Wildlife

Wilderness and hunting

Wilderness and hunting – lessons learned in Italy! Analysis worked out by Kevin Cianfaglione and Antonella Giordanelli.

Wilderness and hunting: two difficult and controversial issues. Many opinions, many arguments pro and con and a lot of experience among team of people cooperating with European Wilderness Society.

Hunting is a very complex issue in Wilderness conservation! In Scandinavia hunting is part of every man’s right also inside strictly protected areas. In U.S. hunting is not allowed in Wilderness areas but in Alaska hunting is part of the traditional way of  life for local people and so, with few exceptions, hunting is in Wilderness areas accepted. In central Europe hunting is usually not allowed in small (several hundreds hectares) strictly protected areas.

Is hunting always in conflict with the Wilderness?

But is hunting always in conflict with the Wilderness? Are conservation policies implemented especially towards the protection of species always in favour of biodiversity? In that way, what are the meanings of landscape and natural resources management?

These are question burning in the minds of many people in Europe. Answers can vary from country to country, due to local landscape, history and culture features. For example, Italy is well known for a history of the intensive natural resources use but also for the large network of protected areas and strong conservation battles in favour of the biodiversity.

Let’s have a look at hunting in Italy with the help of Kevin Cianfaglione, long-term partner of European Wilderness Society

Let’s have a look at these aspects of Italian life with the help of Kevin Cianfaglione, long-term partner of European Wilderness Society and investigator in ecology and territorial planning, from the Université de Bretagne Occidentale, and Antonella Giordanelli, “Salviamo la Forestale” campaign coordinator, Italy.

They are trying to analyze challenges, opinions, implications and perspective of hunters and conservationists, as much as possible in neutral way. Looking at how they can both influence Wilderness policies, trying to look at the real life, which normally does not match with the ideologies. They also highlight how decentralisation of the administration and government is causing a huge increase in hunting of almost any animal even in strictly protected areas.

 

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