Context
It is not easy to describe the complexity of a place with a few words and a few pictures. However, here we try.
Please, think of this page as a synthetic background of the River that inspired this website, a short self-introduction to the world wide web!
Even this page, as is the whole website, is open to updates and new input from whomever wants to contribute.
Please, think of this page as a synthetic background of the River that inspired this website, a short self-introduction to the world wide web!
Even this page, as is the whole website, is open to updates and new input from whomever wants to contribute.
The framework of the story is Sicily (the largest mediterrenean island: 9,927 sq mi, about 5 million people living there), where the Simeto River flows for 70 mi with a watershed of 1614 sq mi, the widest watershed on the island.
The River waters three Provinces (Messina, Enna and Catania) and collects rainfall from the Mountain Chain of Nebrodi (North), the Mountain Chain of Erei (West), and from the Mount Etna, the tallest active volcano in Europe (East).
Although the land is strongly regulated by laws and by planning procedures, these traditional devices do not apply to the reality, and degradation is spread all over the watershed.
This is a very unique landscape, with rare elements of geomorphology, rare flora and fauna, distinct historical and cultural heritage places, a peculiar and ancient farming system with different high quality crops; but, in the same landscape, there are a lot water quantity/quality issues, related to illegal pumping from the aquifer, bad constructed and demeaning hydraulic structures, bad working depuration plants, point and non-point sources of pollution, illegal dumping ground, and derelict lands. Furthermore, as at the wide national scale and as well as at the south-european scale, high levels of unemployment or irregular employment worsen the situation. Also, unclear conditions for immigrant workers have to be taken into account.
This is a very unique landscape, with rare elements of geomorphology, rare flora and fauna, distinct historical and cultural heritage places, a peculiar and ancient farming system with different high quality crops; but, in the same landscape, there are a lot water quantity/quality issues, related to illegal pumping from the aquifer, bad constructed and demeaning hydraulic structures, bad working depuration plants, point and non-point sources of pollution, illegal dumping ground, and derelict lands. Furthermore, as at the wide national scale and as well as at the south-european scale, high levels of unemployment or irregular employment worsen the situation. Also, unclear conditions for immigrant workers have to be taken into account.
Different Institutions aimed at Regional Planning (like the Regional Government, Provinces, Municipalities, Environmental and Heritage Agencies, the Civil Engeneering Department, Water Authorities) do not often dialogue about practical solutions to improve life quality into the watershed; they enact Plans and Programs that are not related to reality, and rarely they implement public involvement and participation to the decision-making process, even if it is mandatory according to the Aarhus Convention ando to the European Directive 2001/42/EEC SEA.
In general, it is due to say that a clear vision for the future of the Simeto River do not exist.
In general, it is due to say that a clear vision for the future of the Simeto River do not exist.
The great Simeto treasure is its community, though! The treasure is made by inhabitants committed in revitalizing it, and willing to work together for a sustainable present and a sustainable future, through enhancing the natural and cultural heritage.
Many of them said NO! to the Waste Management Plan by a former Sicilian Governor, Salvatore Cuffaro in 2002. Salvatore Cuffaro is the one who was condamned some years later for aiding and abetting organized crime; that plan wanted a big incinerator into a Special Area of Conservation . Their NO! is not related to the NIMBY syndrome, but it is an opportunity to say YES! to an alternative global vision implemented at the local level: it is a YES! to sustainable management of the commons.
Here it is the question: What does sustainable management of the commons mean?
The story starts from here.
Many of them said NO! to the Waste Management Plan by a former Sicilian Governor, Salvatore Cuffaro in 2002. Salvatore Cuffaro is the one who was condamned some years later for aiding and abetting organized crime; that plan wanted a big incinerator into a Special Area of Conservation . Their NO! is not related to the NIMBY syndrome, but it is an opportunity to say YES! to an alternative global vision implemented at the local level: it is a YES! to sustainable management of the commons.
Here it is the question: What does sustainable management of the commons mean?
The story starts from here.
SIMETOPAR by Simeto Partnership is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribuzione - Non commerciale - Condividi allo stesso modo 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at http://www.simetopar.org/.
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