News Archive

Reasons for a prohibition

In Piedmont, mushroom picking is regulated by Regional Law no. 24/2007, which, in summary, allows harvesting from dawn to dusk of a daily individual quantity not exceeding 3 kg for all those who are equipped with the appropriate permit. Geographical limitations apply within protected areas established in accordance with the current regional regulations and sites that are part of the Natura 2000 network identified by the respective managing bodies.

In the Protected Areas of the Cozie Alps, as in the entire Piedmont region, circulation with motor vehicles on off-road routes is forbidden according to Regional Law No. 32/1982. The ban, as stated, "also applies to mountain paths and mule tracks, as well as forest tracks and roads." This is Article 11 inserted, not by chance, in the text entitled "Rules for the conservation of the natural heritage and environmental structure" because undoubtedly vehicular traffic has an impact on ecological balances. But what is meant by "off-road routes"? Essentially, everything that is not part of the state, regional, provincial, or municipal road network.

Throughout the summer, park rangers have intervened on several occasions to warn mountain bikers who were riding on routes and trails within the Alpi Cozie Parks that are prohibited to bicycles. Some individuals justified their actions by claiming they had followed directions downloaded from certain websites or apps, but unfortunately, the regulations of a protected area do not allow ignorance of the rules. We take this opportunity, therefore, to reiterate the restrictions in place in the Protected Areas of the Alpi Cozie and explain the reasons behind them.
 

The end of summer is approaching, and with it comes the mushroom picking season that attracts many enthusiasts every year.

In the Protected Areas of the Cozie Alps and in the sites of the Natura 2000 network managed by the Park Authority, mushroom picking is regulated by National Law 352/1993 and Regional Law 24/2007, i.e., it is allowed for all holders of a permit, except for the following specific limitations:

Spending a day outdoors with your dog is certainly a beautiful experience. However, introducing a pet into a protected area poses a problem for the natural balance that a Park Authority is required to defend. In all Italian national and regional parks, there are limitations aimed at finding a compromise between the needs of environmental conservation and those of dog owners who wish to bring their four-legged friends along. Let's see why.

Issue n.8 of Avvoltoi Piemonte with reports and observations related to the first half of 2024 is now online

There are still many people who love coming home after a walk in the open air with a small bouquet of flowers. There is even a song! But... There are rules to follow.

After 5 intense years of work in the field and coordination of activities and actions, the final conference of LIFE WolfAlps EU, organized in Trento from May 17 to 19, marked the milestone of a project that since 2019 has been able to disseminate a wealth of scientific knowledge and informative tools on the coexistence between human activities and wolves in the Alps.

An extraordinary sighting of specimens of the Northern Bald Ibis (Geronticus eremita) in the meadows between Avigliana and Borgone. These migratory birds are threatened with extinction and an international reintroduction project teaches young specimens the essential migration routes with the help of human adoptive parents flying on motorized hang gliders.

Within protected areas, certain human activities must adhere to environmental protection principles. Among these is the use of drones, which is permitted only for professional, monitoring, and scientific research purposes. The use of remotely piloted aircraft for these purposes in natural parks, nature reserves, and Natura 2000 sites managed by the Cozie Alps Protected Areas is subject to a specific request and impact assessment.