BIODIVERSITYHUMANS NATURE ROUTES

2015

EN

CESARE LASEN

STEFANO SANSON

FEDERICO BALWAN

CARLO BARBANTE

DAVIDE TORRI ELISABETTA FELTRIN

pag. 6

pag. 12

pag. 18

pag. 8

pag. 14

pag. 20 pag. 24

pag. 16

INGO IRSARA ANDREA PASQUALOTTO

pag. 22

ENRICO ROMANAWWI

pag. 10

GOOD FOR ALPS GOOD FOR ALPS

NATURWENTRUM THURAUEN

pag. 22

INDEX CONTRIBUTIONS

BIODIVERSITY: OUR TRUE RICHNESS

MOUNTAIN MEADOZS AND PASTURES, RESERVOIRS OF BIODIVERSITY

CLIMATE CHANGEIS ENDANGERING BIODIVERSITY

THE AURORA SALAMANDER

BLURRED SHADES

A CIRCULAR TOUR OF THE ANTELAO

SELVAGGIO BLU: ITALY’S TOUGHEST BUT MOST BEAUTIFUL TREK

A “LOZ ZALL” PROVIDING A CULTURAL INSIGHT INTO MOUNTAIN DZELLERS

NATURWENTRUM THURAUEN: HARMONIOUS COEXISTENCE OF MAN AND NATURE

SAFFRON CULTIVATION IN THE MOUNTAINS

ICELAND, ZHERE BIODIVERSITY SHOZS ITS STRENGTH

Geobotanist, former Chairman of Bellunesi

Dolomites National Park, member of the Scientific

Committee of the Unesco Dolomites Foundation,

author of many scientific and general publications,

committed to knowing the land and preserving

Nature.

Director of the Italian National Research Council’s

Institute for the Dynamics of Environmental Process-

es and Professor at the University of Venice, where

he has been engaged for years in climate and envi-ronmental reconstruction

and the development of innovative environmental

analytical methods. He has taken part in many

sampling expeditions and campaigns in polar areas

and in the Alps.

Graduated in Natural Sciences with a Masters

degree in the Conservation of Animal Biodiversity,

he works with public and private organisations on

conservation, planning and environmental educa-tion research projects. He

has a special interest in amphibians, reptiles

and wetlands.

Teacher at the Istituto Agrario “A. Della Lucia”

in Feltre (BL). He is an agricultural expert

and works on research projects studying the

revival, conservation and enhancement of agricul-

tural biodiversity in the Belluno mountains.

Teacher and founder member of the Bergamo

association Gente di Montagna (www.

gentedimontagna.it), has been interested for years

in both the positive and negative social dynamics

that develop in the Upland areas.

Is a cultural anthropologist who lives in Cesiomaggiore

in the Belluno area. She has been working with the

Ethnographic Museum of the Province of Belluno and

the Bellunesi Dolomites National Park since 2010 and has taught literature in middle and secondary

schools since 2012.

A graduate in Natural Sciences, is a nature guide. He works as a

technical consultant on environmental issues for

authorities, institutions and companies.

Is an Alpine guide and ski instructor and has been an Alpine Guide national

instructor since 2009. He lives in Badia in Val

Badia, in the heart of the Dolomites.

Graduated in natural scienc-es, is a nature guide and is engaged in environmental

education and ecotourism. He organises and guides

treks in the Dolomites, working with Kailas – Viaggi

e Trekking (www.kailas.it). He has lived in Iceland and

has been accompanying tours for the last few years

to what he considers his second homeland.

The Thurauen alluvial plain is one of the most im-portant wet areas of Switzerland: a unique natural

and recreational area at the mouth of the river Thur where it flows into the Rhine. The Thurauen Nature

Centre is the ideal place for excursions on foot or by bicycle and also for enjoying initiatives based

on environmental education.

EDITINg // AKU trekking & outdoor footwear TEXT // by Teddy Soppelsa, AKU Marketing dept., with the contribution of AKU friendsCOVER // illustration by Alex Della Mea gRapHIC DESIgN // Pubblimarket² pRINT // Tipografia Castaldi, Agordo - BL - ItalyCREDITS

COOPERATIONS

The Wanderdorf Projectwww.laval-altabadia.com

The laboratory-festival promoted by the Dolomites Unesco Foundationwww.dolomitesunescolabfest.it

Mountain agricolture’s productswww.cooperativalafiorita.it

Thurauen Nature Center www.naturzentrumthurauen.ch (AKU is technical partner)

The OLG Mountain Saffron Project www.gentedimontagna.it

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GOOD FOR ALPS 2015

GOOD FOR ALPS

BIODIVERSITY: OUR TRUE RICHNESS

hen we come across a flowery meadow or any other landscape of great natural value during a nature walk, we react po-sitively to their beauty. It is an instinctive and universal response that has biological roots. The beauty of nature lies above all in its diversity or rather biodiversity. What actually is biodiversity?

To find out, let’s play a game. Write a list of all the mammals closest to you (man, dogs, cats, cows, sheep, horses, …). When you have made the list, you will without doubt have left some off. That’s because there are over 4500 species of mammals and it doesn’t matter how prepared and knowledgeable you are, it is difficult to list them all. Now try to do the same for insects, or herbaceous plants, or trees. You will never succeed. The number of different species is so great that we can’t even begin to imagine them.

This game gives an idea of what biodiversi-ty is, namely the sum of all life forms and this includes all the biological variability (genes, species, habitat and ecosystems). The numbers are impressive when talking about the biodiversity of the Earth. Up to now more than 1 million and 700 thou-sand species have been classified, but it is conjectured that over 12 million could exist and many are still waiting to be discovered.

BIODIVERSITY IS IN SHORT THE DIVERSITY OF LIFEWe are also part of this biodiversity and use the services that it offers us. Biodiver-sity provides us with food, water, energy and resources for our daily life. How? By maintaining those delicate relationships between organisms and ecosystems that have evolved over thousands of years.When biodiversity is threatened, a chain reaction is set off resulting not only in the disappearance of species but also jeo-pardising the integrity of many terrestrial ecosystems on which the life of millions of

persons is based. In particular we could risk losing services whose efficiency we take for granted nowadays, namely the processes of air and water purification or the control of harmful insect growth by other species.

Biodiversity also interacts with knowledge and traditional techniques and the identities of peoples, thereby helping preserve cultural diversity, which is increasingly threatened by widespread globalization.

Despite the undoubted benefits for life on Earth deriving from biodiversity, many speculative economic activities that waste resources are negatively affecting natural habitats. The United Nations estimates that the rate of loss of biodiversity on the Earth has seen a sharp increase over the last few years and one third of known animal and plant species is endangered. The reasons are many: climate change due to human activities, deforestation, intensive exploita-tion of the soil, water and air pollution, fire, increased urbanisation, population growth and mass tourism, the introduction of alien species and GMOs, fishing, hunting and illegal trafficking.

Many Heads of State have been aware for at least two decades that there is an urgent need to protect biological diversity and 2010 was proclaimed International Year of Biodiversity with the commitment that by that date the loss of biodiversity would be reduced. The target was unfortunately not reached and so the member States of the United Nations, when they met at Aichi in Japan, approved a new plan for the period 2011-2020 for stopping and if possible reversing the planet’s loss of biodiversity. A recent analysis published in Science reveals that, despite the efforts and some progress being made by the world community, the targets established at the Aichi Convention are far from being met and it is feared that there will even be a worsening for some of them in the next five years.

