Rarely have we received so many reports, calls, requests to “do something!” by people expressing indignation, dismay or sadness at what is seen as an attack on the lake landscape. The reason for this is the launch of the project “Construction of the Gradoli cycle path”, announced by the ordinance of July 4.

There are many questions. Is it the asphalting of the white lakeside road, or the creation of a track dedicated exclusively to cycle tourism? A further step towards the anthropisation of the shore area in the municipality of Gradoli, in line with various interventions in the past? Is there a connection with the recent cutting of shoreline vegetation, financed with COVID funds? And, above all, has the mandatory appropriate impact assessment required by the Habitats Directive been carried out? 

Too many questions, questions which could have been avoided if the Administration had observed transparent communication from the beginning of the project. In the meantime, if the “Appropriate Impact Assessment” (AIA – in Italian VINCA, Valutazione di Incidenza Ambientale) procedure has not been activated, Bleu and other associations are calling for the work to be stopped in order to avoid further irreversible damage to the protected areas of the Natura 2000 site of Lake Bolsena. 

We are available for a meeting with the Gradoli administration to justify this request. Meanwhile we will keep you updated on further developments.