What do we do

Our work is available to all citizens

We work to protect, manage and reconstitute the natural and semi-natural environments of the protected areas of the Cottian Alps for the conservation and enrichment of biodiversity. To this end we propose and develop projects supported by scientific habitat management methodologies with the aim of protecting the territory, the landscape and their biodiversity.

We operate in the area to enhance the historical-cultural and architectural heritage of our parks.
We also have the duty to promote environmentally compatible development initiatives by encouraging productive activities and the development of tourism potential and other forms of enjoyment of the protected area which achieve a balanced integration of human activities with the conservation of natural ecosystems.

All activities are managed by employees and external collaborators who operate in four thematic areas:

1. General affairs area
2. Communication, fruition and education area
3. Personal area and budget
4. Area planning and management of the territory and management of natural and cultural heritage
5. Surveillance area

Our daily work is inspired by the conservation of intact environments, freed from excessive and rapid consumption and offered instead thanks to moderate, careful and slow use through

• the care of a vast network of paths that allows you to visit the Protected Areas;
• the setting up of museums and visitor centers;
• the preparation of publications and documentaries;
• the proposal of guided excursions and conferences;
• the dissemination of naturalistic knowledge aimed at stimulating environmental awareness;
• the organization of educational projects with schools and associations that spread ongoing education in order to profoundly change everyone's daily behavior, so that parks are an example of beauty to be exported outside as well;
• the conservation, recovery and management of buildings and structures that constitute important historical-cultural testimonies or that favor the tourist and excursion development of the area.

Protection

The commitment to protect the territory is mainly entrusted to the figure of the park ranger who has the responsibility of checking visitors, owners and economic operators, so that they behave in a respectful manner, but also verifying, together with the technical offices, that new projects, both internal and external to the protected territories, do not cause serious consequences to the protected environment and do not compromise the conservation status of habitats and species of community interest.

Consequently, for interventions, activities and works of various kinds, it is necessary to request the managing body to verify whether the activity is subject to an impact assessment, with reference to the potential implications and significant effects that the intervention can produce on the conservation objectives. The impact assessment procedure is required for plans, programmes, interventions, projects, activities and works which may determine, directly or indirectly, significant impacts, altering their conservation status, on the habitats or species included in the Habitats and Birds Directive and on species of significant conservation interest.

In each protected area there are specific regulations in force which it is advisable to know before carrying out the visit.

Research

Scientific research requires continuous and constant commitment to wildlife census activities on the populations of ibex, deer, chamois, wolf, black grouse, but also studies on amphibians and various insect species such as bumblebees, mosquitoes and rare butterflies.
For this reason, in all the areas we manage, sampling and analyzes are carried out on the most significant plant species, in order to create a solid and continuously updated database on which to base future directions for the conservation and management of habitats.
The quality and continuity of the investigations (some censuses have been repeated for thirty years) make extremely precious knowledge of high scientific value available to everyone to protect a rich biodiversity.

The research is often conducted in collaboration with university bodies and regional directorates and is often financed by the Piedmont Region or by the European Union at the end of selected national and international tenders such as PSR, LIFE and INTERREG.

Scientific Research

Scientific research requires continuous and constant commitment to monitoring activities of species and wildlife censuses on populations of ibex, deer, chamois, wolf, capercaillie, but also studies on amphibians and various species of insects such as bumblebees, mosquitoes, and rare butterflies.
For this reason, in all the areas we manage, samplings and analyses on the most significant plant species are carried out, in order to establish a solid and continuously updated database on which to base future guidelines for the conservation and management of habitats.
The quality and continuity of the investigations (some censuses have been repeated for thirty years) provide everyone with a valuable and scientifically significant knowledge for the protection of a rich biodiversity.

Research is often carried out in collaboration with university institutions and regional authorities and is often funded by the Piedmont Region or the European Union through selected national and international calls such as PSR, LIFE, and INTERREG.

La tutela

L'impegno di tutela del territorio è affidato alla figura del guardiaparco che ha la responsabilità di controllare i visitatori, i proprietari e gli operatori economici, perché si comportino in maniera rispettosa, ma anche verificare, assieme agli uffici tecnici, che nuovi progetti, sia interni che esterni ai territori protetti, non causino gravi conseguenze all'ambiente tutelato e non compromettano lo stato di conservazione di habitat e specie di interesse comunitario.

Di conseguenza per interventi, attività, opere di vario genere occorre richiedere all'ente gestore la verifica dell'assoggettabilità alla valutazione di incidenza dell'attività, con riferimento alle implicazioni potenziali e agli effetti significativi che l'intervento può produrre sugli obiettivi di conservazione.

È sempre richiesta la procedura di valutazione di incidenza per piani, programmi, interventi, progetti, attività e opere che possono determinare, direttamente o indirettamente, incidenze significative, alterandone lo stato di conservazione, sugli habitat o sulle specie inserite in Direttiva Habitat e Uccelli e sulle specie di rilevante interesse conservazionistico.

In ogni area protetta sono in vigore regolamenti specifici che è opportuno conoscere prima di svolgere la visita.