ETHICaL aND RESpONSIBLE aCTIONSAll our behaviour has a consequence on biodiversity. Walking, cycling or using public means of transport reduces the emission of pollutants into the atmosphe-re. Separating the waste for collection, making purchasing decisions based on the source of products and reducing the consumption of water and chemical substances in our homes are all practical ways of protecting the living species on our planet and using its resources responsibly.

Many persons and fortunately a growing number of companies are starting to understand that what we do for a living endangers the environment and in any case does not always manage to satisfy mankind’s deepest needs.

We too at AKU are aware of this fact and try to act ethically and responsibly. How? By making every effort to find design solutions that limit the environ-mental impact of our industrial organi-sation and to be completely transparent with regard to the origin of the product. In social terms our commitment is to support projects aimed at helping regain a harmonious relationship between man and the natural environment seen as space for life and for work.

We are fully aware that we have chosen a difficult path, not without its contra-dictions, and to be a truly responsible company we could and should do more. Ours is, however, a serious and real com-mitment and the path we have set out on is one-way. There is no turning back.

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Conservation of biodiversity is a challenge that affects every one of us. Here at aKU we asked ourselves: “What can we do to raise awareness of the value and importan-ce of biodiversity?” We found the answer both inside and outside our company. Firstly by pledging to act responsibly ourselves and then by promoting information activities to encourage the culture of biodiversity.

good For alps 2015 has been conceived with these aims firmly in mind: to make people aware of and to promote knowledge of biodiversity. We have asked scholars, rese-archers, alpine guides and nature guides to give us their thoughts on the “hot topics” of biodiversity and to illustrate the value and importance of conserving the ecosystems, indicating some routes that could become the destination of our excursions “to discover biodiversity”.

You can also join in our search for stories, solutions, exam-ples of “discovering biodiversity”. Send us your stories or an account of your experiences at info@aku.it: we will publish all these stories and “good practices” in our catalo-gues, on our web and social networks.

We hope you enjoy the reading and the walking.

DISCOVERING BIODIVERSITY

right: Selvaggio Blu, Golfo di Orosei, Italy (ph. Paola Finali)4

GOOD FOR ALPS GOOD FOR ALPS

by Cesare Lasen

MOUNTAIN MEADOZS AND PASTURES, RESERVOIRS OF BIODIVERSITY

ountain grasslands (meadows and pastures), alternating with woods, wetlands, rocks and screes, are the distinguishing feature of a landscape that immediately springs to anyone’s mind when thinking of the mountains. Imagining alpine and foothill scenes without meadows and pastures full of flowers is still unthinkable. Yet they are mostly the fruit not only of nature but also of man’s hard work. For centuries an extraordinary balance was main-tained by traditional agroforestry-livestock activities, but this has become increasingly compromised and precarious over the last few decades. Blame should not be placed on the encroaching woodland, which is in fact only tending to recover its role and, in the long-term, to protect the slopes from the erosion caused by weathering.

The publication of red lists of endangered species at all levels, including those threatened with extinction, highlights that the grasslands, listed immediately after the wet biotypes (tarns, peat-lands, springs, bogs, stream banks), are those most exposed to risk and include the highest number of vulnerable and declining types, second only, once again, to the wetlands. Moist and dry meadows, as well as arid-steppe types, are in particular the rarest habitats with the greatest loss of biodiversity.

The traditional role played by meadows for centuries in the moun-tains (even more than the pastures which are by now showing signs of deterioration due to changes in their management), in other words grasslands that were regularly cut, has given rise to legends, inspired artists and has offered our sensibility wonderful occasions to enjoy true beauty. We have finally realised that this heritage is at risk and is being eroded just like the great equatorial forests.

aBaNDONmENT OF THE INTENSIVE gROWINg OF CROpS aND FORagE pLaNTS Many countries, as well as their individual regions or provinces, have taken a census of this exceptional heritage and become aware of the value of these environments in an attempt to slow down the deterioration. To tell the truth there are two opposing trends, both negative, which basically undermine the possibility

of continuing to enjoy this sight. In the past this activity was im-portant and economically sustainable due to the value that fodder had, but is nowadays far less so as a consequence of the different way in which cattle are fed.

On the one hand the growing of crops has been abandoned due to the migration of inhabitants away from mountain areas to the indus-trialised and more accessible valley bottoms; services are increas-ingly suppressed or limited in these areas, encouraging only poorly sustainable “stop-and-go” tourism. On the other hand the growing of forage plants has been intensified through heavy use of fertilisers, especially slurry or semi-liquid manure, which reduce the plant communities and therefore seriously lessen the biodiversity (in addition to the disappearance of certain species, their number per unit of surface area has been halved), resulting in more unattractive meadows with few flowers, even though more productive. It should be remembered that dry meadows have the most species. Although this intensification of fodder cropping apparently preserves the landscape, if compared to shrub and tree encroachment due to abandonment, it is actually even more harmful.

The considerable quantity of nitrogen that is spread over the ground has detrimental effects, which, as Swiss researches (dat-ing back to the sixties of last century) show, are proportionally

more harmful at high altitudes due to the shorter growing period and will need centuries to be neutralised and restore normal levels.

There is a high number of species at risk in the meadows – al-though less than in the pastures - at least up to the forest edge (not by chance was the first Labfest of the Dolomites heritage of mankind dedicated to this argument, Val Badia 5-7 September 2014) and they have become rare, especially in the more extreme environments. The queen of the Alps, Eryngium alpinum, is just one of the better known and recorded examples of plants in de-cline, in this case also due to excessive harvesting in the past.

ECOSYSTEm SERVICES aND aWaRE CHOICES FOR a RaDICaL CHaNgEBelieving that extensive areas of grassland can, in just a few years, be regularly mowed as in the past seems anachronistic and somewhat difficult to put into practice unless there are adequate incentives. The existence of protected areas (national and region-al parks, nature reserves and special biotopes) and Natura 2000 sites (the European Habitats Directive No. 43 of 1992 finally rec-ognised the importance of semi-natural meadows and grassland, which are subject to management) makes it possible to provide incentives and develop good practices. A significant portion of these grassland areas (dry meadows, which are at greatest risk are, for example, fully recorded in Switzerland) could be saved by paying the farmer for his services. Not by chance is the number of meetings and research on the importance of the so-called “eco-system services” increasing.

Without, however, waiting for the authorities, agencies and institutions (which for years remained deaf to the alarm raised by the scientific communities) to take decisive initiatives for a radical change, it is also up to us - and even more so in periods of crisis - to help develop a new awareness, by influencing market choices and choosing places to vis-it according to criteria based on nature, landscape, ecological-natural value and the quality of the meadows, all of which entails education, training, culture and knowledge of the land.

The mountains offer a variety of excursion opportunities that can be remunerative, but they can also be complex to understand. Groups and associations offering voluntary services can help the institutions achieve ambitious but necessary goals. Without taking into account negative planetary scenarios and the climate change in progress (for which mitigation could also be of some benefit), the loss of biodiversity can be limited if we develop an increasingly more meaningful relationship with the environment and its components, striving to know more in order to identify or-ganic measures that are suitable for the purposes of protection.

