n 1996, in the framework of the EU initiative ADAPT,
the WWF Italy, in collaboration with the European Union, the Italian
Ministry of Labour and the ISFOL, started the project "Protected
Areas: the Environment, from a Restriction to an Opportunity for
Development".
This initiative was implemented in four Italian national parks:
Cilento–Vallo di Diano (region of Campania),
Pollino (the side in the regions of Basilicata and Calabria), Aspromonte
(region of Calabria) and the Gennargentu National Park (region
of Sardinia) in collaboration with two transnational partners: Eures
(Germany) and Cre Entreprendre (France).
The CRAS (Centro Ricerche Affari Sociali
– social affairs research center) was the WWF’s technical partner.
The purpose of the project is to show
how the bigger restrictions in the protected areas can in reality
become new opportunities for development and creation of new jobs
and to show that the participation of the local communities,
the involvement of young people and the agreement with some local
institutions can play a fundamental role for the success of the
initiative.
The intervention was implemented with a bottom-up
approach and involved a group of different subjects working
for public and private bodies (Regions, Provinces, Municipalities,
Mountain Communities, Environmental Associations, Private Companies,
Labour Agencies, etc.). It foresaw the integration of the action
methods, according to a horizontal scheme. Therefore, the economical,
social and environmental operators interact between them in a system
where they are, at the same time, promoters and users of the process.
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The WWF-CRAS Adapt project was structured in two general
stages and the bottom-up approach was applied through:
- Identification of sustainable
development opportunities in the park areas;
- Implementation of these ideas
through training and help for companies.
In every area involved in the process, a socio-economical analysis
was carried out to highlight the emergent economical sectors at
a local level, an analysis of the training needs within the sectors
highlighted and the organization of 7
job training courses of 200 hours,
addressed to local operators – 5 of
them working in the tourist sector – for the creation of networks
with the operators working in the area and for the improvement of
the economical capabilities of the local companies and agricultural
activities (sustainable olive-growing and cultivation of medicinal
plants).
In the following pages, the results achieved in the National Parks
involved in this initiative are presented.
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