Fodor's Travel Talk Forums - TO THOSE WHO LOVE THE AMALFI COAST

Hi fellow travelers of the Amalfi Coast,
I know many people here have visited the Amalfi Coast and have wonderful memories of the place. I've been going there every year since 2001, and I have my personal "secret" spots I visit to restore my soul (not really so secret, but special and favorite). Il Porto (The gate) is an enormous natural valley which cuts into the Lattari mountains between Positano and Praiano. It is a protected WWF refuge and has a very fascinating history, which I won't detail here, but I will just say it's a fragile and very special place. And now it's seriously threatened. Locals who care about the environment are trying to save it, and there is an online petition being circulated. I am asking for help to read and sign this petition. Positano and the Amalfi Coast have given all of us so much pleasure, please take the time to read and sign. Thanks for you time...

THE VALLEY OF ‘Il PORTO’ A WILDLIFE OASIS ON THE AMALFI COAST, IS GREATLY ENDANGERED.

TO:….

The Valley of ‘Il Porto’, Positano, wildlife oasis of invaluable rarity, recognised as a Site of European Community Importance (SIC) is on the verge of being ravaged by imminent projects planned by the Commune of Positano and the Comunità Montana Penisola Amalfitana.

The “hydraulic and forest works to mitigate the danger of possible flash floods” (!) are ready to begin.

To accomplish that, the proposal is to build cement dams reaching 24 metres in length, the paving of a ancient path to facilitate the upkeep of the above mentioned dams, the cutting of all the trees and vegetation along the torrent and the steep banks above, and the construction of palisades and huge wire net containers in the escarpments.

Such works would devastate irredeemably the basin of the valley of ‘Il Porto’, which is as a whole a geological site of unparalleled value within the environment of the Amalfi Coast, since 1997 recognised as World Heritage by UNESCO.

The area has unique species of flora and fauna, e.g.: the extremely rare Salamandra terdigitata, a vanishing species that lives only in some parts of Italy and botanical relics of a bygone world, such as: Pteris cretica L., Pteris vittata L., Pinguicola hirtiflora, Carex pendula Huds, Holoschoenus australis L, and many precious species of chiroptera and other rare bats.

This area belongs to the Nature Reserve of the Monti Lattari, where any works altering the natural character of the banks and ecosystem are prohibited and should be conducted according to the Rules of Naturalistic Engineering of the Campania Region.

This valley is under environmental protection.

The accounts which made these projects possible do not correspond to reality, and there is already scientific proof to believe that such works would worsen the situation.

Such works, as conceived in the projects, would bring about a radical and irreversible change of the ecosystem, threatening species under the protection of the European Community Directions.

Furthermore, the dams once built, would stop the debris from naturally replenishing the beach at the very bottom of the valley, and its very existence.

If in the Valley of ‘Il Porto’ dams were to be built, the beach of Arienzo would shrink or disappear.

THE SIGNATORIES OF THIS PETITION
ASK

To recall immediately the assignments concerning these works and to cancel their contracts;
To cancel the approval of the abovementioned works in all their details;
To stop the public funding that would allow the destruction of the Valley of ‘Il Porto’, Positano.

here's a link to sign the petition:

http://tinyurl.com/6bx87a