M

«the loss of biodiversity can be limited if we develop an increasingly more meaningful relationship with the

environment and its components, striving to know more in order to identify organic measures that are suitable for

the purposes of protection»

aku works together with:

from the top: Hay reaper at the Dolomites Unesco Labfest, Italy (ph. Paola Finali) − La Val, Val Badia, Italy − Prealpi Bellunesi, Italy, meadow with daffodils (ph. Cesare Lasen) 76

GOOD FOR ALPS GOOD FOR ALPS

CLIMATE CHANGE IS ENDANGERING BIODIVERSITY

by Carlo Barbante

ver the last few million years the climate of our planet has changed many times in repeated cycles. These changes have seen the climate go from mild conditions, similar to those we have been enjoying for approxi-mately ten thousand years, to glacial periods in which the average temperatures were ap-proximately eight to ten degrees less than now. The changes have occurred in cycles lasting around one hundred thousand years and have had huge consequences, obliging many animal and plant species to adapt in order to survive. Transitions between the warmest and the cold periods took place slowly, whereas the changes were faster be-tween the glacial eras and the warm periods in which the average temperature increased in certain cases by as much as ten degrees centigrade in just two thousand years.

In relatively recent times we have, howev-er, also recorded sudden climate change,

which mostly occurred during the long gla-cial periods and under the form of abrupt warming followed by slow cooling. Analy-sis of the Greenland ice sheet, which is a source of extremely important information regarding past climatic conditions, tells us, for example, that around 11,500 years ago, when our ancestors were already hunting on the plains, the average temperature rose by about 8° C in just 40 years, causing sig-nificant upheavals in the life of primitive man and more generally in the adaptation of the species.

WE aRE RESpONSIBLE FOR gLOBaL WaRmINgThanks to his intelligence and adaptabil-ity, modern man has always been able to adapt to small and large climate changes and indeed, with industrial development, he started to have a strong influence directly on the climate and the environment. The most recent scientific studies show clearly

that man is responsible for the global warm-ing in progress and that the causes can be found in the continual emission of green-house gases into the atmosphere.

The increase in temperature has had a sig-nificant impact on many animal and plant species, both aquatic and terrestrial, which in the last few decades have changed their areas of distribution and are now to be

found higher up in the mountain areas. It is, however, important to bear in mind that not all species respond similarly to global warming and there is therefore the possibility of greater instability between the various members of the biological communities, the loss of biodiversity and perhaps the complete loss of certain eco-systems. All this could be amplified by the fragmentation of natural habitats due to obstacles of an anthropic nature such as roads or cities, which prevent animals and plants from moving freely and even cause the local or global extinction of a number of species.

By now it is clear that all the actions taken to limit the emissions of greenhouse gas-es have so far not been particularly ef-fective. Just take the global emissions of carbon dioxide, which have increased by more than 60% in the last 20 years. The ef-fects of climate change on our Planet are obvious. We are all aware of the retreat of the Alpine glaciers and the temperate zones of the Planet and the consequent rise in sea levels, just as we are all aware of the rise in average temperatures and the extreme weather, which is resulting in floods that in turn erode the soil. Other tangible effects of the current warming are those linked to the thinning of the sea ice in the Arctic - where the influence of global change is felt more strongly than at median latitudes - and the adaptation of plant and animal species which has seen, for example, geckos in towns and cities in northern Italy.

OUR FUTURE INHERITS mUCH OF OUR paSTWe are today in a hitherto unprecedent-ed situation in the history of our Planet and that is, we are at a point in which a living species – Mankind – is having an extremely significant effect on life or rather on the actual survival of the Earth. We are consuming far more than the Earth can replenish, to the extent that it takes one year and 4 months to regenerate the resources consumed by mankind in one year and to absorb the waste. At this rate the Earth will have a very uncertain fu-

ture unless there is a radical change. The most reliable research data suggest that a temperature increase of about 2° C from the start of last century is the limit value within which the Earth system still has a good margin of response. Beyond this val-ue climate change will have dire conse-quences. At the current rate of growth, we will probably reach these values by 2040.

In view of the impact of climate and en-vironmental change and outlined future prospects, mankind needs to act quickly and appropriately, trying first of all to im-plement a series of mitigation strategies with the aim of acting on the causes of climate change and in particular of stabi-lising and if possible reducing the emis-sions and concentration of atmospheric greenhouse gases coming from anthropic activities. Success in this respect is de-pendent on global and therefore interna-tional action.

At the same time as the mitigation ac-tions, it is of fundamental importance to adopt adaptation strategies with the aim of acting on and minimising the negative effects of climate change by establishing suitable programmes, plans, actions and measures. Implementation of these strat-egies, due to their very nature, requires local coordination of actions.

Our future inherits much of our past and that is why the warning that the Indian Chief Sealth from the Duwamish tribe gave in a letter addressed to the Presi-dent of America, Franklin Pierce, in 1855 is very much applicable today: “... contin-ue to contaminate your bed and you will one night suffocate in your own waste. When the buffalo are all slaughtered, the wild horses all tamed, the secret corners of the forest heavy with the scent of many men and the view of the ripe hills blotted by the talking wires, ...”.

«... continue to contaminate your bed and you will one night suffocate in your own waste. When the buffalo

are all slaughtered, the wild horses all tamed, the secret corners of the forest heavy with the scent of many men and the view of the ripe hills blotted

by the talking wires, ...»

O

Ice core drilling on Colle Gnifetti, M.te Rosa, 2011 (ph. Jacopo Gabrieli) − Ny Alesund, Svalbard Islands, 2014 − Polar bear in Greenland, 2014 (ph. Luisa Poto)left: Perforation site GV7, Antarctica, 2014 (ph. Andrea Spolaor) − right: Ny Alesund, Svalbard Islands, 2014 (ph. Luisa Poto) 98

GOOD FOR ALPS GOOD FOR ALPS

LOMBARDIA

PIEMONTE

VENETO

FRIULI VENEZIA GIULIA

TRENTINO ALTO-ADIGE

VALLE D’AOSTA

THE AURORA SALAMANDER

by Enrico Romanazzi

mphibians are one of the most endangered classes of animals in the world today: with more than six thousand classified spe-cies, over a third of them are currently threatened or in danger of extinction.

A unique amphibian has made its home on the Sette Comuni Pla-teau in an area lying between the Veneto and Trentino, covering fewer than 30 square kilometres. Described for the first time in 1982, it is called the Aurora salamander (Salamandra atra aurorae) after the wife of the researcher who first brought the exceptional characteristics of this small creature to the attention of the scientific community.

Like its “sisters”, the Alpine salamanders found in the Central and Eastern Alps and the Dinaric Alps, this salamander does not lay its eggs in water but carries its offspring inside its body. After a gestation period which can last up to a couple of years, the females give birth to just one or two perfectly formed babies. Unlike Alpine salamanders which live in other parts of the Alps, Aurora salamanders are not black all over: they have a large yellowy-creamy coloured marking along their back and tail of varying intensity, which can sometimes be grey or brown and extend to the legs and stomach.

Little is known about this golden salamander: it spends most of its time underground, coming out at night or after heavy rainfall between May and September-October: this means it spends six months of the year in hibernation! There is still a certain amount of uncertainty as to the areas where this animal lives, even though the largest populations to date have been found in mature forests of mainly beech trees and silver fir, namely the species of trees found on the Sette Comuni Plateau.

THE aURORa SaLamaNDER - aN ENDaNgERED SpECIES LIKE THE BROWN BEaR aND THE mONK SEaL Ever since this creature was first discovered, its very existence has been threatened by illegal collection by enthusiasts through-out Europe, and it is very sensitive to changes in its environment. Chopping down trees and logging can therefore pose a real

threat to the Aurora salamander if carried out during the summer months when they are active. Heavy forest machinery can crush salamanders as they shelter under bark, logs and stones during the day or it can compact the ground, depriving it of humid under-growth, a rich source of invaluable elements such as moss, ferns and grasses where salamanders find shelter and the animals they feed on.

