Monte Patalecchia: en example of good cooperation among institutions and environmental associations

The area includes the foothills of Matese in the province of Isernia characterized by river and woodland. Prior to the establishment of the Natural Reserve, the territory was subjected to some inappropriate interventions along the streams. Territory was considered marginal, not known despite of its important environmental and natural characteristics. The area was considered uninteresting by lovers of nature tourism. It was necessary to make people aware about the environmental potential, the natural values and the objectives to be achieved with the primary need of protection and safeguard, and at the same time to consider such a territory as a resource capable of inducing socio-economic development with the creation of related activities. A series of meetings with the inhabitants in order to illustrate the environmental characteristics and the need to safeguard the surrounding environment and also meetings with the municipal administration to make it clear that the establishment of the Natural Area could also create occasions of employment. As regards municipality involvement the cooperation process started with the creation of small protected areas in the municipalities currently part of the Reserve. The main beneficiaries are: 7 public administrations (Castelpetroso, Santa Maria del Molise, Pettoranello di Molise, Castelpizzuto, Isernia, Longano e Sant’Agapito), their local population, tourists, local associations and entrepreneurs