African swine fever
The activities of controlling wild fauna and combating the spread of "African swine fever" (ASF) through the reduction of wild boars will, from now on, be entrusted to the agents of the Environmental Wildlife Unit of the Provincial Police Corps. This is provided for in a memorandum of understanding (duration three years) stipulated between the Province of Cuneo and the Municipality of Cuneo as the managing body of the Gesso and Stura River Park, for the performance of activities in support of wildlife and environmental management.
The extension of the area
The decree that gives the go-ahead to the memorandum of understanding was signed by the President of the Province Luca Robaldo. The municipal council led by the mayor Patrizia Manassero had approved the memorandum of understanding in the session of December 19, 2024. The wildlife environmental surveillance activity carried out by the Province supports the territory of the Gesso and Stura River Park, which includes part of the territory of the municipalities of Cuneo, Borgo San Dalmazzo, Castelletto Stura, Centallo, Cervasca, Fossano, Montanera, Rittana, Roccasparvera, Roccavione, Salmour, Sant'Albano Stura, Trinità and Vignolo reaching an extension of 5.500 hectares of which over 1.000 of natural park, and which to date does not have a dedicated surveillance service.
Wildlife surveillance
Wildlife surveillance activity currently plays a particularly important role given the health emergency due to the presence in Italy (but not in the province of Cuneo) of cases of Psa starting from 2022, for the containment of which numerous procedures have been defined at national and regional level that are part of the Regional Plan for Urgent Interventions (PRIU) for areas free from Psa and the Regional Plan for the eradication of Psa in infected areas, with precise lines of intervention and actions to be pursued.
The Gesso and Stura River Park has among its “missions” that of protecting and managing the natural environments that constitute habitats necessary for the conservation and enrichment of biodiversity; this through scientific research, the development of environmental education activities and tourist and sports proposals for the use of the protected area, with particular attention to the integration between human activities and the conservation of natural ecosystems. In this context, the memorandum of understanding and the collaboration between the Province and the Municipality of Cuneo will certainly be able to give further impetus to environmental conservation and protection policies (Communications Office – Province of Cuneo).