For all these reasons, the Aurora salamander is on a number of Red Lists and is classified as one of the few critically endangered animals of EU importance throughout Europe, along with more well-known creatures such as the brown bear and the monk seal.

For a better understanding of the actual distribution of the Aurora salamander, namely all the areas where it lives, research projects began in the field in 2012 but, more importantly, efforts are being made to actively involve residents (and in particular schoolchildren) and walkers.

WaLKERS aND SCHOOLCHILDREN, gUaRDIaNS OF THE aURORa SaLamaNDER With a bit of luck, anyone venturing into the woods, whether it be to pick mushrooms, chop wood or simply enjoy a lovely walk, can spot these rare animals, especially if it has just rained. By distributing leaflets in bars, ski refuges and shops to heighten awareness of this project, the number of salamander sightings has increased considerably, sometimes in new loca-tions miles away. The contribution of tourists and, in particular, walkers, has been fundamental: if you spot a salamander, you should take a photo of the animal’s back and send it (together with details of the date, location and, if possible, the coordi-

nates) to the researchers who will then check the sighting and map the distribution of these salamanders. Efforts to reach out to primary schoolchildren on the Plateau to raise their awareness have also recently begun, thanks to the Austrian project «Alpen-salamander». This project involves professional researchers who are studying the various different species of salamanders found in particular in the Alps and the Iberian Peninsula.

These activities are complemented by a massive project which has also been launched to inform the local people, so they can get actively involved in the research and long-term conser-vation of these mild and gentle animals. On the Sette Comuni Plateau over the past two years, lessons have been held in schools in Asiago, Gallio, Roana and Rotzo, combined with games and excursions, involving more than 200 children. The lessons in the classroom and woods have naturally engaged school staff and, more importantly, a large number of families on the Plateau, heightening their awareness of the importance and unique character of these creatures. The more people know about the salamander, the more potential guardians it has!

Alongside the work with the schoolchildren, a series of inform-ative evening presentations have been organised, two different exhibitions have been held, a number of articles have been published in local papers and a couple of nature films have also been shot.

But that’s not all. The ultimate aim of these activities is to come up with a way of managing forests that is compatible with the preservation of these natural little treasures and this is pos-sible thanks to all the sightings. Following a number of issues

which had arisen when trees were chopped down in the woods where the golden salamander had made its home, a new re-search project was launched in 2014, sponsored by the Veneto Region and in conjunction with the local authorities. It is coor-dinated by researchers from two departments of the University of Padua, the Biology Department and the Department of Land and Agro-Forestry Systems. The aim is to assess the effects of felling and logging during the winter when the salamander is hibernating. We should have the initial results of this work at the end of this year but one thing is for sure - with interest in the conservation of the Aurora salamander now high, the future for this little creature looks rosy.

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from left: Male Salamandra from Aurora (ph. Enrico Romanazzi) – Outdoor research activities (ph. Giovanni Morao and F. Dartora) − Teaching activities in a classroom (ph. Enrico Romanazzi)

Sette Comuni Plateau, Prealpi Venete, Italy

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aku cooperates with:

possible, restoring them once again to the status of “everyday food”.

The real challenge lies in investing them and their farmers “defenders of the land” with a number of functions which do not merely involve the production side of things but also the landscape, ethnobot-any, education, tourism, health and food.

TRaDITIONaL FaRmINg aND REVIVINg aNCIENT VaRIETIESIn the Feltre area, on the border between the provinces of Belluno and Trento, this basic notion has given us an example of “good practice” of rediscovering tradition-al farming methods, whose objective is to enhance local genetic resources and revive ancient local varieties and breeds.

We should not expect to see intensely farmed fields, vegetable gardens and or-

chards; in this part of the world, with the exception of the dairies on the valley floor, farming consists of small traditional part-time farms with their rolling meadows, fields, hedges and woods, scattered apple, pear, walnut and chestnut trees, and small plots where farmers grow cereals such as barley, spelt, buckwheat, polenta corn and other traditional vegetables like pumpkins, potatoes and beans.

One of the most interesting discoveries and the most original farming and food ex-periences you can enjoy in this mountain region are beans. Their status as one of the most important traditional products is due to the particular conditions of the soil and the climate in the area and the fact that Belluno is the undisputed Italian lead-er for introducing and cultivating beans. As a result, today we can find dozens of different varieties, ecotypes and popula-

tions: Spagnolet, Spagnol, Calonega and Canalino, Gialèt, Bonèl, Mame, Bala Rossa, Bianchi di Spagna, as well as a long list of more minor agro-ecotypes which are still on the whole unclassified.

But be warned, it can be a real challenge finding these beans. They are produced on a small scale and are rare and limited, sell-ing out just a couple of months after they have been harvested.

A “LOZ ZALL” PROVIDING A CULTURAL INSIGHT INTO MOUNTAIN DZELLERS

by Stefano Sanson

hen on a journey or excursion, seeking out and trying local food offers a cultural insight into the local people. Food has the ability to map out taste and sense bounda-ries, a bit like a “low wall” which is easy to climb over on the way there and back, easy to cross and to change.

Enjoying food where it has been produced means the area is a good communicator and a tourist attraction. This change in their prospects allows small local food and agri-cultural products to make the most of their

strong points, such as their variability, ex-clusivity, seasonality and wholesomeness, whereas their weak points, namely the small size of the quantities produced and the businesses, and their conservation re-strictions become opportunities as they are unique and difficult to mass produce.

This approach, however, does not only represent a highly interesting rural devel-opment strategy for the mountain commu-nities, combining active and sustainable management of the area with cultural and

economic innovation, it also has scientifi-cally interesting implications as regards the preservation of grown and reared bio-diversities, at the very heart of local food.

Whereas for natural wild biodiversity, con-servation is focussed on understanding how to limit man’s pressure on the ecosys-tem (establishing protected areas and nat-ural parks), as far as agro-biodiversity is concerned, it is essential to come up with sustainable initiatives aimed at increas-ing their use and consumption and, where

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Gialét bean picking in Cesiomaggiore, Italy – Gialét bean drying and selection (ph. Stefano Sanson)from left: Gialét beans field in Vignui di Feltre, Italy − Various ecotypes of beans of Belluno, Italy

Feltrino, Dolomiti Bellunesi, Italy

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SAFFRON CULTIVATION IN THE MOUNTAINS

by Davide Torri

he upper Brembana Valley is the upland area of the Bergamo region with the highest percentage of depopulation and offering the least work. So, more than a year ago, a work group under the guidance of the parish priest of Piazza Brembana, Don Alessandro Beghini, tried to build up a path of human, social and economic growth for the local inhabitants. And that is how a “good practice”: saffron cultivation was identified.

The idea of experimenting with saffron production in the Bremba-na Valley was first mooted about three years ago when two young local farmers met some saffron growers from the Abruzzo region. Saffron production in the Brembana Valley currently amounts to just a few hundred grams and cannot therefore be considered the main business for a family or a company but simply a com-plementary activity. There is, however, a huge potential for devel-opment, given that the demand far exceeded the 2013 and 2014 productions.

A group of families is actively involved with Zafferano OLG (the let-ters stand for Oltra La Goggia, indicating the area of cultivation) and is planning the future of this good practice through the cre-ation of consortia, networks of producers and a GAS – Solidarity Buying Group. It is, however, the small actions and deeds that make this approach invaluable: meetings in the evening with land workers, the young, mothers and grandmothers, family farm enterprises and simple enthusiasts all taking part. A group of fif-teen/twenty persons, who discuss cultivation methods and are prepared to work together in harmony, for example harvesting the mature flowers in place of someone who has a work commitment.

