Northern Grigna Regional Park

Italiano

The Northern Grigna Regional Park (in Italian, Parco regionale della Grigna Settentrionale) is a mountain regional park established with Regional Law 2 March 2005, n. 11 (Legge Regionale 2 marzo 2005, n. 11). The management of the park is entrusted to Valsassina, Valvarrone, Val d'Esino and Riviera Mountain Community body. Therefore, the seat of the park coincides with that of the mountain community, located in Via Fornace Merlo, 2 in Barzio (LC), CAP 23816, tel. 0341-910144. The director of the park is Giulia Verano. A service to protect the park is carried out by the Voluntary Ecological Guards (GEV) of the Mountain Community. The park's website is www.parcogrigna.it.[^]

In Lombardy, between Lario, Val d'Esino and Valsassina, a few steps from the western summits of Orobie, the Regional Park of Northern Grigna covers a territory of over 5,000 hectares (5541,46) around Grigne massif, one of the most famous mountain groups of the region, formed by the Southern Grigna or Grignetta, and Northern Grigna or Grignone. The wonderful calcareous rock with its particular formations forms the setting of a world that has remained unchanged over the centuries, the result of a balanced combination between natural resources and human presence, forests and pastures, imposing mountains and malghe, mountain huts, trails for hiking and trails for mountaineering.[^]
The protected area, classified as mountain, extends almost entirely above 500 meters above sea level, including the Municipality of Esino Lario and part of those of Cortenova, Parlasco, Pasturo, Perledo, Primaluna, Taceno and Varenna.[^][^] Above the village of Pasturo, the border of the Park runs at about 900 meters above sea level. At high altitude, the border is the ridge between Grignetta and Grignone, to continue towards Cima di Piancaforma, Monte Pilastro and Monte Croce.

2070 hectares of the Northern Grigna Park, equal to about 37% of its surface, are a protected area of the Natura 2000 network, in two Sites of Community Importance, Site of Community Importance IT2030001 "Northern Grigna" and Site of Community Importance IT2030002 "Grigna Meridionale", and one Special Protection Area, Special Protection Area IT2030601 "Grigne".[^][^]

Regional Law 2 March 2005, n. 11. Establishment of the Northern Grigna Regional Park

THE REGIONAL COUNCIL Has approved
THE PRESIDENT OF THE REGIONAL COUNCIL Promulgates the following regional law:
Art. 1 Establishment of the Northern Grigna Regional Park[^]

1. Pursuant to Art. 16-bis of the regional law 30 November 1983, n. 86 (general plan of protected regional areas. Rules for the establishment and management of reserves, parks and natural monuments as well as areas of particular natural and environmental significance)[^] and subsequent amendments and additions, is established the Northern Grigna Regional Park, hereinafter referred to as the park.
2. The park is classified, pursuant to Art. 16, paragraph 1 letter b, of the regional law n. 86/1983, as a mountain park.[^]

In parcogrigna.it, the Institution's Ente page begins: "PARCO REGIONALE GRIGNA SETTENTRIONALE was established with legge n. 11 del 2 marzo 2005".[^] Note the name in all capitals and the lack of the proposition della (of) respect to the text of the law cited. This is the name that also appears in the park logo.

Regional Law 16 July 2007, n. 16 and Regional Law 4 August 2011, n. 12

Following the promulgation of the Regional Law of 2 March 2005, n. 11, the Lombardy Region approves two laws:

1. Regional Law 16 July 2007, n. 16. Consolidated text of regional laws on the establishment of parks.
2. Regional Law 4 August 2011, n. 12. New organization of the managing bodies of the protected regional areas and modifications to the regional laws 30 November 1983, n. 86 (General plan of protected regional areas. Rules for the establishment and management of reserves, parks and natural monuments, as well as areas of particular natural and environmental significance) and 16 July 2007, n. 16 (Consolidated text of regional laws on the establishment of parks)

The Legge Regionale 4 agosto 2011, n. 12 is the one currently in force.[^]

Regional Law 16 July 2007, n. 16, Art. 1 (Subject): This consolidated text, drawn up in accordance with the regional law of 9 March 2006, n. 7 (Reorganization and simplification of regional legislation through consolidated texts), brings together the provisions of regional law on the subject of the establishment of regional and natural parks in Lombardy.[^]
Chapter XXII concerns the Northern Grigna Park. In section I Forecast and regulation of the Northern Grigna Park, there are 7 articles. In the database of the regional laws of the Lombardy Region, the articles are updated according to the amendments of the subsequent law:

