INTERREG III SPELAION LOGOS

Interreg III is a Community initiative of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) for cooperation between EU regions.
It is a Community Initiative which aims at promoting cross-border cooperation in various fields between the Italian-Slovene border areas with common problems and similar development needs.

The funding obtained for this initiative is included in:

AXIS 1 – Sustainable development of the cross-border territory

MEASURE 1.1.6 – Enhancement of protected areas

The Friulian Dolomites Natural Park has obtained funding for two separate projects:

  • Development of management and information centers in the protected territory of the Eastern Alpine areas
  • Educational-environmental project “Spelaion Logos” – Valcellina (PN)

DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT

1) PROJECT TITLE: Development of management and information centers in the protected territory of the Eastern Alpine areas

The general project proposal includes three protected areas with similar for what concerns topography, geology and naturalistic features.

In addition to the Friulian Dolomites Park, are also part of the project as a partner:

  • The Julian Prealps Natural Park located in RESIA (UD)
  • The Triglav National Park loacted in Bled (Slovenia)

TYPE OF ASSISTANCE

Interventions and planned activities define an overall program, built together between the two protected areas in the Region Friuli-Venezia Giulia and the Slovenian Triglav National Park, which has as its purpose the creation of a ” parks network” of the Eastern Alpine areas within the larger “Alpine Network of Protected Areas”.

The planned interventions are used to strengthen the integration between the existing management activities led by both the Friulian Dolomites Natural Park that the Julian Pre-Alps Park; the involvement of the Triglav National Park, through the collaborative network that will be created, will produce a great synergy especially for promotional and instructional / educational activities that the various park authorities lead.

As regards the specific project for the Friulian Dolomites Park, this will consist of the creation and activation of a Management Center (Park Headquarters) in Cimolais; in the creation and activation of a visitors center and information point on the ground floor of the building used as office, also in Cimolais; in the creation of a research laboratory with an attached guesthouse in Cimolais.

Interventions and initiatives to be introduced and carried out directly by the Friulian Dolomites Natural Park can be briefly summarized as:

  • Structural and organizational setup (including outfittings) of the Friulian Dolomites Natural Park Headquarters, construction of a visitors center and an information point.

The project consists in the renovation of a building of historical and architectural value (former Cimolais primary schools) to achieve the operational headquarters of the Park Institution and obtain the construction of a visitors center that will be networked with the Triglav Park and the Park of the Julian Alps.

The ground floor will house the Visitors Center, with spaces dedicated to information office and relationship with the public; on the first floor, the offices will be made for the administration and management of the Park; the second floor will be a meeting room placed in a orthogonal position to the development of the building.

The Visitors Center will have displays, themed and illustrative furnishings all aimed at providing sensations and information to users, including through the use of modern information technology.

Centro visite di Cimolais

Visitors Center of Cimolais (UD)

  • Realizzazione di un laboratorio di ricerca e di una struttura destinata alla ricettività.

The project involves the restoration and renovation of a building (former “Mugolio” of Cimolais) and allocated to scientific laboratory and guesthouses.

The construction project will have on the ground floor a few rooms dedicated to warehouse, garage and workshop; on the first floor will be rooms for study and research, a small room for meetings and educational activities, a scientific research laboratory, equipped with all necessary equipment and adequate computer station; the second floor will be converted into a small guesthouse to accommodate students engaged in territory-related research and studies (fauna, botanical, geological, ethnographic and social fields).

  • Study, promotion and spread, research phase.

It aims to achieve an overall educational / communicative project involving the three protected areas concerned that can be proposed as well as a program suitable to any kind of protected area. This phase of research and study will also include the creation of technological medias to be alwayes connected with the other Parks of the Eastern Alpine area.

The communicative, didactic and promotional aspect is the main objective of this project phase: it is planned the construction of teaching support means of all kinds, CD- ROMs, posters, materials and equipment needed to spread and promote the naturalistic peculiarities of the Park. The promotional aspect in particular, will see the three involved Protected Areas engaged in joint initiatives aimed at promoting the special features of protected areas of the Eastern Alps, in order to support and boost the local tourism economy.

Timing: The project was started in 2003 and will be completed in 2006.

