THE SOCIAL AND CULTURAL DIMENSION IN THE SUSTAINABLEMANAGEMENT OF THE FOREST OF THE PHLEGRAEANAREA AND CUMAE MOUNT

1. I ntroductIon

Cumae forest is a regional site of extraordi- nary environmental value located a few kilo- metres from the city of Naples which preserves

a significant heritage of biodiversity and a wealth of history and culture that deserves to be known and enjoyed by the community. The forest is located along the Domitian coast. The geological and morphological aspects of the

– L’Italia Forestale e Montana / Italian Journal of Forest and Mountain Environments 67 (2): 173-177, 2012 © 2012 Accademia Italiana di Scienze Forestali doi: 10.4129/ifm.2012.2.04

The recreational function of forests is covered by the general declaration, signed in addition to the five resolutions adopted at the Fourth Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe (Vienna 2003).

In accordance with the provisions, the Campania Region, initiated similar activities designed to make the public forests available under its jurisdiction. The social and cultural dimension is an aspect of the sustainable management of forests (A gnoletti , 2008). In this respect the Department of Agriculture has promoted the public utilization of the Forest of the Phlegraean Area, offering numerous educational and recreational activities organized by the Technical – Administrative Sector of Naples Forests (STPF Naples) throughout the year, to enable visitors to discover and appreciate the beauty and the special aspects of the forest to the community (R egione C AmpAniA , 2009). The site of great natural and cultural value included in the Regional Park of Campi Flegrei is located a few kilometres from the city of Naples and forms a unique feature with the archaeological site of Cumae. The forest borders the dunes of the coast of Cumae, qualified by the European Union, Site of Community Importance. The restoration of the Circumflegrea suburban railway station, situated in the middle of 100 acres of the forest, strongly promoted by Naples STAPF in accordance with SEPSA, has been a strategic element of the sustainable exploitation of the natural and archaeological site for recreational purposes. Naples STAPF, aiming at realizing a model of environmental management and education, has set up a twinning arrangement with the French Natural Parks of The Camargue and des Alpilless aimed at sharing sustainable practices of protected areas management. The establishment within the station of Cumae of a multipurpose centre used as a teaching laboratory, created the optimal conditions for the cultural and scientific development of the site.

Key words: urban forestry; landscape ecology; GIS modelling.

Parole chiave: foresta urbana; ecologia del paesaggio; modellazione GIS.

Citation - c IrIllo c., A cAmporA G., r usso m., s cArpA l., A nsAnellI c., B AselIce c., G IulIAnI d., 2012 – The social and cultural dimension in the sustainable management of the Forest of the Phlegraean Area and Cumae Mount. L’Italia Forestale e Montana, 67 (2): 173-177. http://dx.doi.org/10.4129/

ifm.2012.2.04

CLELIA CIRILLO (*) (°) - GIOVANNA ACAMPORA (**) - MARINA RUSSO (**) - LUIGI SCARPA (***) CLAUDIO ANSANELLI (****) - CARMINE BASELICE (****) - DIEGO GIULIANI (*****)

THE SOCIAL AND CULTURAL DIMENSION IN THE SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF THE FOREST OF THE PHLEGRAEAN

AREA AND CUMAE MOUNT

(*) CNR, Istituto di Biologia Agroambientale e Forestale, U.O.S di Napoli,Via Pietro Castellino, 111 - 80131 Napoli;

ph. 081 560 73 28; fax 081 560 58 35; clelia.cirillo@ibaf.cnr.it

(**) CNR, Istituto di Biologia Agroambientale e Forestale, U.O.S. di Napoli.

(***) Università di Napoli Federico II, Scuola di Master di Pianificazione Urbana.

(****) Regione Campania, Assessorato Agricoltura e Foreste, STAPF di Napoli.

(*****) Parco Regionale dei Campi Flegrei.

(°) Corresponding author; clelia.cirillo@ibaf.cnr.it

site are those of the coast of Cumae which is low and sandy formed by the erosion of the tuff walls, dating back 35,000 - 10,500 years ago, arising from the primordial activity of the vol- cano of Campi Flegrei. The coast of Cumae is a site of significant environmental importance, as it extends along dune bands that give rise to an extremely rare natural habitat (m ottI et al., 2005). In order to encourage the public use of this site, the Campania Region has made possi- ble the functional adaptation and environmen- tal regeneration of the forest; the sustainable utilization of the site has been made possible by restoring the Cumae railway station on the suburban Circumflegrea railway (Fig. 1).

The restored railway building is now equipped as a multipurpose centre which, as well as performing the functions of a railway station, also lends itself to many further uses. In fact, the building includes a room for meetings, exhibitions and for the reception of visitors, an educational laboratory, a guest house to accom- modate researchers and naturalists, and prem- ises for the management of the rail service and hospitality services. The multipurpose centre and the other facilities of the forest are avail- able for the 14 bodies (associations and coop- eratives) that, in response to a regional public notice, presented about 50 theme proposals for guided tours, educational activities and school laboratories, to be carried out in the forest

(r eGIone c AmpAnIA , 2009). These facilities and the forest areas are also used for numer- ous events aimed at developing knowledge of the forest and of the archaeological heritage of the coast of Cumae which, during Spring and Summer, are held within the heart of the forest and the dune, a programme of theatrical and cultural performances, culinary events, excur- sions, lectures and meditations of different in- spiration in the woods, observations of the sky, and much more.

