italy, undermining decades of scientific and conservation efforts. The resolution was approved unanimously.
Scientifically nonsensical
This is the statement: "The Mountain Bill, approved on September 11, 2025, has raised particular alarm due to an amendment reopening hunting on mountain passes. This legislative move bypasses court rulings that had previously banned hunting on 475 mountain passes in Lombardy, considered crucial migratory corridors. The amendment, introduced by Northern League MP Francesco Bruzzone and supported by the center-right, with Minister Lollobrigida justifying the move as a way to "restore normality," is a direct attack on the protection of migratory fauna. The law circumvents the ban by establishing Special Protection Zones (SPAs) with hunting regulations that prohibit hunting only before October 1. This is scientifically unsound, as the migration of passerines such as thrushes occurs primarily between October and November. Furthermore, the amendment only protects passes above 1000 meters, leaving hundreds of other passes below this altitude, crucial for migration, unprotected." no protection”.
Substantial changes
The Malan Bill (DDL 1552), introduced by the majority group leaders, is described by the ornithological community as a "systematic" attempt to restore Italian hunting to an era before modern conservation regulations. The bill provides substantial amendments to Framework Law 157/92, with the aim of:
● Extend the hunting season to include crucial migration periods.
● Reduce or eliminate weekly “green breaks”.
● Reintroduce fowling, that is, the capture of birds to use as live decoys.
● Reduce the role of ISPRA (Higher Institute for Environmental Protection and Research) and strengthen the Technical Wildlife and Hunting Committee, which includes hunters' representatives.
● Allow hunting in previously protected state-owned areas and even on the beach and with silencers, as highlighted in the conference notes.
● Defining hunting as an “activity that protects biodiversity”, a scientifically questionable concept”.
The criticisms
The 55 signatory environmental, animal rights, and scientific associations, including ENPA, LAC, LAV, LIPU, and WWF Italy, have expressed their opposition. They argue that these measures do not protect farmers or the land, but expose the country to uncontrolled hunting and an increase in poaching. The associations also denounced the lack of dialogue with the Government, which has ignored requests for discussion and conducted parliamentary hearings at "incompatible" times. Contradiction with European legislation and biodiversity crisis. The legislative measures are in stark contrast with European legislation, in particular with the Birds Directive 2009/147/EC and the Habitats Directive 92/43/EEC. The resolution emphasizes that these laws violate EU Regulation 2024/1991 on nature restoration (Nature Restoration Law), which establishes binding objectives for the restoration of degraded ecosystems. The ornithological community has highlighted that the situation The state of birdlife in Italy is already alarming. Of the 250 birds that nest in the country, 30% are in a "poor" state of conservation and 33% in an "inadequate" state. The Farmland Bird Index records a 33% decline, with species such as the swallow, the skylark, and the common stonechat suffering dramatic losses of 51%, 54%, and 73%, respectively.
Appeal to the Government and Institutions
The CISO and the Italian ornithological community formally call on the Government to immediately suspend the enforcement of the harmful regulations and to establish a technical forum involving the scientific community. They also ask the Regions to apply the precautionary principle and to include in hunting calendars all mountain passes affected by significant migratory flows, regardless of altitude, among the areas prohibited to hunting. Finally, the resolution addresses the European Union, urging it to initiate infringement proceedings against Italy for violations of the Birds and Habitats Directives. The scientific community is committed to supporting all legal initiatives, intensifying research and dissemination, and reporting violations to the European Commission. "It is time for politics to listen to science," the resolution concludes, emphasizing that the country cannot afford to backtrack on conservation, especially at a time when the biodiversity crisis is one of the most serious global emergencies. The CISO and the Italian ornithological community will continue their scientific and cultural battle to preserve our natural heritage.
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