• Article 186 (Classification of the Northern Grigna regional park)[^]
• Article 187 (Purpose of the park)[^]
• Article 188 (Park boundaries)[^]
• Article 189 (Park management body)[^]
• Article 190 (Planning tools)[^][^]
• Article 191 (Sites of Community Importance)[^]
• Article 192[^]

In the 2007 law, article 189, the management of the park is entrusted to a consortium between the Mountain Community Valsassina - Valvarrone - Val d'Esino and Riviera and the Municipalities of Cortenova, Esino Lario, Parlasco, Pasturo, Perledo, Primaluna, Taceno, Varenna.[^] The 2011 law rewrites article 189: 1. The management of the park is entrusted to the Valsassina - Valvarrone - Val d'Esino and Riviera mountain community. Article 192 (transitional provisions) is abolished.[^]

Park logo

The background of the park logo is made up of a green lawn at the bottom, where in white on three lines there is the writing in all capital letters Parco Regionale Grigna Settentrionale, Grigna is in the middle and bigger. Above the green color, the white-grey with which the Grignone is drawn, the top is only white. Above, the blue sky. From the meadow, purple flowers with five petals emerge, one of which is in the foreground, which have a single green stem, with four basal leaves in opposite directions, the ones in front and behind a lighter green than the other two. The flower represented is the Glaucescent Primrose (Primula glaucescens), also known as Lombardy Primula.[^] In the middle, where there is the background of the mountain, a large shell stands out because the Northern Grigna was below sea level 245 million years ago and numerous fossils have been found in the limestone rocks.[^]

Grignone as a regional mountain park

We simply say "go to Grigna" but Grigna is not a peak, Grigna is a world, said the great mountaineer Riccardo Cassin. Above Pasturo, there are no houses, buildings, only scattered mountain huts that do not form an urban agglomeration. There is no traffic, there are no cable cars and cableways, nor ski lifts. Cows graze on fertile grassy meadows, as do flocks of sheep, some working for livestock. You meet people walking, some go to the top, others reach the hut with their own vehicle. This world made of people, animals and architecture in precious nature has developed over the past centuries and preserved in the twentieth century. It is right to preserve it with a park. Almost 20 years after the establishment of the regional mountain park, dear Grignone is still like this. This is good.

Northern Grigna is one of the two mountains of the Grigne Group. The Northern Grigna Regional Park extends over an area that is only a part of the mountain, the western slope which is located in the municipality of Mandello del Lario, an area of high naturalistic value, is excluded. How many of the numerous people who frequent the Grignone are aware of being inside a park with this name? And how could they? Maybe they should understand it from the park logo that is on the signposts and the educational panels scattered along the paths? You enter and leave the Grigna Park established in 2005 without noticing it because article 188, Park boundaries, paragraph 2 is disregarded: The boundaries of the park are indicated, pursuant to article 32 of the regional law 86/12983, by the managing body referred to in article 189, by appropriate signs. The Openstreetmap site was able to outline the boundary of the Parco Regionale della Grigna Settentrionale on its digital map;[^] another website on the Openstreetmap map added the boundary of the three Rete Natura 2000 Sites.[^]

The state of the trails and signs of Grignone, and Grigne, have worsened with the establishment of the park. Until then it was in charge of the Club Alpino Italiano. The paths of the Parco della Grigna are as they can be after years without maintenance and care, that is, uneven ground. Or, the hiker walks on the Grignone on the Pasturo side for longer and longer on the concrete, because the old mule tracks were inconvenient for motorbikes and cars, so much so that he chose a running shoe rather than a trail-running one. The main road that climbs from Pasturo to Pialeral is a concrete strip built and fixed by the frontists with collections and who knows what authorizations from the Comunità Montana or the Municipality of Pasturo. It is not uncommon to see trial bikes wheeling at great speed on paths where it is forbidden to ride. The Territorial Coordination Plan (acronym PTC), the fundamental tool through which the objectives, guidelines and rules that are in force in the territory of a protected area are dictated, if it is ever drawn up, does not take into account the material that is suitable for the bottom of roads and paths.
The signage is poor and unidirectional, the Valsassina, Valvarrone, Val d'Esino and Riviera Mountain Community are known only for indications for bikes and educational panels. The latter have the advantage of informing about some characteristics of the mountain, but the rigid structure in recycled plastic with a wood effect is not very aesthetic. The protected area signs are increasingly rare, those of the two Sites of Community Interest are non-existent. I have no experience and expertise in flora and fauna, which I admire and intrigue me, geology and fossils. I enjoy a few hours in the open air going up and down the Grignone, which is in my heart, a unique and inimitable natural environment. So I would like hikers, mountaineers, cyclists who share my same passion and effort to be valued among the human values of a mountain park.

