Who will manage the Dolomites in 2050, and how?

The fourth annual training course for municipal administrators responsible for managing the UNESCO-designated World Heritage Site took place on 3–4 October between Claut and Cimolais (PN), on the edge of the Dolomiti Friulane Natural Park.

A generational exchange

As in previous editions, held in Belluno, Primero San Martino di Castrozza, and Andalo, the keywords were “Knowledge, Responsibility, Awareness.” However, this year’s edition focused particularly on the need for a generational exchange among administrators (and citizens), to ensure a shared vision that looks beyond immediate concerns and plans for the medium term. As highlighted by the Mayor of Claut, Gionata Sturam, at the conclusion of the first day of the course, there are some positive counter-trends regarding opportunities for younger generations, and it is essential to ensure that the mountains are not only protected but also actively experienced and inhabited. Roberto Padrin, President of the UNESCO Dolomites Foundation and President of the Province of Belluno, emphasized the crucial role of administrators in meeting the challenges of managing the World Heritage Site: “We should not only ask ourselves how the Dolomites will look in 2050, but also who will ensure the protection and sustainable development of such a complex heritage entrusted to us, and how.” A heritage, Padrin also noted, that is also changing aesthetically as well as in terms of climate. “This issue must therefore be addressed with great responsibility, deepening knowledge and fostering dialogue among the various administrative entities.”

Recognising diversity to build a future

Antonio Carrara, President of the Dolomiti Friulane Natural Park and Mayor of Erto and Casso, reflected on the shared responsibility of caring for a territory recognized for its Outstanding Universal Value, while also highlighting the unique characteristics of each individual area. It is also for this reason that it was decided to expand this year’s program with a visit to the Vajont dam and the Erto and Casso Visitor Centre, just days before the sixty-second anniversary of the disaster.

“The course provides an opportunity for training and dialogue among administrators who have chosen to commit themselves to serving the populations living in the mountains,” commented Giovanni Gardelli, General Director of the Department of Urban Planning, Energy, Cadastre, Land Registry, and Territorial Cohesion of the Autonomous Province of Trento, the entity coordinating the Training Network of the UNESCO Dolomites Foundation through the organization of TSM – STEP School for Land and Landscape Governance. Through meetings and in-depth discussions, it is possible to share a vision for the future that, rooted in the identity of the mountain communities, aims at developing new policies for living respectfully in the mountains. This was the focus of the “future workshops,” during which participants were asked to outline the elements that could define the generations entrusted with the World Heritage Site from now and until 2050, as well as the actions needed to achieve the desired scenarios and implement the required changes with immediate effect.

Starting from knowledge

“There can be no assumption of responsibility without first understanding the World Heritage Site and the landscape and geological values that define it,” concluded Mara Nemela, Director of the UNESCO Dolomites Foundation. “It is therefore essential to provide administrators with the knowledge and the interpretive tools of the UNESCO designation: they are the key reference for developing active protection strategies for a territory entrusted to us, which we have the responsibility to pass on to future generations. It is equally important to immediately begin the generational exchange that has been the focus of our discussions over the past few days.”

This activity is part of the project “Capacity building. Strengthening the social and regional capital of the Dolomites World Heritage Site (WHS) for lasting and sustainable development of local communities”, established with the support of Fondo Comuni Confinanti.