THE ADMINISTRATION OF RIVER ECOSYSTEMS OF VALNERINA
The dedication of Legambiente Umbria in order to protect and valorise the rivers of Valnerina
In 1993 Legambiente Umbria presents to the Administration of the Province of Perugia the first project for the administration of the aquatic ecosystems of Valnerina and of river Nera in order to protect and preserve the ecosystems, to promote eco-friendly sport fishing and related activities that are compatible with the natural balance of the environment and to promote the local development for the territory of Valnerina.
Today the Area with a specific Regulation of Valnerina have 19 km of different sections that regard Nera and Corno rivers in the Province of Perugia and Terni. An integrated administrative system that has many different recognitions and that, thanks to new and eco-friendly manners, has made the sport fishing, in particular the artificial fishing, a territorial model, that produces a great economic flow through the presence of national and foreign users.
Milestones of the administration
1994 – The first eco-friendly experimental administration of central Italy of sport fishing begins: the Province of Perugia allows the project of Legambiente Umbria and during the month of February the Administration realizes the first part with a specific regulations of no kill fishing (from Borgo Cerreto since Eremita in Vallo di Nera, with a length of 5,4 km) where it’s allowed to the use of fishing with artificial bait (fly and spinning) that have a single hook without barb and the requirement of release immediately the captured fish without a damage. It’s introduced the free obligation of fishing permission in order to control the flow of fishers.
1996 – It’s instituted the first convention between Legambiente Umbria and the Province of Perugia for the administration of Nera, Corno and Sordo for a total of 70 km, with a particular attention for the area No Kill of Nera. Legambiente Nera, after the services for the costs of administration, has a grant from the administration. For this reason it’s instituted a fishing permission at a cost which incomes covers the terms of contract of the Provincial Administration to the management. The first form of management borns, that are similar to other foreign types, where it’s considered the economic payment of the same fisher, after other services produced by the Public Administration that creates generally for the administration of the rivers.
There are the activities made by Legambiente Umbria and regulated by the convention:
- support for the repopulate with material of capture derived from the Protection Area Nera and Corno;
- daily defence with Volunteer Environmental Guards, with regular contract of work and resident in Municipality of Cerreto di Spoleto and Vallo di Nera;
environmental regulation related to the idric downflow downstream to the idraulic works managed, the drains and the ecologic functionalities of the different rivers; ordinary and extraordinary interventions of maintenance (tabulation, servicing path,ecc).
1998 – The Province of Perugia gives the permission to the Department of Animal Biology and Ecology of the University of Perugia of controlling the population of Salmo trout of the area no Kill of Nera. Legambiente Nera collaborates to the al different phases of monitoring process and the followed divulgation of the results with the publication of a brochure in a paper or digital version.
The results of the monitoring process confirms that the specific administration favourites the conservation and the development of the fish fauna, restricting the impact of the water ecosystem. With this study is fortified the value of the administration with an interest for the specialized press and in particular the scientific and didactic section.
1999 – The end of the monitoring process, from which are introduced restricted measures to the fishing regulations such as the introduction of the close number divided in sections.
2000 – Realization of the intervention of recovery and valorisation of the fluvial habitat in the Nera river and the presence of three area equipped (wooden gazebo with a table, bench and poster designing) in the section of Ex Ferrovia. The project, realized with the funds “Leader II” and financed by GAL of Sibillini, permits also the setting up of the Info Point of Borgo Cerreto of the Municipality of Cerreto di Spoleto that, given to Legambiente Umbria for free, becomes an important touristic point of information and for the release of the permission of fishing for the no kill area.
Legambiente Umbria publishes “Eyes on Nera”, the informative brochure that talks about the morphologic, environmental and naturalistic and touristic characteristics of the ideographic territory of Nera. It contains information about the sport fishing and the territorial resources.
2002 – After the increase of the request of fishing for the No Kill area of Nera river and thanks to the results of the monitoring process made in 1999, the downstream section is extended from Eremita to Piedipaterno in the Municipality of Vallo di Nera.
In June the convention from Legambiente Umbria and the Province of Perugia administrates the management of Aula Verde in the Ichthyogenic Center of Borgo Cerreto. The Aula Verde is the Center of Experience for the Formation to the eco-friendly Development and the Environmental Education through the knowledge of the fluvial ecosystem and of the anthropic culture of Valnerina and promotes didactic and tourist courses.
