The ‘Walking in the parks’ weekend is back with the CAI: 70 excursions in protected areas
Seventy excursions on CAI paths around natural parks and protected areas: the 'Walking in the Parks' event returns this weekend
BOLOGNA – Weekend dedicated to nature with the Italian Alpine Club and Federparchi. Who this weekend are organizing over 70 excursions on the paths of protected areas throughout Italy to promote knowledge of the mountain area, respect for nature and attention to local traditions. The national day ‘Walking in the Parks‘ is back, now in its 12th edition, with initiatives in 16 regions, aimed at tourists, visitors and hikers. All events will have the paths at the centre: from the fact-finding excursion to the maintenance outing of the path base or signs, up to the inauguration of a restored route. “The national day ‘Walking in the Parks’ promotes naturalistic and cultural hiking for everyone, putting the territories and the populations that live there at the centre”, explains Filippo Di Donato, coordinator of the CAI working group ‘Parks and Protected Areas ‘.
“The slogan of the event is ‘Paths to learn’: we invite everyone to discover the landscapes and wonders of the mountains and parks of Italyby walking in freedom and meeting on the paths, to share a fulfilling day in the environment, also participating as protagonists”, continues Di Donato. The symbol of this day is the Sentiero Italia Cai which, starting from Santa Teresa Gallura in Sardinia arrives in Muggia, in the province of Trieste, after having traveled along the Apennine ridge and the Alpine arc, touching the territory of all Italian regions.
“The Sentiero Italia CAI crosses most of the national parks of our country and a good number of regional parks, with which the CAI has signed agreements, as well as UNESCO sites and territories that fall within the Natura 2000 network. With this day we also intend to promote the harmonization of trail signs on a national basisusing the CAI standard (red-white-red trail signs), to make travel easier”, says know Di Donato. “The day dedicated to excursions in protected areas, which members of the Italian Alpine Club attend all year round, takes on a deeper meaning edition after edition”, declares Mario Vaccarella, Parks delegate of the CAI central steering committee.
“The acquisition of awareness of frequenting and living in areas of environmental value must result in everyone’s understanding, from administrators to citizens, of the importance of these territories, rich in biodiversity and ecosystems to be protected, which must be defended from the reckless attacks we often witness and truly and more valued”, he underlines. “The organization by the CAI of a second Master’s degree on the management of protected areas together with the Touring Club Italiano and the Campus Foundation aims to represent a further contribution of our partnership to this strategic sector”, he confirms. The individual excursions are organized by the sections, regional groups and territorial technical bodies of the CAI. For all information: www.cai.it/in-cammino-nei-parchi-2024