TERRESTRIAL PROTECTED AREAS

    Descrizione 1
    Update date
    Authors

    Susanna D'Antoni, Stefania Ercole, Luisa Nazzini, Silvia Properzi

    Abstract
    Immagine
    Abstract

    In Italy, as of today, 843 terrestrial protected areas (including those with a marine component) have been established, covering a total protected surface of over 3 million hectares, which corresponds to approximately 10.5% of the national terrestrial area. Analyzing the historical series (1922-2019), it is possible to observe, especially from the mid-1970s onward, a positive trend in terms of both the number and surface area of terrestrial protected natural areas. However, since 2008-2009, there has been a certain stabilization in the growth trends.

    Description

    This is a response indicator that considers the land surface of protected areas established within the Italian territory. For each region, the protected surface has been calculated and categorized according to the types identified in the VI update of the Official List of Protected Areas (EUAP, 2010). The percentage of protected land is provided in relation to both the regional surface area and the total national protected surface. The indicator reports EUAP data (latest available update from 2010), integrated with data on two newly established terrestrial protected areas: the Tresero-Dosso del Vallon State Nature Reserve (2010) and the Pantelleria Island National Park (2016).

    Purpose

    To assess the current level and temporal trend of terrestrial environment protection across the national territory, based on data on protected areas established through national or subnational laws and regulations.

    Rilevanza
    It has a national scope or is applicable to environmental issues at the regional level but of national significance.
    It is simple, easy to interpret.
    Provides a representative picture of environmental conditions, pressures on the environment.
    Provides a basis for international comparisons.
    Measurability
    Adequately documented and from a known source.
    Easily available or made available at a reasonable cost/benefit ratio.
    An 'adequate' spatial coverage.
    An 'appropriate' temporal coverage.
    Solidity
    It presents reliability and trustworthiness of the measurement and data collection methods
    Comparability over time
    Comparability in space
    Main regulatory references and objectives

    L 394/91 (Framework Law on Protected Areas)
    EUAP, VI update (Ministerial Decree 27.04.2010, Official Gazette No. 125 of 31.05.2010)
    Ministerial Decree 02/12/2010 (Establishment of the State Nature Reserve “Tresero-Dosso del Vallon”)
    Presidential Decree 28/07/2016 (Establishment of the National Park “Isola di Pantelleria” and the National Park Authority “Isola di Pantelleria”)

    Terrestrial protected areas, as defined by the Framework Law on Protected Areas (L. 394/91 and subsequent amendments), are established to ensure and promote the conservation and enhancement of the natural heritage within the national territory. With the creation of protected areas, which are subject to different protection regimes depending on their category, the legislator aims to foster the application of management and environmental restoration methods suitable for ensuring the integration between humans and the natural environment, in order to reduce biodiversity loss.

    DPSIR
    Response
    Indicator type
    Descriptive (A)
    Bibliographic references

    EUAP List, VI agg. (DM 27.04.2010 GU n. 125 del 31.05.2010)

    Limitations

    The indicator provides only quantitative information, without assessing the implementation status, the effectiveness of protection, or the environmental conditions of the protected areas.

    Further actions

    -

    Data collection frequency
    Yearly
    Fonte dei dati
    MATTM (Ministero dell'Ambiente e della Tutela del Territorio e del Mare)
    Data availabilty

    Consultation of the Official List of Protected Areas (EUAP) published in the Official Journal
    Consultation of the Common Database on Designated Areas (CDDA) published on the website of the European Environment Agency

    Spatial coverage

    National, Regional (20/20)

    Time coverage

    1922-2019

    Processing methodology

    The data were organized into tables and graphically processed using Excel.

    Qualità dell'informazione

    The accuracy of the data is high in terms of source reliability, spatial coverage, and validation, as it is directly derived from the legally designated body responsible for the approval and publication of the Official List (MATTM).

    State
    Good
    Trend
    Positive
    Rating evaluation/description

    The status is considered positive as the protected terrestrial area in Italy exceeds 3 million hectares, covering approximately 10.5% of the national territory, aligning with the objectives set by the CBD (Rio Convention, 1992).

    Trend evaluation/description

    The trend of the phenomenon can be considered positive when analyzing the historical series, which shows a consistently increasing pattern in both the number and surface area of terrestrial protected areas starting from the mid-1970s. However, over the last decade, a certain stabilization has been observed. Compared to the latest EUAP update (2010), there has been a slight increase of 0.03% in the terrestrial area under protection, resulting from the establishment of a new National Park and a new State Nature Reserve.

    Comments

    The indicator presents data updated to 2019, based on the EUAP 2010 data and two terrestrial protected areas established afterward: the State Nature Reserve "Tresero-Dosso del Vallon" in 2010 and the National Park "Isola di Pantelleria" in 2016.

    Currently, Italy has established 843 Terrestrial Protected Areas and Terrestrial Areas with a marine component (for Marine Protected Areas, see the relevant indicator), including 25 National Parks, 148 State Nature Reserves, 134 Regional Natural Parks, 365 Regional Nature Reserves, and 171 other Protected Areas with various classifications and designations.