SaFFRON aLE, BREaD aND CRaCKERSIdeas and small joint ventures have gradually taken shape and saffron has become exceedingly precious: the artisan ale Safrà produced by a brewery in the valley, saffron bread and biodynam-ic crackers baked in an old stone oven located in one of the most beautiful (uninhabited) districts of the valley.

The bulbs, which have been collected partly from typical Italian areas of production, such as Abruzzo and Tuscany, and partly from self-production, are slowly growing and guaranteeing better yields and productions as well as greater specific biodiversity. This variability will in the short-term help the species adapt bet-ter to the pedoclimatic conditions of the Brembana valley, to the different microclimates that exist there and to the climate change in progress.

It should also be borne in mind that the cultivation is carried out with the recovery of marginal land that would otherwise be aban-doned. It also brings people together during the harvesting and stripping of flowers, with offers of mutual help and the involve-ment of particular groups of persons such as pupils from the local primary school and disabled children.

Now, while the bulbs rest under the snow, the Saffron OLG project continues, new families have joined the group and other mountain areas in the Bergamo region are also looking at this small activity as a good example to copy.

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aku cooperates with:

on top: OLG Saffron – OLG Saffron bread label − Planting the OLG Saffron bulbs (ph. Davide Torri) right: Drying OLG Saffron stigmas (ph. Davide Torri)

Alta Valle Brembana, Alpi Orobiche, Italy

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BLURRED SHADES

he word “diversity” has always been a favourite with cultural anthropology which owes its very existence to the observation, particular characteristics and analysis of the differences between cultures; adding the trendy prefix BIO lends a more biological connotation to the term, focusing more on the diversities of life or, more precisely, of different forms of life; in the words of a famous anthropologist, when we speak of biodiversity between cultures we mean “being able to capture shades and style by identifying the pertinent characteristics and relationships which make a certain collectivity unique in time and space” (Leroi-Gourhan, 1968).

So the key words to help define the concept of cultural biodiver-sity are relationships, collectivity, shades, time and space or, in other words, that reciprocal relationship which is established at a particular moment in time between the environment and the people who inhabit it, involving each and every aspect of man’s activity and existence: the world of relations, materials, languages and symbols.

Before giving some examples of cultural biodiversity, it could be useful to address a couple of unresolved and at times controver-sial issues. The concepts of cultural diversity, style and unique-ness are closely linked to the concept of ethnicity and identity, another overused word. Nowadays, with foreigners no longer relegated to remote forests or lost paradises but living in our towns and cities, our need to belong to a group, to show off our roots, is greater and we often resort to stereotypes and slogans; these stereotypes, however, as the Alpine ethnologist Gianpaolo Gri says: “speak volumes of the people who have created and use them but little or nothing about the people they are meant to describe”.

ETHNICITY IS NEITHER BLaCK NOR WHITE Contrary to common belief, there has always been an extremely strong tradition of mobility among mountain folk: mountain dwell-ers have always been great walkers and travellers, the famous Sherpas of the Khumbu Valley in Nepal immediately spring to mind, as do the chair makers of Agordo (careghéta) who travelled the length and breadth of Italy on foot and on bikes. The same can be said of the anchovy sellers of Val Maira who sold ancho-vies and preserved fish they had bought in Liguria on the plains, without forgetting the multitude of migrants who from the end of the nineteenth century onwards left Italy in search of fortune. And what about the numerous foreign carers who look after our

old folks today? And the youngsters from Eastern Europe who tend to our flocks of sheep?

If cultural diversity is an important asset, it was in the past, it is in the present and will be in the future, above all because it is not a natural, clear cut, defined fact: cultures should never be labelled as entities (the Sami people in Lapland, the Nuer of eastern Africa, the Trobrianders from Papua New Guinea) but, claims anthropologist Tim Ingold, they are an emerging procedur-al aspect of a collection of skills and practices (even linguistic and cultural) which are learnt by belonging to a community and then, in different ways, are used, modified and passed on in time and space. So ethnicity is neither black nor white; its palette is made up of subtle blurred shades which change appearance as the light or a point of view changes.

THE SKILLS OF WOODCUTTERS, CaRpENTERS aND OLD FOLKA good illustration of this concept of shades of uniqueness can be

by Elisabetta Feltrin

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«being able to capture shades and style by identifying the pertinent characteristics

and relationships which make a certain collectivity unique in time and space»

(1) Perduti Sentieri, saperi ecologici e pratiche locali in una valle prealpina: this publication describes the results of a research project conducted by Elisabetta Feltrin for her master’s degree in Cultural Anthropology at Ca’ Foscari University, 2013

found in my experiences in the village of Cesiomaggiore, in a valley of the Dolomites in the Belluno area. I have described and docu-mented (1) a number of traditional practices, which were commonly used until the Sixties, involving the skills of woodcutters, carpen-ters, old people, a real fount of knowledge, techniques and ecolog-ical wisdom as regards trees and wood. These people still possess a wealth of incredibly invaluable knowledge built up within a close-knit community, which they have safeguarded for hundreds of years with their environment. This is not the kind of knowledge you can find in a textbook, it goes much deeper, and is linked to their everyday, personal and collective experience, developed over time as part of a special man-wood, man-nature relationship.

I attempted to become a part of this relational and sensory space, getting them to teach me some of the skills, knowledge and techniques they employ in haymaking and working in the woods, tackling and illustrating the techniques by making two tradition-al pieces of equipment out of hazelnut wood: the brinzia which is used to carry hay, leaves and grass, and the gerla, a kind of woven backpack that is also frequently used, especially on sloping ground, to carry hay, leaves and light objects.

I remember one cool autumn morning as I pulled on my boots to ac-company Agostino De Gasperin, an expert gerle and brinzie maker, as we headed for the woods to look for hazelnut branches known as sache; to make a brinzia you need green branches, while for the gerla you have to climb higher, to Val Canzoi, where the ground is less plentiful and hazelnut trees grow more slowly. Agostino looked at and stroked the trees, he weighed and smelled the cut branches and trunks, he told me how old they were just by looking at their bark, then he handed them to me, showing them to me almost in si-lence. He read and understood the woods and his perception of the trees and, especially, the wood was purely sensory, his knowledge encompassed all five senses.

According to Italo Calvino, we live in a world that is populated by words, weighed down by heavy speech. Man has become Homo legens, he has lost the use of his five senses: “men who did not read were able to see and hear so many things that we no longer perceive: the tracks of his prey, the signs”. For the old inhabitants of these places who I had the good fortune to meet, the trunks of the trees are like open books: their grandparents taught them to read them by playing, working and living in the woods: watching them, touching them, listening to them.

from the top: Agostino De Gasperin’s able hands – Wicker basket (ph. Elisabetta Feltrin) – Montagne’s hamlet, Val Canzoi, Italy (ph. Ivan Mazzon) 1716

GOOD FOR ALPS

LOMBARDIA

PIEMONTE

VENETO

FRIULI VENEZIA GIULIA

TRENTINO ALTO-ADIGE

VALLE D’AOSTA

Three days hiking in magnificent surroundings around the King of the Dolomites

A CIRCULAR TOUR OF THE ANTELAO

he concept of biodiversity is not limited to the number of spe-cies found in a certain environment, but includes more general and interactive aspects, such as genetic diversity within a pop-ulation, the number and distribution of species in an area, the diversity of functional groups (producers, consumers, decom-posers) in an ecosystem, etc..

