Presentation
Thanks to funding provided by Tuscany region, the Park of the Apuan Alps has recently completed an important recovery action of the botanical Garden “Pietro Pellegrini”, which foundtion dates back to the year 1966 by a group of passionate naturalists. Once again the availability of financial resources combined with the design skills of our Institution made it possible to complete a demanding enhancement project of this important feature of the Apuan Alps.
The following pages provide a detailed account of both the actions made by the Park and the interesting characteristics of this alpine garden that has many of the most significant and rare plant species of our mountains.
Among the many works it is important to remember the one that maybe made this botanical Garden unique, at least from the perspective of its use and its accessibility. In accordance with the principles of the so-called Declaration of Norcia set out in the international conference “The Park belongs to everyone. The world as well” that took place in that city in the October of 2003, it was built an easier path that makes it possible the access to the majority of the Garden to a large number of people. As a result, a mountainside that was reachable only by a few people until now can be visited by school groups with handicapped children, elderly people and people that are not necessarily experienced mountaineers. Fortunately, experiences of this kind are increasingly frequent in European parks, but in our case, and maybe for the first time, it has to do with an alpine botanical Garden, that by its nature has objective difficulties in the access.
I want to conclude this short presentation to recall some of the most various and significant enunciation of Norcia, like… the accessibility is a human right and as such it must be guaranteed to all people regardless of their conditions and limits… the use of nature and environment must be extended to all, offering everyone the highest level of enjoyment in respect of the ecosystem… not without emphasising how these words are of great value when they are linked to a beautiful natural environment like that of our botanical Garden.
Among the many works it is important to remember the one that maybe made this botanical Garden unique, at least from the perspective of its use and its accessibility. In accordance with the principles of the so-called Declaration of Norcia set out in the international conference “The Park belongs to everyone. The world as well” that took place in that city in the October of 2003, it was built an easier path that makes it possible the access to the majority of the Garden to a large number of people. As a result, a mountainside that was reachable only by a few people until now can be visited by school groups with handicapped children, elderly people and people that are not necessarily experienced mountaineers. Fortunately, experiences of this kind are increasingly frequent in European parks, but in our case, and maybe for the first time, it has to do with an alpine botanical Garden, that by its nature has objective difficulties in the access.
I want to conclude this short presentation to recall some of the most various and significant enunciation of Norcia, like… the accessibility is a human right and as such it must be guaranteed to all people regardless of their conditions and limits… the use of nature and environment must be extended to all, offering everyone the highest level of enjoyment in respect of the ecosystem… not without emphasising how these words are of great value when they are linked to a beautiful natural environment like that of our botanical Garden.
The president of the Regional Park of the Apuan Alps
Giuseppe Nardin
