Separate and distributed zones
Best wishes for a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year for theAIW! Gianni Battaglino, from the Borgata Calderara di Pieve di Teco (Imperia), generously wanted to donate to the AIW about 9 hectares of the woods inherited from his mother, all located on the mountains of his country, thus being able to enjoy a financial relief allowed to those donates sums of money or assets to non-profit organizations. Thanks to the intercession of the National Councilor of the AIW, Elisa Perrone, the signing of the notarial deed took place on 22 December last at the Notary Paola Orsero of Loano (Savona). From today these woods, divided into 13 separate zones all distributed in the same area and designated as Environmental Protection Zones, of which 8 larger ones for a total of 8,5 hectares are part, by the same declaration in the notarial deed, of the new Rocca Wilderness Area of Calderara.
Italian Forestry Foundation
The new area is located in the pre-Alpine area of the middle valley of the Arroscia torrent (Ligurian Alps), on the eastern slopes, carved by some valleys, of the homonymous Rocca di Calderara (999 m asl) located along the ridge that descends from the greater Monte Guardiabella (1219 m asl), straddling the side valleys of Rio Giare di Rezzo and Rio Buscio. These are mixed broad-leaved woods (formations of downy oak, hop hornbeam, chestnut and other less represented species) of the mid-mountain Alps which for many decades have no longer been subjected to use. Some of the parcels border on others donated to the Italian Forest Foundation at the time, so it is hoped to agree with the same, which has similar purposes to those of the AIW, the possibility of merging them thus expanding the Wilderness Area.
Territorial safeguard
The area where the various particles fall is also adjacent to a SCI site for the protection of an important cave (Sgarbu du Ventu) which one day could come within the Wilderness Area (the area still having a "Wilderness value" is extends over about 6/700 hectares). It is in fact the AIW's intention to initiate a process that can lead to the naturalistic/territorial safeguard of at least the wildest part of this Ligurian pre-Alpine mountain. Without for this wanting to close it to the hunting activity that has always been practiced there. In fact, by the same decision established with the notarial deed, it will remain open to hunting, except for any pre-existing legislative measures (in part it would seem to already fall within a Wildlife Refuge of the ATC Imperiese).
For this new Wilderness Area, the 81st in Italy, the AIW is particularly grateful to both the donor philanthropist Gianni Battaglino (to whom, as of today, following the deed of donation, he will be granted honorary membership of the AIW, and declared member ex officio of the "Lawyers sponsoring the Wilderness" and member of the "Consultation for the Wilderness"), both to the Notary Paola Orsero for the efficiency shown in drafting the deed but also for the generosity of the gesture she wanted to make towards the 'AIW (source: FIDC).