As long as I can remember I have been captivated by the natural world. From hiking in Appalachia, snorkeling at the beach in Florida, and trekking through the deserts of Utah, I was raised by the outdoors. By highschool I knew I wanted to dedicate my life to protecting the world’s natural resources and ensure humanity and Earth have a positive relationship in the future. One of the most effective ways to mend this relationship is through conservation of land and sea. Nations across the world have implemented their own conservation projects to protect their resources for the future. In my time working as an intern in Italy, I have developed a thorough understanding of what Italy is doing to protect their heritage and lands.
Conservation is a quite simple idea and has been used by human civilizations for thousands of years. The USDA defines conservation as “The protection, preservation, management, or restoration of natural environments and the ecological communities that inhabit them.” Although the idea of conservation has been implemented into human groups for some time, the modern movement can be traced back to pioneers such as John Muir and Theodore Roosevelt. Muir and Roosevelt were both outdoorsmen and in their time America was industrializing rapidly. They saw first hand the effects of this industrialism in their outdoor pursuits. Forests they once traversed as kids were now barren, lands that were once filled with wildberry shrubs and white tail deer were now wastelands. Both men knew a change had to be made. Muir stepped up first and established the Sierra club, a group dedicated to enjoying outdoor activities while conserving the land’s natural resources. The motto of the Sierra club perfectly sums up their motives. “To explore, enjoy, and protect the wild places of the earth; To practice and promote the responsible use of the earth’s ecosystems and resources; To educate and enlist humanity to protect and restore the quality of the natural and human environment; and to use all lawful means to carry out these objectives.” Theodore Roosevelt furthered these conservation efforts in his presidency where he established eight national parks and the national forest service. Both of the steps were monumental and set up later presidents to further conservation efforts.
While many nations already had conservation projects, America’s large scale success inspired others to take the next step. In Italy the most successful conservation organization is the Fondo Ambiente Italiano which translates to Italian Environmental Fund. Established in 1975 the FAI has had massive success in various conservation projects. What makes the FAI so incredible is the diversity of their projects. The FAI protects millions of acres of land including agricultural land, sea preserves, terrestrial preserves, and hundreds of historic buildings. One of the area’s the FAI helps protect is the Marine Protected area of Punta Campanella. The MPA Punta Campanella is nestled on the Sorrento peninsula in Southern Italy, just next to the world famous Amalfi coast. The marine park stretches across 31 kilometers of coastline and covers 1539 hectares of area. The MPA is managed by an assembly of mayors and board of representatives from six towns on the peninsula. The towns of Massa Lubrense, Sorrento, Sant’Agnello, Piano di Sorrento, Positano, and Vico Equense all help the FAI with management of the park. As seen in the map the park is divided into three separate zones labeled A, B and C. The C zones seen in green are the least protected areas, here almost all water activities are allowed except Jet skis, fishing out of season, and anchoring on the Posidonia seagrass. B zones have increased restriction, no motorized boats are allowed and there is an increased regulation on fishing. A zones are labeled in red and have the most restrictions. In A zones only authorized scientific activity is allowed as these zones host many critical fish nurseries. One of the most important places in the Marine park is Ieranto bay, found right at the tip of the peninsula in a B zone. Ieranto is one of the only places in the park that is protected both on the land and sea. Ieranto bay is where the FAI has brilliantly saved the marine ecosystem while also running a park that is open to the public. Ieranto bay served as a Limestone Quarry from 1925-1952 until it was sold in 1986 to the FAI. The fact that Ieranto was converted from an environmentally destructive mining site, to a protected park open to the public is a massive conservation success story. However not everything is sunshine and rainbows when it comes to conserving Italian land.
Southern Italy, especially the Gulf of Naples and Amalfi coast area face some environmental and societal problems that are very unique to the area. For starters this area is heavily populated which always means there will be a large strain on the ecosystems. On top of this the Gulf of Naples and Amalfi coast are among the biggest tourist destinations in the world. Extensive boating and anchoring of these coastal areas have caused a decrease in the Posidonia seagrass, a critical nursery habitat for fish. A population of millions that relies on fish for food, millions of tourist visitors every year, and disruption of fish reproduction has led to many challenges. In addition to this many local Italians are either uninformed of the conservation efforts or they just see it as a secondary issue. Italy faces various societal and economic issues that residents see more important than conservation efforts. I have seen this in my time interning at Ieranto bay, many visitors say they have never heard of the Marine park and they just wanted to come to the beach. Additionally many visitors leave cigarettes on the beach despite signage that forbids littering. Despite the challenges Italy pushes through the adversity and continues to find success in saving their marine and terrestrial resources.
At the end of the day Italy’s conservation attempts face struggles just like every other nation’s projects. However organizations like the FAI keep on fighting and finding solutions to unique problems. The FAI has protected hundreds of historical buildings across Italy and protected millions of acres of land. Even buying an industrial quarry and turning it into a protected park open to the public. Inspired by the success of American conservation projects such as Roosevelt’s national parks or Muir’s Sierra club, Italy has protected over 11% of its land including historic buildings, farmland, and marine ecosystems. Italy has even become an inspiration for other countries. Projects like the Sant’Anna internship and project M.A.R.E bring volunteers from abroad to volunteer at Ieranto. These projects motivate volunteers such as myself to bring these ideals of conservation back to our home countries with us. Organizations like the FAI have done historic things for Italy and will continue to work towards a bright future for Italian societies and seas.
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