On the occasion of the imminent opening of the hunting season, on September 18, the provincial councilor for Agriculture, Hunting and Fishing, Franco Simeone, addresses "good luck" to all hunters, remembering however that boar hunting will not be anticipated.
In fact, following a meeting with the presidents of the two ATCs of the province of Viterbo and the representatives of the Hunting Associations, Simone announced that the wild boar hunt will not be subject to pre-opening in October but will begin regularly in November.
In fact, Simeone explains that: “The pre-openings for the species boar have been authorized in past years with the aim of limiting damage to agricultural crops, in particular corn, hazelnuts and vineyards. The Higher Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA) sent us a negative opinion specifying that 'this possibility should be adopted in the approval process of the hunting calendar'which did not happen ”.
"The opinion of Ispra - continues Simeone - is not binding, but considering that the harvest season, thanks to the extremely favorable climate this year is coming to an end well in advance, it is completely useless to authorize the two pre-opening days in the moment in which, the problem of damage is in fact overcome ".
Nevertheless, Simeone says, the problems of the agricultural sector are not underestimated: "It is absolutely necessary that the Region and the agricultural and hunting world meet to agree on structural interventions capable of preventing the risk of future damage to crops from part of the wild boars. The intervention activated by the Regional Agriculture Department and the promotion of interventions related to the improvement of the rural landscape and the prevention of damage to crops caused by wildlife are welcome ”.
The commissioner continues: "It is fine to foresee interventions within parks and natural reserves or in other protected areas but it should not be forgotten that, if in these spaces the wild boars have found their natural habitat, it is then in the agricultural land that they go looking for food ".
I therefore believe it is necessary - continues Simeone - to plan a series of interventions and actions aimed at preventing the problem at its root by ensuring that the wild boars, once they leave the reserves, do not invade and damage the crops ”.
Finally, Simeone recalls: “The Province has already financed interventions for the electric fencing of crops for this purpose. Farmers are tired of asking for compensation for damage to crops, especially when certain disasters are easily foreseeable and therefore avoidable ”.