On Tuesday, December 11th a conference was held at the headquarters of the Province of Viterbo to present the Contract of Lake Bolsena, the River Marta and the Tyrrhenian coast of Tarquinia. This agreement between public and private bodies, citizen associations and other parties of the territory represents a voluntary instrument for the sustainable management of water resources and for the enhancement of the territories of the entire basin of the river Marta.
As pointed out by Pietro Nocchi, President of the Province, and Luciano Dottarelli, President of the UNESCO Club of Viterbo & Tuscia (co-ordinator of the Contract Initiating Committee), the meeting marks the beginning of a process of territorial planning from grassroots level upwards, of common and shared awareness, where citizens and local administrations take responsibility for the environment and contribute to the sustainable development of the area.
The meeting was attended by representatives of active citizenship, local authorities, trade associations, the Province and the Lazio Region.
Regional Councillor Silvia Blasi noted, from an institutional point of view, the importance of the Contract in protecting the waters of the lake. She also expressed her full confidence that the territory of Lake Bolsena has the ability and commitment to activate and implement the Contract, thanks to the wide environmental culture developed by its active citizenship.
Cristiana Avenali, Manager of the Small Municipalities and River Contracts Office set up recently by the Lazio Region, outlined the next steps. After a phase of analysing problems, a strategic program will be developed and from this an action plan will be derived, which will be the core of the final Contract. This could be signed in the next few years, ready to be included in the new phase of European development which will begin in 2021. For Avenali, one of the main purposes of the Contract is to bring together all the players in the territory, to create awareness and synergies.
Fabio Caporali, formerly Professor of Ecology at the University of Tuscia, pointed out the importance of the Contract for the rivers and the lake. Since water affects all sectors of life and activities in the area and since it is in turn influenced by all human activities, the Contract – says the professor – is an essential framework for the sustainable management of all these sectors, from the management of the water body and extending to agriculture, commerce, tourism and education.
For the text of the Manifest of Intent of the Contract (Manifesto d’Intenti del Contratto del Lago di Bolsena, del fiume Marta e della Costa tirrenica antistante Tarquinia), click here.
