Conference – Participatory process in water stream restoration
The Conference, organized one year after starting its activities, took stock of the situation and outlined the future steps of the LIFE RII Project:
give the start to the implementation of interventions to secure the areas around small water streams in foothills of Emilia-Romagna region, that are in high risk of flooding, experiencing an innovative method of managing and enhancing hydraulics and environment, which also protect biodiversity of water streams and perifluvial bands, enhancing the ecological network and landscape with a participated process sharing with local communities.
These are the main objectives of the LIFE RII project, promoted by the Department of Territorial Security, soil and coast, civil defence, and by the Agriculture, fishing economy, wildlife and hunting activities of the Emilia-Romagna together with the Municipalities of Albinea, Bibbiano, Quattro Castella and San Polo d'Enza, located in Reggio Emilia province, and approved by the European Commission for the experimental and innovative features that distinguish it.
"Land management is a topic of current interest: This project is experimenting with a new approach, based on the involvement of local communities and the sharing of actions to be put in place," said the Regional Councillor for Soil Protection Paola Gazzolo in his speech opening the conference, which was attended by academics and industry experts, for an important opportunity for discussion and exchange of knowledge on themes of interest, in addition to the hills of the Emilia-Romagna region, other Italian and European areas with similar characteristics.
The conference has focused on the activities carried out in a year and the objectives of the LIFE RII Project so far.
Interventions were presented in the final planning, as provided in the basins of Arianna, Bertolini, Bottazzo, Enzola, Lavezza and Quaresimo water streams, rushing with torrential character in localized areas at the boundary between the Apennines foothills and the Reggio Emilia plain, which are highly infrastructured and urbanized, and areas of high value for agriculture and fittings. Interventions that are thus of particular importance for the soil protection and for the regional economy.
To remedy the problems of the canals, with particular attention the fact that cross the urban areas partially intubated with hydraulic sections not sufficient to contain the flood waves, the planned measures were designed to retain and slow down the most of the water, collecting them in the mountain section before they reach the urban areas.
The works will be carried out with artefacts specifically designed to operate in areas of high landscape value, with natural materials, enhancing the perifluvial vegetation in respect of shapes and natural colours, so that over the years will be completely invisible and require low maintenance.
Another purpose of the Project, which will achieve the interventions mentioned above, is to improve the water quality, due to increased self-purifying capacity of the streams leading to increased water retention and enhancement of vegetation.
Conference program (
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Picture gallery (ITA)