2. m AterIAls And methods

The whole Phlegraean area has more or less extensive forest areas, including those of the current area of Cumae Forest which once stretched over a much wider area, extending to Massico Mont. The state forest (m AzzolenI et al., 2010) is included in Zone B of the Regional Natural Park of Campi Flegrei and is included in the Site of Community Interest Foce di Li- cola (Mouth of Licola). The Park includes 12 sites of community interest and / or Special Protection Areas, plus Astroni site, managed as a State Reserve. The importance of these areas consists of the habitats, the species and the complex relationship involving them in an area of exceptional cultural and landscape interest, characterized by potentially hazard-

Figure 1 – The Forest of Cumae in the metropolitan system in the city of Naples.

ous volcanic risk and subjected to significant human pressure, in particular settlement but including tourism, in the context of a metro- politan conurbation among the most dense, conflicting and unruly in the western world. In particular, the Cumae Forest is included in the Site of Community Interest of Foce di Licola

. The site has a coastal area having the typical formation of beach and mobile dune, with typical psammophilous plants, stable dune and retro-dune and with the typical scrub and ilex vegetation as well as depressed areas with hydrophilic vegetation (m ottI et al., 2009).

The environment is very natural even though on the northern coastal slope there are numer- ous beaches, parking areas, and horse breed- ing activities. The morphology of the coast, the presence of the sea, the various commercial activities related to the sea and the coast have stimulated the pursuit of economic activities in the northern slope area, the territory of the present SIC. Unfortunately, the area is crossed, parallel to the coast, by the spillway of treated waters coming from the waste water treatment plant of Cumae. The presence in the northern part of the bathhouses with adjoining car parks have led to substantial damage of the dune and retro-dunes band where today you can find rare strips of what was the scrub and ilex expanse of vegetation. The presence of horse-breeding contributes to the destruction of the natural flora of the dune. The quantity of sand trans- ported by wind, is a continuous disturbance to wildlife and a high risk to marine life that uses the beaches to lay their eggs (marine turtles).

Over the years the strong human presence in the territory has changed the character of the original forest, which nevertheless retains the appearance of brown Mediterranean land and includes in its complex ecosystem vegetal and animal species of particular interest (m ottI et al., 2004). A study currently being completed of the avifauna and some species of amphib- ians and mammals living in the area, shows the presence of a high biodiversity. This is due to a significant occurrence, in quality and number,

1

SIC IT8030009: Foce di Licola.

of wildlife species, some of which are reported for the first time in this area. The site needs careful protection because of the peculiarities of the area, and paradoxically, through the in- creased presence of visitors. The natural area in question, with high levels of wilderness and devoid of any human settlement, is, in fact, a sort of enclave in the centre of an area with a high population density and strongly com- peting pressures which in the absence of con- trols, would result in human activities having a strong environmental impact. Attempts at illegal waste discharges of various kinds are quite common; the struggle against forest fires is constant, and the control of sports practices which, if performed on the dune, compromise the conservation of biodiversity.

The implementation of these activities, and

the presence of visitors, students, instructors,

besides discouraging the practices mentioned

above, aims at increasing the awareness of

citizens towards the issues of conservation and

protection of nature and, in some way, making

concrete the idea that the forest is for the pub-

lic good belonging to everyone and the benefits

of which can be enjoyed by everyone. In order

to enhance the understanding of the evolution

of the Phlegraean area and program its sustain-

able development, it is necessary to carry out

studies to assess the degree of biodiversity in

the region. Even in the Campi Flegrei land en-

croachment and fragmentation of agricultural

land by human activities are significant.The

sustainable development of the Phlegraean

area characterized by environmental and cul-

tural values of great interest, requires the adop-

tion in the processes of territorial planning of

policies able to slow the loss of biodiversity due

to the alteration of habitats, intensive crops, in-

vasion of alien species, loss of agricultural land,

pollution and climate changes. In this respect

also the tourist-recreational function of the

forest, which is a topic of considerable interest

for forestry research, should be assessed to es-

timate the anthropogenic impacts on habitats

and species having a conservationist interest

on the site (c IAncIo et al., 2002) Sustainable

forest management requires an integrated pro-

cess of conservation, ecological restoration and

programming of recreational activities aimed at the public; tackling environmental issues that impact negatively on land is essential to achieve the integration of human needs and the sustainability of ecosystems. Aiming at a correct understanding, the specificity of the research presented here involves the need to further probe some aspects of the methodol- ogy of the analysis of the peculiar environmen- tal conditions of the Phlegraean area and of the forest in particular. With the aim of achieving an analytical model of the Phlegraean forest to support the constitution of the inventory of forest species and the establishment of ecologi- cal corridors, a digital model was produced of the study area. The construction of the model provided for the application of a methodology appropriate for the definition and construc- tion of a GIS, information technology, makes available the integrated use of a set showing remarkably different classes and / or types of analytical data. The model gave rise to the production of thematic maps whose analytical features allow to develop and automatically interrelate the data. Later, through the use of computers and appropriate software, you will be able to apply specific models of GIS model- ling on the set of numerical data (c ArrIero et al., 1998).