Financing: the project total amount is equal to € 2,760,000.00 for what concerns the headquarters of the Park and promotional initiatives and to € 560,000.00 with respect to the research laboratory and the guesthouse. The Community contribution covers 79% while the remaining 21% was financed with Institution’s own funds.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT

1) PROJECT TITLE: Educational-environmental project “Spelaion Logos” – Valcellina (PN)

The planned interventions program is part of an integrated project – “Spelaion Logos” – aimed at enhancing the Karst cave environments located in protected and high naturalistic areas, included in the Natura 2000 network (Sites of Community Importance ), of the Eastern Alpine mountain range. The project involves both renovation and environmental improvement interventions (creation of thematic paths, construction of infrastructure work to improve the availability of high-value landscape areas), and educational / cultural initiatives such as educational exhibitions, seminars and conferences, artwork / advertising material).

In addition to the Friulian Dolomites Natural Park, are part of the project as a partner:

– Municipality of Nimis (UD)

– Natural Park of the Julian Pre-Alps of Resia (UD)

– Municipality of Andreis (PN)

– Municipality of Barcis (PN)

– Montereale Valcellina (PN)

– Speleological Union Pordenone C.A.I.

– Triglav National Park of Bled (Slovenia)

– JAMARSKA ZVEVA SLOVENIJE (Unione Speleologica Slovena) di LJUBLJANA

The interventions are mainly focused to enhance the Natural Reserve of the Cellina Gorge and the area, defined a Site of Community Importance (SCI) of the Vigant and Pre Oreak Caves in Nimis.

The Natural Reserve of the Cellina Gorge, managed by the L.R. 42/1996 Friulian Dolomites Park Institution, is an environment characterized by a “canyon” with high naturalistic features, the passage of the stream Cellina and the presence of karst caves of the “Old Dam”: the area is included in the municipalities of Andreis, Barcis and Montereale in the Province of Pordenone.

The abyss Vigant and the cave Pre Oreak, in the Municipality of Nimis (Udine), are karst caves and are recognized as Site of Community Importance (SCI). These areas are particularly impressive from the morphological point of view, formed after selective water erosion and the Karst phenomenon.

Overall, the project targets are the restoration, adaptation and improvement of the routes linked to the karst caves of the pre-alpine area, and also the setting up and subsequent management of support facilities designed to host educational activities and cultural events, also aimed at increasing the tourist offer of these marginal pre-alpine territories.

TYPE OF ASSISTANCE

Interventions and initiatives to be introduced and carried out directly by the Friulian Dolomites Natural Park and that will cover the Natural Reserve of the Cellina Gorge and in particular the Caves of the “Old Dam”, can be briefly summarized as follows:

  • Studio, progettazione e realizzazione di un sentiero carsico didattico/naturalistico a basso impatto ambientale, che mediante:

– Restructuring and upgrading of the road system maintenance;
– Positioning of descriptive panels;
– Preparation of illustrative brochures;
– Creation of materials for educational activities;
– Realization of audio guides;
– Preparation of observation points;
– Construction of parking areas and reception;

  • Study, design and construction of a didactic-naturalistic multi-purpose center in an already existing structure;
  • Acquisizione di attrezzature hardware e software necessarie e loro utilizzazione ai fini promozionali; realizzazione di una rete multimediale finalizzata all’interscambio culturale, tecnico, scientifico e didattico fra i partners del progetto; predisposizione di materiale divulgativo con finalità didattiche: depliant, poster, dispense, cd-rom, filmati, ecc.;
  • Realization of cultural events and activities such as courses, conferences, environmental weeks, exhibitions, indispensable to consolidate and expand the project itself and its reasons;
  • Identification, development and promotion of an Italian-Slovenian path aimed at enhancing the natural areas involved through experiences regarding the underground and surface karst environment: creation of promotional- illustrative material of the path;
  • Encourage the Italian-Slovenian partnership in naturalistic observation, scientific research and teaching methods fields through:

– The creation of “research stations” on particular karst phenomena;
– The creation of “educational workshops” in the caves of hiking use;
– The preparation of “educational operators” in charge of the initiatives mentioned in the project management.

Timing: The project was started in 2003 and will be completed in 2006.

Financing: the project total amount is equal to € 2,760,000.00 for what concerns the headquarters of the Park and promotional initiatives and to € 560,000.00 with respect to the research laboratory and the guesthouse. The Community contribution covers 79% while the remaining 21% was financed with Institution’s own funds.