In June 2019, the middle section of the Po River, also known as the Po Grande, was designated a MaB reserve by UNESCO (Man and Biosphere, a project created in 1971 to promote, on a scientific basis, a balanced relationship between man and the environment through the protection of biodiversity and good practices of sustainable development).
The project focuses on increasing the capacity and interest of the population to efficiently and sustainably manage the natural resources of their territory. This project is divided into zones called Reserves. In total there are 701 MaB Reserves, of which 19 are located in Italy.
The MaB project met the Po as early as 2013 when the Monviso area (the birthplace of the Great River) was declared a Transfrontier Reserve. Then in 2015 came the nomination of MaB Reserve also for the Po Delta (territory where the river reaches the sea).
Also in 2016 the MaB meets the Po through the nomination of Reserve of the area called Collina Po (territory contiguous to the Monviso Reserve) to arrive at 19 June 2019 when the Po Grande (territory of the middle stretch of the river starting from the province of Piacenza and extending for 250 river kilometres divided among 85 municipalities belonging to 3 regions, Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna and Veneto) is named Reserve, by the International Coordinating Council of the MaB Programme.
Each Reserve must pursue three functions
– Conservation of genetic resources, species, ecosystems and landscape,
– Sustainable socio-economic development,
– Logistical support to encourage and support research, monitoring, training and environmental education activities.
Find out more about the Po by clicking here