When estimating the total number of animal species on Earth, the criteria vary significantly: they include forecasts of the rates of discovery of new species based on past figures, de-ductions about the number of arthropods found on the branch-es of tropical trees or evaluation of the existing relationships between the number of known species and their body size, etc.. The different approaches have led to highly conflicting estimations of the total number of species on Earth. Whatever the method adopted, however, this figure lies in the region of a couple of million species, which on average survive about one million years before dying out.

This number may be very high, but we must not forget that the rate of extinction caused by man (especially due to habitat destruction) is dozens of times higher than before man walked the Earth.

So, where should we look for biodiversity and why? Biodiversi-ty (or biological diversity) is all around us and plentiful, but this does not make it any less precious. We do, however, need to learn to recognise it. Any small habitat, even those in our towns and cities, can sometimes reserve surprises for us, if we are willing to look closely.

There are, however, some regions which are undeniably out-standing as far as biodiversity is concerned. The whole of the Alpine region, for instance, like most mountain ranges in tem-perate climates, offers a whole host of different plants at every altitude. If we were to walk uphill for just a couple of hours, we would experience the same examples of biodiversity we would find if we crossed many degrees of latitude (therefore thou-sands of kilometres) north. It would be like travelling from the 45° latitude north of the Alpine valley floors in our regions to the 60° latitude north of Scandinavia.

One excursion in the Dolomites which offers a wide variety of environments and therefore endless opportunities for nature spotting is the round tour of the Antelao. Strangely, unlike other

circular tours, it is not very popular; as a general rule, walkers seem to prefer the summit of the “King of the Dolomites”. This is a shame because this particular hike provides three days of ex-hilarating adventure in stunning surroundings. The route is suit-able for experienced walkers, with differences in altitude of up to one thousand metres a day and some short exposed stretches equipped with cables.

Antelao (3264 m) is the second highest peak in the Dolomites and towers above the confluence of the Boite and Piave rivers, a familiar sight and icon of Cadore in the province of Belluno. The entire range lies in an SCI/SPA area of the Natura 2000 network (IT3230081 Group Antelao - Marmarole - Sorapis) so is protect-ed. The geology of the land consists mainly of Dolomia Principale (Norian) and Dachstein Limestone (Rhaetiano). The morphology of the glaciers is also of great interest: Antelao actually has two glaciers, the Upper and the Lower, whose terminus is touched upon on the route recommended below.

The stages can be divided up as follows:- Day 1: San Vito di Cadore - Scottèr ski refuge - San Marco ski ref-uge - Piccola pass - Galassi ski refuge (CAI trails 226 and 227)- Day 2: Galassi ski refuge - Ghiacciaio (Glacier) pass - upper Val Antelao - Pìria pass - Antelao ski refuge (CAI trail 250)- Day 3: Antelao ski refuge - Pìria pass - Cadìn pass - La Glòries - Greànes - San Vito di Cadore (CAI trails 250 and 230)

Due to the different exposures, altitudes and pedology of the soil, we can find a wide variety of trees in the forests: from Scotch pine mixed with Norway spruce on the south-west sides, to beech and spruce-beech woods to the south, fir trees on the shadier edges of the south-east side, and larch and larch-Swiss stone pine to the east. Large woods of mountain pine stretch for miles at high altitude and on the northern side.

As far as fauna is concerned, we can find smooth coluber, adders and horned vipers as regards reptiles, and grouse, white par-tridge and black grouse as regards birds. Artiodactyl mammals include ibex, chamois and deer.

All this biodiversity, all this wealth, can be ours. All we have to do is kit ourselves out with a pair of walking boots, a backpack, some equipment and clothing, and put our best foot forward. Free in the true sense of the word. The important thing is to real-ise that the pristine, unspoiled nature mentioned in tourist bro-chures cannot be found here.

But if we turn our backs on pompousness and pre-packaged ad-ventures, it will be a joy to stroll and spot deeply furrowed karsti-fied fields, roche moutonnée, dolina and erratic boulders; in the meadows we might happen upon the white flower of the moun-tain avens, right next to the Sesleria varia; and we will say to our-selves “look! a flower, look! grass”... but no, even “grass” has its inflorescences even though they might not be very conspicuous because the seeds are carried on the wind and not by insects. There is nothing better in botany than comparative anatomy to really appreciate not only the sheer beauty of flowers but also their functionality. And uncover a whole new world.

We don’t need much, just some basic knowledge: the rest is there, just waiting to be discovered, a bit at a time.

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The “TerrealTe”, where “Terre alte” means high lands, already anticipate with their name the range of utilization of this new mo-del in the mountaineering product line. a lightweight and precise shoe for classic mountaineering and challenging treks up to high altitudes. The hybrid crampon compatible TerrealTe GTX proves to be an ideal model also for work use in the mountain environ-ment, thanks to an immediate and long-lasting comfortable fit.

TERREaLTE gTX

by Federico Balzan

UPPER suede + aIr 8000® 1.8 mm | LINING DESCRIPTION GOre-TeX ® Performance Comfort | OUTSOLE Vibram® Mulaz | MIDSOLE double density PU | WEIGHT 810 g

background: L’Antelao dalla Croda Marcora (ph. Sabrina Meneguz) right: Encountering the alpine ibex (ph. Federico Balzan)

Antelao, Dolomiti del Cadore, Italy

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GOOD FOR ALPS

SARDEGNA

ast summer a group of boys from Bologna, who I had accompanied on a hike in the Nature Reserve Puez-Odle, told me that they wanted to go to Sardinia to do a trek in the Selvaggio Blu (Wild Blue), specifying: “It’s the toughest trek in Italy with sections where climbing skills are required, finding the route is not easy and we would like to do it with an Alpine guide”. I was immediately interested in the proposal even though it caught me unprepared. In fact I had never travelled the Selvaggio Blu and my information was limited to the memory of articles I had skimmed through in the past.

When the summer season in the Dolomites ended, I decided to go and see the Sel-vaggio Blu for myself. I bought a couple of guidebooks and a map, downloaded some information from the web and set off.

I spent my time on the ferry to Olbia read-ing. My books told me that the Selvaggio Blu had been conceived back in 1987 by Peppino Cicalò (President of Cai Sardegna - Italian Alpine Club in Sardinia) and by Mario Verin (photographer and mountaineer)

and year by year has attracted ever more interest. The original intention was to seek a route which started at the pinnacle of Pedra Longa, following the tracks left by the charcoal makers who lived and worked among these crags and ravines until the ‘60s and travelling as much as possible along the cliff tops, and ended at the beach of Cala Sisine. Cicalò and Verin succeeded in their intent but only after many months of exploration. Hikers who wish to travel the entire route (it takes from 5 to 7 days) need to be fit, capable of direction-finding, adaptable (always camping outdoors) and experi-enced climbers.

THE ONLY FEaTURE COmmON TO THE WHOLE ISLaND IS ITS DIVERSITYBut it’s what I read on the back cover of one of my books that made me happily anticipate this trek: “From the moment you leave Pedra Longa, having taken a few steps off the asphalt road you will be immediately engulfed by untamed nature. From then on your point of refer-ence will be the blue of the Mediterrane-an on your right.”

I had no idea what it means to enter the wild in this corner of Sardinia, I thought of the wildest places that I have seen during my globetrotting and imagined something sim-ilar. It did not take long for me to realise that it was impossible to make comparisons: everything is different in the Selvaggio Blu and you have to reason differently in order to move in these mountains.

