A conversation with Michele Da Pozzo, director of the Ampezzo Dolomites Natural Park for the last 35 years and soon handing over the task to Martina Siorpaes, a forestry graduate with previous experience in working within the Regole system both in Cortina and in San Vito, who will lead the authority established in 1990 and entrusted by the Veneto Region to the Comunanza delle Regole d’Ampezzo with the approval of the General Assembly of the Regolieri itself.
PARK AND COMMUNITY
11,000 hectares of land designated for silvo-pastoral use and areas recognised as nature reserves, some of which are of such value and integrity as to allow the designation of 9 strictly integral nature reserves and 11 managed reserves. And an extremely particular management system, such as the Regole approach, which enhances the connection with the local community.
Director, since the Park’s creation, how have you seen awareness of the environmental values protected by these areas change?
“Within the Ampezzo community, this sensitivity has certainly grown. During these 35 years, the Park’s management has never had to deal with major conflicts, except for threats to its integrity from external forces. In relation to the latter, the population has been able to perceive directly how fundamental the establishment of the protected area has been. I recall that a few years ago a proposal for a small expansion of the Park’s boundaries, aimed at preventing a hydroelectric development, was approved by 96% of the Regole members. In the future, other expansion proposals may also be considered, for example to protect the Sorapis region and to regulate parking on mountain passes.”
FLOW MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES
On this subject: over more than thirty years, what strategies have you used to manage visitor numbers, which have certainly evolved and become much more significant in some areas?
“First of all, knowledge has been of the utmost importance: all the guards know in detail the most sensitive sites from a botanical, vegetation, wildlife and geological point of view, which makes networking much easier. Prohibitions serve little purpose; indeed, sometimes they almost become a drive to discover the reasons behind them. Instead, one can act more wisely, directing hikers on certain paths through signs, while limiting the flow onto others (which are, nevertheless, always maintained) that lead to places of such value that it becomes necessary for the primary task of a park, the preservation of environmental integrity, to prevail.”
AN EXPORTABLE MODEL TO RAISE AWARENESS
Can the community-based model of the Regole d’Ampezzo Natural Park be transferred to other settings, or is it closely linked to the Regole management?
“Not all Regolieri are directly linked to the territory, some are motivated by their passion for the mountain. For this reason, I have always sought to take the residents of Ampezzo on excursions, even to the most protected locations, to raise awareness of the heritage we manage, thanks to collaborations with CAI and the Alpine Guides. This form of attachment, almost a sense of pride for one’s own territory, can certainly also be characteristic of other contexts. Even when we implemented measures to improve accessibility, we did so precisely to raise awareness of the need for protection, such as the partly equipped paths in the Fanes canyons and waterfalls, those in Federa, or the Boite waterfalls of Ra Stua.”
Has UNESCO recognition helped raise this awareness?
“On a cultural level, both the Regole d’Ampezzo and the Park have always contributed to promoting geological and landscape excellence. UNESCO recognition can certainly be a great advantage if it is seen for what it is: a commitment to protect the Heritage, and not misinterpreted – as sometimes happens (although in our case fortunately not at all very often) – as a tourism brand.”
How would you rate the health of the Park today?
“The main issues are linked to climate change and its consequences, such as bark beetle infestations. As for visitor numbers, as we have seen, while intense in some areas, they are still manageable. Yes, I can say that the habitats and species in the Ampezzo Dolomites Natural Park are protected.”
A PERSONAL NOTE…
35 years represent an entire professional life. What does this moment mean on a personal level?
“I am happy with the appointment of Martina Siorpaes as the new director: she will ensure continuity, professionalism and attachment to the territory. I will, however, continue to convey my message scientifically and as an educator: this is why I live, this is my passion!”
On the walks we did together during the initiatives organised by the UNESCO Dolomites Foundation, you sometimes invited us to put our phones away and turn off our cameras when admiring wonderful but fragile places, to avoid an “Instagram” effect that could also generate little hotspots. However, may we ask you what is the place in the Park to which you feel most attached?
“I can certainly say this, because I believe it is the favourite place of many Ampezzo residents: Alpe di Lerosa, a site that still remains relatively quiet, and I hope it always stays that way!”