The Italian national parks are going through a truly serious crisis.
Despite the action of the Italian Ministry of the Environment, the subsidies to help the national parks will not even be equal to their 2009 expenses.

One of the articles of the 122/2010 Law has cut funds to national parks by 50% and the 75% reduction in the resources of the 5/1000 is planned in the government’s maxi-amendment of the stability Law which has already been ratified by the Budget Commission. This could very well turn out to be another blow to the parks’ scientific research.

The director of the oldest Italian national park - Grand Paradiso - Michele Ottino makes this comment:

“We join in the appeal of all non profit organisations and the other research structures that the government restores the resources to be devoted to the 5/1000. The Park’s research activities must be supported by all possible means, the more so if they are freely encouraged by city-dwellers, in order to find answers, and therefore solutions, to the decline in the chamois population in the protected area. This is a step backwards which is worrying not only us, but also the entire scientific community and all animal-lovers.

At this link the complete press release.

For that reason the AIDAP (Italian Association of Protected Areas Directors and Officers) organised an important exchange on 19th and 20th November on the serious theme of the crisis being experienced by Italian national parks today.
Many directors were present, from national parks, protected areas, associations and federations.
“How can we sign the most important international agreements and at the same time make cuts in the resources needed to carry them out? How can we bring Italy to the minimum of 20% of protected areas (as signed by our government in Nagoya in Japan) before 2020 if already in 2011 we will not have the resources to go forward? »

(source: Traccia@ Newsletter del Parco nazionale Dolomiti Bellunesi )