3. r esults

As a result of the environmental recovery, the regional forest of Cumae was made accessible to visitors by restoring the operation of the halt on the Circumflegrea line, a suburban railway which connects the urban area with the Phlegraean forest, thus allowing the management of the social and recreational use of the site to green tourism. Naples STAPF considered that strengthening local public transport as rail mobility is the most effective way of pursuing the sustainable development of the area. The forest has a range of itineraries showing nature and history going along the paths, adequately equipped and signposted within the forest and the dunes, to explore nature and the environmental heritage.

4. d IscussIon And conclusIons

In relation to the levels of pressure and threats, it must be said that they are mitigated by the provision of protection plans and the constraints laid down in regional and provincial territorial plans. But also by the plan of hydro- geological structure and the coastal defence plan, the measures for the park safeguard, plans regulating construction and by landscape plans, etc. These standards ensure the protection of existing habitats and species, but work will be needed in the future to identify compensating actions to improve the landscape and habitat quality as a function of the improvement of the degree of protection of fauna and flora as well as of the water quality by qualified interventions aimed at improving the self-purification capac- ity. Despite this, Cumae forest, as well as being a major attraction for cultural and recreational tourism, is a site where you can carry out the multi-dimensional and multi-disciplinary inte- grated study of its many functions, taking into account the levels of biological organization, the spatial / temporal scales and the naturalness of habitats (r eGIone c AmpAnIA , 1998). An in- tegrated study conducted by experts in genet- ics, eco-physiology, ecosystems, landscape and socio-economics should be initiated. The inte- gration of the results obtained from research will allow the development of new strategies for conservation and sustainable management of forest systems, and make available a model of integrated study to be applied in other forest contexts (Fig. 2).

A cknowledGments

May we address our sincere thanks to Dr.

Enrico Brugnoli, acting Head of the Earth and Environment Department, CNR-IBAF Director, who encouraged the conservation of the Campania forests, promoting the knowledge of a regional heritage of such importance through research activity.

Further thanks go to Dr. Laura Patricia

Arena, CNR Institute of Cybernetics (Naples)

who, with her valuable collaboration, carried

out the translation of the article.

RIASSUNTO

Dimensione sociale e culturale nella gestione sostenibile della foresta dell’area flegrea e del Monte di Cuma La funzione ricreativa delle foreste è sancita dalla di- chiarazione generale sottoscritta, insieme alle cinque risoluzioni, in occasione della quarta Conferenza sulla Protezione delle Foreste in Europa (Vienna, 2003). In ac- cordo a tali disposizioni, la Regione Campania ha iniziato un’attività finalizzata a rendere sempre più accessibili al pubblico le foreste che sono sotto la propria giurisdizione.

La dimensione sociale e culturale è un aspetto importante della gestione sostenibile delle foreste (A GnolettI , 2008).

Per questa ragione il Dipartimento Agricoltura della Re- gione Campania ha promosso la fruizione pubblica della foresta dell’area flegrea, proponendo nel corso degli anni numerose attività educative e ricreative organizzate dal settore tecnico-amministrativo delle foreste di Napoli (STPF), per permettere ai visitatori di scoprire e apprez- zare le bellezze e gli aspetti speciali di questa foresta (r e -

GIone c AmpAnIA , 2009). Il sito, di grande valore culturale e naturale, è incluso nel Parco Regionale dei Campi Fle- grei, è localizzato a pochi chilometri dalla città di Napoli e forma un tutt’uno con il sito archeologico di Cuma. La foresta delimita le dune della costa di Cuma, un’area qua- lificata dall’Unione Europea come Sito di Importanza Co- munitaria. Il restauro della stazione ferroviaria suburbana Circumflegrea, situata nel mezzo dei 100 ettari della fore- sta, fortemente voluto dallo STAPF di Napoli in accordo con SEPSA, ha rappresentato un elemento strategico per l’uso sostenibile per scopi ricreativi di questo sito di inte- resse naturalistico e archeologico. Lo STAPF di Napoli, con l’obiettivo di realizzare un modello di gestione ed educazione ambientale, ha avviato anche un’attività di ge- mellaggio con il Parchi Naturali “Camargue” e “Alpilless”

(Francia) finalizzato a condividere pratiche sostenibili di gestione delle aree protette. La realizzazione all’interno della stazione di Cuma di un centro polifunzionale, utiliz-

zato come laboratorio didattico, ha creato le condizioni ottimali per lo sviluppo culturale e scientifico del sito.

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Figure 2 – The forest flora of Cumae (illustration of Marina Russo).