Hunting and Territory: Venice, the resolution establishing the North Lagoon Park approved by the city council; Councilor Bettin: “it will be a natural-cultural park”.
An important step forward for the construction of the North Lagoon Park: the City Council, in its session today, has in fact approved the resolution establishing the new body, which will now be presented to the City Council. This was announced in recent days by the municipal councilor for the environment, Gianfranco Bettin, during the press conference, held in Ca 'Farsetti, in which the project and its complex process was illustrated. Also present at the conference were the Environment and Youth Policies Director, Andrea Costantini, and the head of the Lagoon and Territory Observatory Service, Marco Favaro.
Councilor Bettin during the conference explained that "it will be a regional park of local interest, which will not have the powers to create further environmental constraints, which moreover would not serve, given that they already exist, as much as to pursue an active protection of an area of about 16.000 hectares (about 30% of the lagoon surface) unique in the world for its ecosystem. A protection concerning not only the biological, faunal and floristic heritage, but also the socio-cultural one. "
Councilor Bettin pointed out that “The basic idea is that the Lagoon, and the North Lagoon in particular, does not need further forms of protection and restrictions, because the present environmental protection is already maximum. Rather, it is a question of enhancing environmental value and excellence, putting them into a system, defending and recovering at the same time that series of traditional activities at serious risk, such as fishing.".
In short, the environment must be preserved, but also those who have resided in it for millennia, that is man, favoring the residency of the estuary islands (for example with tax relief for residents and the enhancement of public transport), typical occupations ( starting with fishing), and offering new economic opportunities (with slow environmental tourism, fishing tourism, further enhancement of the typical products of the islands included in the PAT within the perimeter of the Park). The Park extends over two large areas: the actual park, north of Venice, and a pre-park area consisting of the lagoon eaves and the area of the canals near the airport.
Going on, Bettin then affirmed “The only possible way to introduce a park in the Lagoon is that of a regional park of local interest, to which the Municipality confers an institutional form through a shared path. The real challenge will lie in the ability of the body that will lead the park to enhance the exceptional peculiarity of the territory, including the economic sub-profile, but also the historical, cultural and artistic values, to be added to the environmental value, of which the particular biodiversity of the lagoon ecosystem must be protected ".
"All themes - assured Bettin - which will find space in the Park's environmental plan which, after the approval of the institutive resolution by the City Council, will be drawn up, I hope already by the end of the year, by the Giunta, in a manner participated, involving residents and environmental associations. " Obviously, there was no shortage of doubts from some councilors regarding the approval of the resolution; spokespersons for these doubts were the councilors Sebastiano Costalonga and Marta Locatelli who signed a question to the Mayor of Venice regarding the modalities, the funds and the institution of the North Lagoon Park itself.
Below we publish the text of the question:
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Object: North Lagoon Park
Given that:
- with resolution no. 39, the City Council in March 2003 approved the allocation in the 2003 budget of the sum of Euro 250.000,00 as a capital contribution for the new institution of the Parco della Laguna;
- with resolution no. 99 the City Council in July 2003 approved the constitution of the "Lagoon Park Institution" and the draft Regulation, which shows that: "The main task of the North Lagoon Park Institution is the environmental and socio-economic enhancement of this part of the Lagoon;
the interest of the municipal administration, as per variant of the PRG for the lagoon and the minor islands, is to establish a park pursuant to regional law n.40 / 1984 art.27;
on 7 October at 9.00, the X Commission was convened to present "Illustration of the Industrial Plan of the North Lagoon produced by Coses and of the Marketing Plan produced by Ca 'Foscari Training and Research on behalf of the Parco della Laguna Institution",
The Mayor is asked to find out:
1) if the project presented by the institution does not conflict with the objectives set out in article 1 (purpose) of Regional Law no. 40/1984;
2) if this project presented does not involve a socio-economic regression, rather than a development for the area;
3) if the Administration's intention is not to approve the regulation AFTER the constitution of the Park, depriving the citizens of knowing in advance the rules adopted and being able to intervene with suggestions and proposals, on topics that involve them in their own home.
Sebastian Costalonga
Martha Locatelli
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MEP Andrea Zanoni could not remain aloof on the issue and promoted a meeting with environmental and animal welfare associations aimed at clarifying the future situation of the areas under protection in relation to the concentration of birdlife that has not yet been discussed. Zanoni in fact asked "Above all, it should be clarified whether a complete ban on hunting has already been established. If the hunting regulations have not yet been modified, the Municipality must promptly ask the Province and the Region to include this area in the provincial and regional Wildlife Hunting Plan as an oasis of protection. Otherwise, it would be an operation with a very limited impact on wildlife protection ”.
13 March 2013