References

1. "Parco Grigna". parcogrigna.it. (in Italian). Retrieved 24 August 2023.
2. "Colors, Perfumes, and Tastes of a World Unchanged over the Centuries...". In Parco Regionale della Grigna Settentrionale. Parks.it. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
3. "Points of Interest". In Parco Regionale della Grigna Settentrionale. Parks.it. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
4. "Northern Grigna Regional Park". Lake Como tourism. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
5. "La Rete Natura 2000". (in Italian). In Rete Natura. Parco Grigna. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
6. "Parco Regionale della Grigna Settentrionale". Archivio Digitale Pietro Pensa e Centro di documentazione e informazione dell'Ecomuseo delle Grigne [Pietro Pensa Digital Archive and Documentation and Information Center of the Grigne Ecomuseum]. (in Italian). pietro.pensa.it. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
7. "Legge Regionale 2 marzo 2005, n. 11 [Regional Law 2 March 2005, n. 11]". (in Italian). Gazzetta Ufficiale. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
8. "LEGGE REGIONALE 30 novembre 1983 , N. 86 [REGIONAL LAW 30 November 1983, No. 86]". (in Italian). Banca dati delle leggi regionali. Regione Lombardia. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
9. "Art. 16. Classificazione dei parchi regionali [Art. 16. Classification of regional parks]". (in Italian). Banca dati delle leggi regionali. Regione Lombardia. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
10. "Istituzione [Institution]". (in Italian). In L'Ente. Parco Grigna. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
11. "Legge Regionale 4 agosto 2011 , n. 12 [Regional Law 4 August 2011, n. 12]". (in Italian). Banca dati delle leggi regionali. Regione Lombardia. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
12. "Legge Regionale 16 luglio 2007, n. 16 [Regional Law 16 July 2007, n. 16]". (in Italian). Banca dati delle leggi regionali. Regione Lombardia. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
13. "Art. 186 (Classificazione del parco regionale della Grigna Settentrionale) [Art. 186 (Classification of the Northern Grigna regional park)]". Banca dati delle leggi regionali. Regione Lombardia. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
14. "Art. 187 (Finalità del parco) [Article 187 (Purpose of the park)]". (in Italian). Banca dati delle leggi regionali. Regione Lombardia. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
15. "Art. 188 (Confini del parco) [Article 188 (Park boundaries)]". (in Italian). Banca dati delle leggi regionali. Regione Lombardia. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
16. "Art. 189 (Ente di gestione del parco) [Article 189 (Park management body)]". (in Italian). Banca dati delle leggi regionali. Regione Lombardia. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
17. "Art. 190 (Strumenti di pianificazione) [Article 190 (Planning tools)]". (in Italian). Banca dati delle leggi regionali. Regione Lombardia. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
18. "Piano Territoriale di coordinamento del Parco Regionale della Grigna Settentrionale". Parco Grigna. (in Italian). Retrieved 24 August 2023.
19. "Art. 191 (Siti di importanza comunitaria) [Article 191 (Sites of Community Importance)]". (in Italian). Banca dati delle leggi regionali. Regione Lombardia. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
20. "Art. 192 [Article 192]". (in Italian). Banca dati delle leggi regionali. Regione Lombardia. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
21. "Articolo 189 - Ente di gestione del parco [Article 189 - Park management body]". (in Italian). In Normatìva. Legge Regionale Lombardia 16/7/2007 n. 16. Edil Tecnico. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
22. "Articolo 192 - Norme transitorie [Article 192 - Transitional provisions]". (in Italian). In Normatìva. Legge Regionale Lombardia 16/7/2007 n. 16. Edil Tecnico. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
23. "La Flora [The Flora]". (in Italian). In La Vegetazione e la Flora. In Il Territorio. Parco Grigna. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
24. "I Fossili delle Grigne [The Fossils of the Grigne]". (in Italian). In La Geologia. In Il Territorio. Parco Grigna. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
25. "map=15/45.9506/9.4394". OpenStreetMap. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
26. " WebGis Parco regionale Grigna settentrionale". Studio Soster. Retrieved 24 August 2023.