EUROPARC Federation

**Memorandum of Understanding**

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

EUROPARC Members' Questionnaire

Name: Josef Parente

Position: Chief Executive Officer of the Agricultural Sector

Organisation: Province of Pordenone

Address: Piazza Costantini, 3 33170 Pordenone

Tel: +39.434.229501-02

Fax: +39.434.229503

E-mail: parente.josef@provincia.pordenone.it

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

No, we are not interested in an exchange programme with a protected area
in the United States (North East Region).

*Please state reason:*

**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)              |
|                                   |                                   |
|                                   | \- landscape preservation         |
|                                   |                                   |
|                                   | \- biodiversity conservation      |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+

**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)

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

The Farm "Rural Park-Europarc of San Floriano" is not a proper farm but
it is however an example of rural activity carried out in an
environmentally protected area, which includes the spring and part of
the flow of the Livenza River. This rural farm is located on the hills
of San Floriano and of the Mori in the territory of Polcenigo. It covers
an area of about 65 ha, 35 ha owned by the Bazzi Foundation and about 30
ha owned by the Provincial Administration. Part of these 20 ha has been
brought back to the past marsh-meadow destination, i.e. a grassland area
producing animal feed and bearing witness to the medieval wet areas of
the eastern Po valley. The farm-park carries out didactic and
demonstrative activities, addressed to farm technicians, farmers and, in
particular, students at all levels. Its crops are managed with high
sustainable techniques being the alternative to intensive agricultural
activities.

Crops of medicinal plants, small fruits, walnut-trees, cherry-trees,
apple-trees, pear-trees, plum-trees, olive-trees, together with horse,
sheep, cattle, pig and bee keeping, make this farm an example of an
environment friendly farm, reproducible in many areas of both our region
and other Italian alpine foot-hills.

Among the most interesting and significant activities, it is worth
mentioning the collection of old varieties of apple-tree, pear-tree,
plum-tree and olive-tree, gathered in our region. At present, about 160
old varieties of the four above-mentioned species have already been
planted.

A gene bank could therefore been established which on the one hand helps
to collect new varieties and on the other disseminates rustic varieties
to hobbists. For the Province of Pordenone, this gene bank is a heritage
of inestimable value to be safeguarded.

Even concerning animal species, old breeds of poultry, sheep
(Carsolina), cattle (Friuli Red Pied[^1]) and pigs (Cinta Senese[^2])
have been introduced in the park.

  ----------------------------------- -----------------------------------
  Signed:                             Date: 3rd April 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>

[^1]: Italian three purpose cattle, especially considered as a dairy
    cattle, widespread in the Eastern regions of Italy.

[^2]: Italian breed of pigs widespread in the central regions of Italy.
    The colour is black and white shoulders and fore-legs.