Contested management
The Adelasia Regional Nature Reserve, whose forestry and tourism management has been contested for years by the Wilderness Association (which initiated the Reserve itself!), has been effectively expanded by another 251 hectares thanks to a philanthropic gesture that honors the anonymous person who made it, and morally "slaps" the public managers of the Nature Reserve! This gesture also condemns the decision to authorize the construction of two wind turbines right on its edge, which today dominate a fully protected forest landscape dedicated to the preservation of the natural environment, landscape, and biodiversity, respecting local rights to the use of renewable natural resources.
An anonymous philanthropist
Towards the end of 2025, following the success of a first new private Wilderness Area designated on 75 hectares of lowland forest in Friuli Venezia Giulia, we can announce the designation of two more Wilderness Areas right on the edge of the much-criticized (for its management) Adelasia Regional Nature Reserve in the Ferrania district of Cairo Montenotte. This occurred on November 1st with the signing and formalization of a Spontaneous Protection Contract that binds the two Areas in an absolutely "integral" manner (we repeat, in defiance of what regional, provincial, and local authorities are doing in the public Reserve!). This is thanks to an anonymous philanthropist who had recently purchased this vast woodland property with the specific aim of safeguarding its forest environment by absolutely prohibiting any form of tree felling or exploitation for economic gain. The two new Wilderness Areas are: the 166-hectare Rio Recrovo Valley Wilderness Area; and the Pianfornetti Valley Wilderness Area, covering 79 hectares. They remain separated by a provincial road. A forest road separates the former from the Adelasia Nature Reserve. Furthermore, 10 other modest Environmental Protection Areas outside of them have been designated, totaling 6 hectares. This is a truly philanthropic gesture of cultural, aesthetic, environmental, and landscape preservation, which truly commemorates the AIW's 40th anniversary more than any other word could.
A new and worrying project
Unfortunately, this good news must be noted that immediately outside the aforementioned areas, as already mentioned, there are two wind turbines that were once contested in vain (especially by the AIW). The second of the two areas is already threatened by a new wind farm project, which would literally destroy the valley that encompasses it, with a road over 6 meters wide running through it to transport the components of six wind turbines planned for a plateau outside it! The AIW, fortunately supported by other Ligurian NGOs (particularly WWF Liguria) and a local citizens' committee, has already filed a motion to oppose the project. This motion has now been reaffirmed, with the contract signed and the area formally protected, albeit privately (but morally and ethically valid!)
Landscape engraving
Finally, it should be noted that the second of the two Areas is also crossed by the route of the historic industrial cableway (now disused, although there is still talk of reactivating it). Since the beginning of the last century, it transported coal from the port of Savona to the industrial center of Cairo Montenotte, where it was processed and transformed into coke. However, it has little impact on the landscape, precisely because of the considerable height at which it soars over the valley. The two Areas, and the modest sections of the HAZ, although predominantly dominated by mature chestnut coppices (with many sections likely not cut down for almost a hundred years), also contain forest environments with beech, Turkey oak, oak, maples, hornbeam, and other mountain trees; and are characterized by the presence of notable centuries-old beech and oak trees. It goes without saying that the two new Conservation Areas also contain natural habitats for many rare species of fauna and flora. Words cannot express the satisfaction and, above all, admiration for this extraordinary gesture of philanthropy and cultural, aesthetic, environmental, and landscape conservation. Today, the 40th anniversary of the Wilderness Association, it commemorates it more than any other word could. This allows this new, truly conservation-focused Val Bormida project to be forever preserved and passed down to posterity, and will be discussed further in the future through related initiatives.
The dedication
In this regard, the AIW is particularly grateful to the anonymous lady for accepting the proposal to dedicate this initiative to the late citizen of Ferrania, Ezio Montano, a member of the AIW since its founding, who, along with others, was responsible for the creation of the historic nucleus that formed the then Adelasia Nature Reserve. The dedication is thus motivated: In memory of Ezio Montano, citizen of Ferrania, a worker at the former company of the same name, who knew these woods and the surrounding ones of the Ferranietta Valley, where he was born, like the back of his hand and frequented them as a hunter and mushroom hunter. He loved them and fought to protect them until the end of his days. Today, these two new sectors of the Val Bormida Wilderness Areas also express the same conservationist need once expressed by the aforementioned original Nature Reserve, which from the 750 hectares "fully protected" for approximately 30 years by 3M Italia is about to be reduced to a paltry 100 hectares, as established by the controversial Forest Management Plan drawn up by provincial and regional bodies! In other words, when they say that it is the citizens who should serve as an example and inspiration for the authorities! Even though the Ligurian authorities (both regional and provincial) have always proven blind and deaf to the economic interests behind the timber industry!
A natural process
A key goal of these new Wilderness Areas will also be to demonstrate how the chestnut coppice, which in the nearby Nature Reserve is persistently cut down to "reinvigorate" it and "reorient" the environment to its original state, does not require any cultural interventions to achieve this goal. Indeed, it is precisely through its complete abandonment that change will be fostered; and this will be fostered through a natural process, not through human manipulation, until the inevitable disappearance of the chestnut tree and the return of the ancient original forest of beech, oak, maple, and hornbeam. Indeed, this is a "case study" that will one day set a precedent, if not for the management of chestnut coppice on private land and property (with, therefore, the need for forestry exploitation for economic purposes), at least for those publicly owned (or owned by NGOs with nature conservation purposes) and located within protected areas. (Franco Zunino – Secretary General of the Italian Wilderness Association)
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