EUROPARC Federation

**Memorandum of Understanding**

**with the United States National Parks Service North East Region**

EUROPARC Members' Questionnaire

  --------------- ---------------------------------------------------------
  Name:           Fabio Lopez Nunes

  Position:       Director

  Organisation:   Consorzio Parco Groane

  Address:        Via della Polveriera, 2 -- 20020 SOLARO (MI) - ITALY

  Tel:            ++39 (0) 29698141

  Fax:            ++39 (0) 296790196

  E-mail:         europarc.groane@flashnet.it
  --------------- ---------------------------------------------------------

Yes, we are interested in an exchange programme with a protected area in
the United States (North East Region).

*Please state reason:*

We are interested to look USA parks management expecially in urban
regions, how NPS and other authorities work in recreation facilities,
how they manage the human impact on natural heritage preserved within
cities and developed regions.

**1. If yes, on which topics would you be interested in pursuing
cooperation?**

  ----------------------------------- -----------------------------------
   organisational development         ecotourism

   sustainability                     marketing

   transboundary management           education

   financing                          other (please state)
                                      \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_
  ----------------------------------- -----------------------------------

**2. If yes, what type of exchange would you be interested in ?**

 at staff level (professional development)

 at political level (Presidents, Board Members)

 other stakeholders (e.g. farmers, tourism businesses)

*continued \....*

3\. If yes, please give a [short]{.underline} description of the
features of your park and main areas of current work:

> **Groane regional park**
>
> *A nature park inside the city*

A patch of Lombard plain ground, surrounded by moors and oak-woodlands,
is called Groane and since 1976 considered as a nature park.

Placed in the north-west area in the Milan\'s province, Groane is
administrated by a syndacate of the territorial municipalities. Its
combined specific geographical position, together with its consistent
human presence award Groane with an important social and naturalistic
role: to be a green belt in the outskirts of a metropolis.

Moors, greenwoods and fens, wich represent the 50% of the 3.400 hectars
of the territory, are properly safeguarded. Moors offer the most
peculiar look of the entire landscape: waste lands overgrown with heath,
a typical bush of Groane, turning to bright deep pink colour towards the
end of the summer. Pine-woods and undergrowths, often, alternate with
meadows and fields, tend to the natural adjustment of the vegetation,
mainly represented by oak woodlands, brich trees and european hornpeams.

Small lakes and fens feed by absolute clean rain water spread all over
the Park, where rare species still survive. Fauna is indoubtely a
paramount element of the Groane ecosystem; reptiles, birds of pray
(huzzard, kestrel \...), typical greenwoods birds (pied woodpecker,
titmouse \...) and little mammals (beech-marten, weasel \...).

The enviroment safeguard and the nature protection are the park
regulation final target, which are dircted to the normal traditional
activities prosecution, like agricolture.

Ancient noble country-huoses estates and few industrial archeology
examples , such as the old brick kilns (19th century), give evidence of
the Lombard history culture.

Preservation of the historical an nature heritage combined to the
territory social role , is ultimate the task that Groane\'s Park is
appointed to accomplish, by means of a master plan.

As Park director I have the general management responsabilty: working in
staff, land planning, funding, relationship. We have a hard work to
relate with ground owners: at the beginning no lands were owned by the
Park board; in these yars we bought or we rented some of 300 park
hectars.

  ----------------------------------- -----------------------------------
  Signed: Fabio Lopez Nunes           Date: 18 March 2003

  ----------------------------------- -----------------------------------

Please return by 20 March 2003 to:

Patrizia Rossi

Parco Naturale Alpi Marittime

# Corso Bianco 5

12010 Valdieri

## ITALY

Email: <parcalma.rossi@tin.it>