With regard to diversity, I read that the only feature common to the whole island, from an environmental point of view, is its very diversity and there are no less than three elements which characterise the biodiversity of Sardinia. Firstly, its ge-ographical position in the Mediterranean, one of the Planet’s biodiversity “hotspots” boasting an outstanding variety of rocks and geological formations. This geomor-phological diversity is accompanied by an environmental diversity with different habitats and animal and plant species. The third and most obvious element is the island’s insularity, making a genetic exchange between Sardinian plant and animal populations with those of other regions impossible. Sardinia is therefore

a unique and precious place, abounding in exclusive endemic species. However, you have to bury deep into its nature to appreciate the many habitats and forms of life, which is what I would do in the following days.

FROm SaNTa maRIa NaVaRRESE TO CaLa SISINEMy walk started at Santa Maria Navarrese, a coastal district of the Municipality of Baunei in the southern part of the Orosei Gulf, which forms a bay extending approxi-mately 40 km with rugged cliffs and sheer calcareous walls to be seen everywhere. My books told me that the Orosei Gulf is a great nature site due to the presence of a high number of endemic and rare plant and animal species both along the shoreline and on the cliffs as well as in the high internal areas. For example, up until the seventies the coast between Cala Luna and Cala Sisine was one of the last places of reproduction in Italy for the monk seal. There have been whales in that very same stretch of sea in the last few years, con-firming the high biodiversity of the Gulf.

An easy path took me to the pinnacle of Pe-dra Longa, I climbed up towards the S’erriu Mortu cave and then travelled along the beautiful, panoramic Cengia Giradili (nar-row rocky path across the mountainside) as far as the shepherd’s hut Duspiggius (+760 m climb, 8 km). From Monte Ginnir-cu to Bacu Tenadili (bacu means valley), I continued amid shepherd’s huts and iscal’e e fustes (juniper ladders made by shepherds) as far as the breathtaking inlet of Portu Pedrosu and then took an easy path to end the day at Porto Cuau (+210 m difference in level, 7 km).

On the second day I saw deep rugged ravines and enjoyed magnificent views in the Serra D’argius and from Punta Salinas. I followed the dirt road which goes down to the white pebble beach of Cala Golortizè (+570 m difference in level, 7 km). The deep gullies I encountered, were carved out by ancient rivers that have now disappeared or were swallowed up by the

overlying karst plateau. This sequence of bastions towering above the sea is broken up by countless coves, which look out over an emerald colour sea. Many sections of the coastline are inaccessible not least due to one particular feature - the codule, which are streams that have cut deep canyons into the rock.

The third stage of the trek was more chal-lenging. I climbed up the steep stony valley of Boladina to reach Serra Lattone, where I could see the entire route to the north. I then descended towards Bacu Mudaloru, enjoying my first abseil in the process. The plant landscape is a succession of evergreen scrub and woodland consisting mostly of juniper and holm oak trees, while oleanders grow alongside the streams (+600 m difference in level, 5 km).

From Bruncu Urele to Bacu Su Feilau and, using the Scala Oggiastru, up to the shep-herd’s hut of Mancosu. From there I could look down and admire Cala Biriola where the fourth stage ended (+400 m difference in level, approx. 3 km, with two abseils and various grade III and IV climbs).

Through a curious cleft in the rock, called Sa Nurca, and then after another two abseils, I arrived at the wood of Biriola followed by the wood of Orrònnoro. After the panoramic track of Su strumpu there was some climbing and four abseils before reaching the enchanting white beach of Cala Sisine, where my fifth leg finished (+100 m different in level, 4 km).

With just one more day of easy walking I could have reached the village of Cala Gonone via Cala Luna and Cala Fuili. But for this year my Selvaggio Blu ended here.

I did it. The toughest trek in Italy is behind me. I hope that the beauty of this well hidden and inaccessible route always maintains its indistinct paths, technical difficulties, nights spent in a cave beside the fire and its unique, wild nature. I will return as soon as possible.

SELVAGGIO BLU: ITALY’S TOUGHEST BUT MOST BEAUTIFUL TREK

by Ingo Irsara

L

Precision and comfortable fit are the main qualities of VIaz GTX. a shoe desi-gned for intense hiking activities up to medium altitudes, but especially for vie ferrate and alpine-style normal routes. The protection on the areas of greatest friction and the adoption of IMS1 grant accuracy and safety even on the rou-ghest trails without sacrificing the im-mediate comfort of fit - the aKU shoes’ prerogative.

UPPER suede + aIr 8000® 1.8 mm | LINING DESCRIPTION GOre-TeX® Performance Com-fort | OUTSOLE Vibram® Nepal | MIDSOLE three density die cut eVa | WEIGHT 660 g

VIaZ gTX

Selvaggio Blu (ph. Paola Finali)

Selvaggio Blu, Golfo di Orosei, Italy

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ROUTES

Naturzentrum ThurauenSteubisallmend 3, 8416 Flaach (CH)Tel. +41 52 355 15 55info@naturzentrum-thurauen.chwww.naturzentrumthurauen.ch

GOOD FOR ALPS

LIECHTENSTEIN

NATURWENTRUM THURAUEN: HARMONIOUS COEXISTENCE OF MAN AND NATURE Tours, environmental education and relaxation in the river landscape of the Thur

by Naturzentrum Thurauen

T he alluvial plain Eggrank-Thurspitz is one of the most im-portant alluvial areas of Switzerland: a unique natural and recreational area at the mouth of the river Thur. Because of its high level of biodiversity the area was recognised in 1992 as a wet area of national importance.

Part of the river was re-naturalised in 2008, creating new and invaluable habitats for both flora and fauna. A cantonal order defines the protected areas as well as the rules for tourist use of this natural area. Rangers monitor the harmonious coexi-stence of man and nature here and are responsible for the in-formation service and for controlling the river floodplain areas.

«Our work starts early in the morning in the Rangers’ office, whe-re we check the values of the speed of flow of the Thur towards the Rhine» says Annemarie Brennwald, a Ranger, «and then we reply to the e-mails we received the day before. After that we prepare our equipment to do our round of the alluvial plain: bino-culars, information leaflets, identification manual, report sheet and protection plan, tools and bags for rubbish.

As members of the surveillance and information service we wear a uniform and have a badge of recognition. We move about over the whole natural area by bicycle and check the various infrastructures. Access to the ecologically most im-portant areas of the alluvial plain is forbidden, since they are the most sensitive habitats where many and also rare animal and plant species live. We must keep certain species under control in these areas during the reproduction period, especially in spring and summer, to prevent them from being disturbed by man. Persons who are in these protected are-as unlawfully are duly reprimanded and requested to leave. This requires great diligence as well as good communication skills and sensitivity. Most of the time the conversation is positive and we are able to educate visitors to respect nature and to be environmentally aware.

During our round on foot we provide information on the activi-ties in progress and on the scheduled events and we answer various type of questions, such as: What is the importance of

an alluvial plain? What are the benefits of flood control and the recovery projects? Where can you see beavers? What’s the name of that bird singing at the top of that tree?

During tours, as nature experts we can describe the relation-ships that exist between the landscape, improvement of the habitats and flood protection. We also illustrate the diverse forms of life present in the wet areas, which, with a bit of luck, we can observe together.»

a RELIaBLE paRTNER Our boots are one of the most important tools for our daily work in the alluvial plain, where they are really put to the test. Comfort, durability and weight are fundamental aspects considering that we wear them for hours each day. It is also important that they have an outsole with a good tread pat-tern and are water-repellent. This is because we often have to move off the beaten tracks and cross through wet ground or reach the river banks to recover an old rubber dinghy that has run aground. We have found an extremely reliable part-ner in our AKU boots.

