Ideological attack
Two days ago, a well-known national newspaper published an article reporting and supporting the controversy raised by some environmental associations regarding the assignment of part of the management of the Visitor Center of the Fucecchio Marshes Nature Reserve – Baroness Irene Alfano Montecuccoli – to the local Federcaccia-UCT Section of Larciano. Yet another instrumental and demagogic attack in the face of which it is appropriate to clarify the fundamental role that hunters have played and continue to play in the protection of this precious ecosystem. It is appropriate to remember that the Padule di Fucecchio is a wetland of international importance, recognized by the Ramsar Convention and included in the European Natura 2000 project. However, out of approximately 1.800 hectares in total, approximately 300 hectares are publicly owned and constituted as a protected area. The rest of the area is managed by private individuals, including hunters, who through their clearings and hunting posts, guarantee a constant and decisive presence and work for the conservation of habitats essential for numerous animal and plant species.
Biodiversity in decline
A recent study by the Natural History Museum in the United Kingdom has shown – as is happening in the Padule di Fucecchio – that biodiversity is decreasing more rapidly in Protected Areas than in the rest of the territory. Without the decisive contribution of environmental conservation activities linked to hunting, the Padule would risk rapidly transforming into a mass of invasive vegetation, to the point of disappearing. A concrete example is what happened in Tuscany in the lakes of the Florentine plain managed by WWF. Hunters, through direct and constant interventions, guarantee the maintenance of this area, which requires active management of water regulation and control of alien and invasive species, both animal and plant, to avoid degradation. As Marco Salvadori, National Vice President of Federcaccia and Tuscan Regional President of FIDC-UCT, explained: “The hunting clearings are essential to maintain the ecological balance of the Padule di Fucecchio. Without our presence, this wetland, which hosts species of great importance, would risk disappearing. We are proud to contribute to preserving this environmental heritage in the interest of the community."
Periodic mowing
For some time now, also through close dialogue with the Tuscany Region and other bodies, Federcaccia Toscana-UCT has contributed to the definition of a new regulation to make the management of water and periodic mowing of marsh vegetation more efficient, essential for maintaining the ecosystem in balance. The goal is to guarantee the constant presence of water in the Padule throughout the year, a necessary condition for the survival of numerous species of aquatic birds and plants typical of these habitats. "Hunters and Federcaccia are fully entitled by experience and competence to manage the Padule di Fucecchio Visitor Center" declared Massimo Buconi, National President of Federcaccia. "The experience of our category will allow us to play an essential role in the protection and promotion of this extraordinary area. Hunters, in this as in other cases, are true custodians of biodiversity, ensuring environmental sustainability thanks also to conscious and active management of the territory. Management and conservation of the environment are not the exclusive concern of animal rights activists and environmentalists. This controversy once again proposes an instrumental and ideological vision that is not useful to the general interest".
A refuge for fauna and flora
Through effective public-private collaboration, Federcaccia will continue to ensure that this unique area remains a refuge for local fauna and flora, while preserving the beauty and vitality of one of the most important marsh ecosystems in Europe. The controversy raised by environmental associations therefore appears disproportionate and not very close to reality. Federcaccia and the hunters will continue to operate as they have always done with the passion and care of those who live in the area every day, all year round, for the protection and enhancement of the Padule di Fucecchio, collaborating with all the actors involved to ensure a sustainable future for this precious nature reserve. The local institutions have made a thoughtful choice and oriented towards integrated management of the area, which enhances the concrete experience in protecting ecosystems. (Federcaccia Toscana – UCT)
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