2003 – The specific regulation of fishing is modified and introduced the closed number of 25 fishers a day and the obligatory reservation of the day of fishing, in order to contain and distribute during the week the quantity of fishing presence that is created during the end of the week with also 50 fishers a day.
Legambiente Umbria programs a series of animation activities, valorisation and territorial promotion, such as the project “The railway through the river”, that realises the publishing of a tourist guide with the description of the naturalistic, historical and creative contest and with suggested tour itinerary, the organisation of guided visit of environmental education in the Aula Verde of Borgo Cerreto with the rental of mountain bike in order to promote the light touristic viability through the old railway of Spoleto Norcia.
It’s realised a website dedicated to the administration of the fluvial ecosystems of Valnerina and to the activities of Legambiente Umbria and Legamentiente Nazionale as far as the safety of the rivers and ecosystems. A particular attention is dedicated to the fishing of no kill Nera river, with a particular interest in the regional and national aspects and indications for touristic and cultural itineraries of the territory.
It’s realized the multimedia document “Conoscere più da vicino il fiume Nera” on DVD video with details on the river ecosystem, eco-friendly sport fishing, the environmental monitoring process. The video is used as promotional and educational instrument with a distribution for the Umbria institutes and for the users of the river.
2004 – It’s instituted the area of a specific regulation of Corno river, in the confluence of Corno river in Triponzo downstream until Pompaggi in the Municipality of Cerreto of Spoleto.
Legambiente Umbria institutes a “Convention card Nera no kill” that offers to the user of Area with a specific Regulation advantaged conditions for the restauration and the vacation spot through precise agreements with the most important activities present in the territory.
In May the first edition in Valnerina of “Operazione Fiumi” starts, organized by Legambiente in the principal Italian rivers in order to focalize the problems related to the preventions and valuations of the hydrogeological risk.
In September the first edition of “Puliamo il Mondo” in Valnerina, campaign of awareness that regards the problem of abandoned wastes. This initiative is characterised by the participation of numerous volunteers, wants to pick up the abandoned wastes that are present in the rest areas of SS 209 Valnerina and the wastes on the edges of river.
2006 – The begin of “ A scuola di pesca mosca sul Nera”, a project that has seen the presence of the most important institute of national fly fishing, that wants to promote the technique of fishing in accordance with the criteria of sustainability and the respect of the natural environment. This project has made a format that today is observed by the fishing schools that organised the courses in Valnerina.
2007 – “Progetto Benthos” starts, the project of monitoring process realized with the collaboration of the scientific support of the Department of Animal Biology and Ecology of the University of Perugia and financed by the funds of GAL Sibillini, for the study of the macrobenthic fauna and in order to indicate the ecologic level and the state of fluvial functionality of Nera river. Thanks to this study all the criticality of this ecosystem and the solutions of containment are emphasized.
2008 – Legambiente Umbria promotes “ Umbria Fly Fishing Festival…un’altra pesca per un altro futuro”, an important national event that wants to spread the world of fly fishing, the most precious national territory, the activities for the management of the rivers in Valenerina, the importance of this sector, if it’s practised in a eco-friendly manner, in order to valorise the internal area and for the most important environmental and naturalistic territory. The event, that is made in Abbey of Castel San Felice in Santa Natolia di Narco, has considered the participation of 300 people and relators from different parts of the world and it’s characterized for the preparation of photographic show, exhibitions that are related to the fly fishing, thematic workshop and a conference where are presented the results of Progetto Benthos, the publishing and the video “ Fiume Nera, una vita che scorre”.
The Aula Verde of Borgo Cerreto ends the activities for the closure of the structure from the Province of Perugia.
2012 – Extention of Area with a specific Regulation of Corno river, from Nera to the barrier “Volpetti” for 2,5 km. With this additional intervention the Areas with a specific Regulation of Nera in the Province of Perugia with 9 km of river line became the specific fishing area No kill in Salmonidae waters most extended of Italy.
2015-2019 – The management is given to Fipsas at first and to Arci Pesca in a second moment.
April 2019 – Legambiente Umbria organises the management of water ecosystems and of Area with a specific Regulation No Kill of Valnerina, in Province of Perugia and Terni.