    The protected terrestrial area covers over 3 million hectares, equivalent to 10.5% of the national terrestrial surface. It is primarily composed of National Parks (46.4%) and Regional Natural Parks (40.8%) (Table 2). The regions contributing most to the national total are Campania (350,204 hectares - 11.0% of the national total) and Abruzzo (305,051 hectares - 9.6%) (Tables 1 and 2). The regions that have protected the highest percentage of their own territory are Abruzzo (28.2%) and Campania (25.6%), followed by the Autonomous Province of Bolzano (24.4%) (Figure 1).

    At the regional level, National and Regional Natural Parks are generally the most represented categories (Figure 2), though in some cases, other classifications constitute a significant part of the protected surface. In particular, State Nature Reserves account for 20.9% of Veneto’s protected area; Regional Nature Reserves represent 30.7%, 23.1%, and 20.1% of the protected area in Sicily, Tuscany, and Lazio, respectively; and Other Regional Protected Natural Areas make up 30.2% of the protected area in Molise. However, Molise currently has the lowest values in terms of both protected surface area and the percentage of regional territory under protection (1.7%) compared to other regions (Table 2 and Figure 1), according to the provisions of Law 394/91 and subsequent amendments.

    The number of protected areas has shown a consistently positive trend since the mid-1970s (Figure 4), reaching 840 protected natural areas in 2008 before stabilizing after the establishment of three additional areas.

    In terms of surface area, the most significant positive trend started in the mid-1980s, surpassing 3 million hectares in 2004, while a stabilization has been observed since 2008-2009 (Figure 4).

    The analysis of the annual variation in cumulative surface area by protected area type (Figure 3) shows that the general trend has been driven mainly by Regional Natural Parks since the mid-1970s, coinciding with the beginning of institutional activities at the regional level, and by National Parks since the 1990s, following the significant boost provided by the Framework Law on Protected Areas (Law 394/91).

    Data
    Headline

    Tabella 1 - Superficie terrestre delle aree protette suddivisa per regione e tipologia (agg. 2019)

    Data source

    MATTM

    Data legend

    I dati di origine della tabella sono arrotondati all'ettaro

    Headline

    Tabella 2: Distribuzione percentuale delle aree protette terrestri per regione e tipologia (2019)

    Data source

    Elaborazione ISPRA su dati MATTM

    Thumbnail
    Headline

    Figura 1: Superficie terrestre delle aree protette per regione/provincia autonoma e percentuale di territorio regionale tutelato (2019)

    Data source

    Elaborazione ISPRA su dati del Ministero dell'ambiente e della tutela del territorio e del mare: EUAP, VI aggiornamento (2010) e successive leggi e provvedimenti nazionali o subnazionali istitutivi di AA.PP.

    Thumbnail
    Headline

    Figura 2: Distribuzione percentuale delle tipologie di aree protette terrestri per regione/provincia autonoma (2019)

    Data source

    Elaborazione ISPRA su dati del Ministero dell'ambiente e della tutela del territorio e del mare: EUAP, VI aggiornamento (2010) e successive leggi e provvedimenti nazionali o subnazionali istitutivi di AA.PP.

    Thumbnail
    Headline

    Figura 3: Variazione annuale della superficie cumulata delle aree protette terrestri per tipologia

    Data source

    Elaborazione ISPRA su dati del Ministero dell'ambiente e della tutela del territorio e del mare: EUAP, VI aggiornamento (2010) e successive leggi e provvedimenti nazionali o subnazionali istitutivi di AA.PP.

    Note

    Come anno di istituzione è stato considerato quello della normativa in cui l'area protetta viene citata per la prima volta. Il PN della Calabria è stato ricompreso in quello della Sila nel 2002, pertanto a partire da tale data la sua superficie è stata sottratta dal totale dei PN. Delle seguenti aree protette è stata considerata solo la superficie a terra: PN Arcipelago Toscano, PN Arcipelago La Maddalena, RNR Valle Cavanata, RNR Foce Isonzo, RNR Falesie di Duino.

    Thumbnail
    Headline

    Figura 4 - Variazione annuale della superficie cumulata e del numero cumulato delle aree protette terrestri

    Data source

    Elaborazione ISPRA su dati del Ministero dell'ambiente e della tutela del territorio e del mare: EUAP, VI aggiornamento (2010) e successive leggi e provvedimenti nazionali o subnazionali istitutivi di AA.PP.

    Note

    Come anno di istituzione è stato considerato quello della normativa in cui l'area protetta viene citata per la prima volta. Il PN della Calabria è stato ricompreso in quello della Sila nel 2002, pertanto a partire da tale data la sua superficie è stata sottratta dal totale dei PN. Delle seguenti aree protette è stata considerata solo la superficie a terra: PN Arcipelago Toscano, PN Arcipelago La Maddalena, RNR Valle Cavanata, RNR Foce Isonzo, RNR Falesie di Duino.

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