Shoe for modern hiking activities, TraNSalPINa GTX combines values of traditional manufacturing skills with new technical solutions. The upper combines suede with aIr 8000® in a functional and modern de-sign, coupled with an innovative IMS³ triple density outsole and an exoskeleton system for an optimal cushioning of the arch.

UPPER suede + aIr 8000® 1.8 mm | LINING DESCRIPTION GOre-TeX® Performance Comfort | OUTSOLE Vibram® Cloud Megagrip | MIDSOLE eVa/PU | WEIGHT 600 g

TRaNSaLpINa gTXaku works in partnership with:

Rangers working and educational activities (ph. Naturzentrum Thurauen)

Alluvial plain Eggrank-Thurspitz, Switzerland

ITALY

SWITZERLAND

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GOOD FOR ALPS

he view from the top of Skafatfell hill is magnificent.

To the east is the crest of Öraefajökull, the wasteland glacier, which, at 2110 metres is the highest peak in Iceland. On this splendid summer’s day the ice cap shines out against a cobalt blue background. Huge fingers of ice plunge down the steep sides of the mountain. To the south is the flat, grey alluvial plain of Skeidarsandur, like an African desert. The surface of the Atlantic is shining like an elusive mirage in the distance.

There is light everywhere today. It sums up Iceland, the land where the primordial elements compete with each other and

dominate the landscape, where water, earth, air and fire dictate the pace of life and where all life forms, including mankind, doggedly cling onto the rough surface hoping not to be swept away. It is in such extreme conditions that biodi-versity shows its strength and capacity of adaptation.

The Sjónarnípa viewpoint, where the Skaftafell glacier seems so close as to be able to touch it, is the destination of a splendid hike in the Skaftafell nature reserve. This has been a protected area since 1967 and in 2008 became part of the Vatnajökull National Park, which cov-ers approximately 14,000 km2, making it Europe’s largest park.

Starting from the visitor centre at the foot of the hill, there is an easy path to climb in the direction of Svartifoss - the Black Waterfall, which crashes noisily into a stunning amphitheatre of basalt columns. Moisture glistens on every surface, accentuating the black of the basalt, the green of the vegetation and the gaudy colours of the hikers’ water-proof jackets.

From here you head north, following the signs for Sjónarnípa. Now climbing along the exposed ridge of the hill, the lush vegetation has given way to sparse plants typical of the Arctic tundra, in which twisted low shrubs of willow and birch, carpets of bilberry laden with fruit and soft mosses prevail.

THE INEXORaBLE BaTTLE agaINST THE LOSS OF SOILThe area around the designated path at this point (as in many nature reserves in Iceland) is roped off using hundreds of metres of ropes and in the dips and hollows where rainwater accumulates and feeds small peat bogs, there are wooden walkways. Small signs placed at regular intervals show a mountain boot with a diagonal red line through it. Stick to the path! The last five years have seen a double-digit increase in tourist numbers per year with the result that these infrastructures have sprung up everywhere, not only to make the most

popular nature walks easier and safer, but mostly to protect the delicate ecolog-ical balance of these environments from erosion.

For more than a thousand years, since the first Scandinavian colonists landed in Iceland with their ravenous animals to ex-ploit the huge and practically virgin pas-tures, the Icelanders have been battling against the relentless and permanent loss of fertile soil.

The hunger for wood and intensive graz-ing led first of all to almost complete de-forestation and then to consumption of the thin layer of soil that slowly formed after the last glaciation to cover the rock, the soft volcanic ashes as well as the flu-vial and glacial deposits. Erosion affects 75% of the surface of the island, the rest is ice and rock while a minimum part has been urbanised. Also the uncontrolled tramping of tourists has a negative im-pact that must be mitigated.

I observe the barren landscape from the heap of stones, which defines the gla-cier’s lateral moraine dotted with crusty lichens firmly anchored to the basalt. Few organisms are able to survive up here where they are completely exposed to the severe climatic conditions.

I descend the hill following another, short-er route, with an exceptional view over the

underlying valley, which takes me along the steep southern side of Austurbrekkur.

Protected from the cold, dry Arctic winds, which dry out even the hardiest plants, the vegetation in this area is thriving. Birches, willows and rowans even grow to four me-tres in height, creating the conditions for a true wood to develop. After the tundra-like experience, the impression is one of ex-ploring a primordial tropical forest.

arctic river Beauty, ICELaND’S mOST BEaUTIFUL FLOWERWe are almost at the end of the short Nordic summer, at the time of maximum plant growth. Large bushes of Angelica enrich the luxuriant undergrowth with their white umbrellas, while a number of curious thrushes dart here and there be-tween the branches.

I reach the black terminal moraines of Skaftafelljokull, where the pioneer plants struggle to colonise the unstable, gravelly surfaces. I can see the end of the glacier full of debris, which plunges into the mud-dy lagoon from which a river flows to the Atlantic just thirty kilometres away. High above, beyond the peak, the 8000 km2 of Vatnajökull (the Vatna glacier) resolutely resist the implacable melt.

I am about to take the track which leads to the visitor centre when I see it. An un-expected splash of colour, bright fuch-

sia, nestling behind a strip of gravel, catches my eye. Probably the most beautiful and extraor-dinary flower of Iceland, the Chamerion latifolium, or Arctic River Beauty, peeps out, frivolous, in a hostile environment. The national plant of Greenland - where it is called niviarsiaq, which means little girl - is extremely important for the Inuit peoples because every part of the plant is edible and it is therefore a fundamental resource in extreme lands. This perennial courageously anchors itself to the gravel and pebbles, exploding in all its beauty during the summer with magnificent flowers that stand out against the dark gravel.

The resources of Biodiversity to with-stand environmental change are infinite and go far beyond our knowledge and understanding. Even directly under the Arctic Circle, the tenacity of this splendid patch of fuchsia in the shadow of huge glaciers somehow reminds me that, de-spite everything, life will always find a way of adapting to change.

Hiking in Skaftafell nature reserve, Vatnajökull National Park

ICELAND, ZHERE BIODIVERSITY SHOWS ITS STRENGTH

by Andrea Pasqualotto

The aKU shoe for all those hikers looking for maximum protection and comfort of fit during the many hours of use. The new IMS3 - exoskeleton sole in dual den-sity PU features a level of lightness at the top of the backpacking category, making of SUPeralP GTX the ideal shoe for hikes such as the High Ways of the Dolo-mites and treks of several days in complete autonomy with heavy loads on the shoulders.

UPPER suede + aIr 8000® 1.8 mm | LINING DESCRIPTION GOre-TeX® Performance Comfort | OUTSOLE Vibram® Fourà | MIDSOLE double density PU | WEIGHT 700 g

SUpERaLp gTX

T

from left: Chamerion latifolium or River Beauty Willowherb – Svartifoss, the Black Fall – Skaftafell Natural Reserve (ph. Andrea Pasqualotto)

ICELAND

Skaftafell nature reserve, Vatnajökull National Park

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Lightweight shoe in the category of outdoor style footwear for daily use, made in Europe to the highest manufacturing stan-dards by AKU. The origin of 100% of product components is tra-ceable. As well as the Vibram® outsole made with ECO STEP rub-ber there is the die cut EVA midsole that is also obtained using recycled material coming from rubber processing.

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SAFE, TRACEABLE AND ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY.Design choices, construction techniques, guaranteed origin of the raw material and the selection of materials: these are all characteristics incorporated in a range of models that testifies to AKU’s commitment to finding design and production solutions that maintain high quality while reducing environmental impact. made in Europe.