On November 5 and 6, WWF Italy met in Todi, at the WWF-affiliated Oasi La Malcontenta e il Lupo. In fact, the first Workshop of WWF-affiliated Oases was held here, a conference where the leaders of WWF Italy and the directors of some of the 100 Italian Oases talked about the environment, solutions for protecting our natural wealth, outreach, and environmental education. All this also in view of the National Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, presented by Marco Galaverni, Oases Education & Activation Director - WWF Italy, and Francesco Marcone, Head of Oasis Conservation - WWF Foundation. The Strategy, in fact, sets two very important objectives for the well-being of all of us: to build a coherent network of terrestrial and marine Protected Areas, reaching a surface area of 30% of protected areas to be established on land and at sea, and the further goal of restoring terrestrial and marine ecosystems, achieving the target of 30% restoration of the conservation status of habitats and species. In fact, the loss of animal and plant species would lead to our own disappearance. Furthermore, humans would not be able to readapt to environmental changes that occur at too rapid a pace. Climate changes that occurred in the past over millions of years are now happening in a very short time due to human activity. An example is the increase in CO2 in the atmosphere, which is now known to be the cause of rising temperatures.
Therefore, the conservation of natural environments becomes fundamental, and WWF has taken up this great challenge to try to increase the percentage of protected national territory, thus contributing to the Biodiversity Strategy. To this end, WWF also manages protected areas with high natural value together with private individuals. At the La Malcontenta Oasis and the Wolf, there were also representatives from other important WWF-affiliated Italian Oases, such as Dynamo Oasis, Valle dello Sporeggio Oasis, Lignana Oasis, Castel Romano Oasis, Padule di Bolgheri Oasis, and Gregorina Oasis. Gabriella Vaschetti, head of the Racconigi Stork Center, also spoke. All these entities also have the ambition to involve the local population and often propose models of sustainable and organic agriculture, further proof that humans and nature can coexist and support each other, with undeniable mutual benefit. Carlotta Maggio, Project Coordination Network Oases - WWF Foundation, and Elisabetta Erba, Oases Network Developing Officer - WWF Italy, also spoke, discussing management and enhancement tools for the WWF Oases network. During the two-day event, Mrs. Rosa prepared a tasting of local products and the actors of Isola di Confine, with Valerio Apice playing Pulcinella, Riccardo Savello as Don Ghiro, and Giorgia Amoroso singing, brought to life an auction show in which acting blended with Natural Sciences.
Next, during the workshop part of the conference, "working groups" were organized on self-financing, area management and critical issues, and communication. On this occasion, the serious dumping of special waste, including asbestos, which was discovered in an area of the La Malcontenta e il Lupo Oasis, was also discussed—a very serious illegal act, dangerous both for the environment and for people's health. The Carabinieri Forestali were notified and it is therefore hoped that the Municipality will come to the aid of the Oasis and the community. Too often now, acts of abandonment of even hazardous waste occur, by people who perhaps do not realize the harm they do to themselves and others. The Wwf-affiliated Oasis La Malcontenta e il Lupo therefore relies on the support of the Municipality of Todi for the clean-up operations of the area and on the important operational contribution of the Carabinieri Forestali.
The conference then concluded with an excursion to the La Malcontenta and the Wolf Oasis, where participants discovered animal and plant species, saw one of the hides for nature photography, and descended to the stream along a complex and beautiful path in a splendid naturally evolving forest, where plants can grow freely and it is thus possible to conduct scientific research and outreach, enjoy nature, and discover oneself.
From Corriere dell’Umbria of 17.11.2024