Economic value
Restoring two important wetlands: this is the primary objective of the "Restor BL" project, through which the Province of Belluno is participating in the Fondazione Cariverona "Capitale Naturale 2024" (Natural Capital 2024) call for proposals. This team effort, led by the Municipalities of Gosaldo (the lead project), Voltago, and Ponte nelle Alpi, is worth approximately €370,000 (of which approximately €75,000 is co-financing from local authorities and the Province). "Restor BL" envisions several highly practical actions to restore two important complexes of wetlands and forest environments in need of urgent intervention: Lac Torond (a peat bog area between Gosaldo and Voltago) and the Soccher springs (Ponte nelle Alpi). The goal is to contribute to the protection and restoration of biodiversity, with particular attention to protected or threatened species and habitats of community interest. The specific interventions will also serve to strengthen ecological connectivity in protected areas and valuable natural environments that are part of the provincial ecological network.
The reasons for participating in the project
In fact, it should be considered that wetlands are ecosystems characterized by the regular or permanent presence of water, and in which the vegetation is mainly composed of species adapted to flooding: they include marsh environments, peat bogs, humid prairies and small bodies of water. However, extremely fragile wetlands are considered at great risk worldwide: more than 50% have been lost in the last two centuries. «It is for this reason that we decided to participate in the project, to defend some valuable environments in our territory, and I thank the Environment sector offices for immediately taking action» explains the president of the Province of Belluno. «The Province will participate in all the actions of the project, and will manage together with Tesaf (Department of land and agro-forestry systems of the University of Padua) the preparation of guidelines for the evaluation of the impact on wetlands of projects during the evaluation of environmental impact and incidence, also with training initiatives for municipal technicians and designers. Furthermore, it will also make its staff available for the Street and Ecology services, to support the Municipalities".
The two peat bogs
The leader of "Restor BL" is the Municipality of Gosaldo, where the largest area of the project is located (which also partly concerns Voltago). These are the peat bogs of Lac Torond and Bosco del Poi (between Gosaldo and Voltago), which were affected and damaged following the Vaia storm and the crash recovery operations. The solutions identified range from some small excavations to maintain the hydraulic system of the peat bog to the definition of a management strategy for the forest environment. «We will proceed with the planting of new trees following the clearing which will be carried out to mitigate the bark beetle problem, thus demonstrating a large-scale vision, given that the operation is partly part of the Poi forest restoration project, financed under within the policies of the UNESCO Dolomites Foundation" explains the mayor of Voltago. «The removal of the invasive plants that arose after Vaia will complete the plan, as a Municipality we have proposed and we will collaborate with the Province and Tesaf for the drafting of the guidelines for the evaluation of environmental impacts, in particular on the procedures relating to forest clearing activities in areas of environmental protection. The administration, despite the absence of the figure of the local police officer and forest ranger, also tries to carry forward the theme of the woods, a fundamental pillar of our mountain thanks to the direct and operational commitment of the administrators. In this sense I thank the Municipality of Gosaldo which has chosen to act as a leader in a historical moment that is not exactly simple for local administrations".
Lots of biodiversity
«We started from the problems left by the Vaia storm and the consequences of the logging sites, to intercept a tender that allows us to protect and restore a precious area for biodiversity» comments the mayor of Gosaldo. «Those financed for “Resto BL” are resources intended for this type of operation, which could neither have been had nor used for other purposes and which will allow us to restore a heavily damaged area. This is why we have lined up as the leader of the project. And in the future, in addition to enhancing a precious biotope, we intend to create a circular path with panels to explain to citizens and tourists the value of the peat bog wetland area."
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Hydraulic features
Another project line concerns Ponte nelle Alpi and more precisely the Soccher resurgences, a mosaic of humid environments in the area close to the Piave rich in faunal and floristic diversity (in particular with the presence of amphibian breeding sites). The site was compromised by the construction of a canal for hydraulic safety that connects the Cellina with the Piave, so much so that it ran dry. Among the solutions identified is the creation of new pools and the restoration of the hydraulic functions of the area. «Being part of the “Natural Capital” project is a great opportunity for us» comments the mayor of Ponte nelle Alpi. «The Soccher springs are located in a unique environment, near the Piave river and characterize the Soverzene-Soccor cycle path» (source: Province of Belluno).
