introduction | site restoration | maximizing the natural resource | employee involvement in health & safety | sustaining a rural economy | renaturalization of a river area | innovative regional development | operational best practice | conserving natural heritage | working with a fishery association | reducing employee accidents | lowering emissions | developing geo-tourism | health & safety best practice | local community partnership | facilities for local organisations | protection of species - biotopes | decreasing environmental impacts | cooperation with regional authorities

Renaturalization Of A River Area

THE MONVISO PROJECT

BACKGROUND

The two sites of Monviso S.p.A. are an integral part, from an organizational point of view, of the Piedmont Zone of Calcestruzzi S.p.A. - Italcementi Group. The sites are located on the banks of the river Po in the communes of Casalgrasso (Cn) and Carmagnola (To). From the end of the '90s, the Piedmont Region authorized two extration plans for 20 years divided in 5 year periods. The regional system of the protected areas of the river band of the Po was established to safeguard a unique environment and authorised several decades of extraction activity.

ACTION

Calcestruzzi signed an agreement for the transfer of main part of the area after environmental restoration at the end of the activities.

The "executive project" in this complex plan involved varied competences: land planning, urbanism, geology, mining engineering, hydraulic, environmental sciences, ecology, etc.

The principal issue that directs the whole project is based on the available and potential natural resources. The quarrying work will not alter the possibility to realize the project of nature evaluation, but on the contrary will make it compatible with other uses (fishing, recreational activity and leisure pursuits for the local inhabitants).

Part of the river bands is today occupied by the quarries' service areas (workshops, stores, overburden stocks, manoeuvring areas, offices...). Such areas, when recovered, will enrich the quality of the river bands and will give continuity to the nature routes along the banks.

From the point of view of the land situation, the whole zone is geologically and historically linked to the river. The Po with its mobility has heavily conditioned the uses and the infrastructure. Quarry basins provide destinations for the leisure time of the numerous local fishermen. The zone is therefore absolutely different from the rest of the river bands in terms of antropic presence. It produces a general sense of a more natural landscape than the surroundings (antropized both in the rural part and in the built one).

RESULTS

Monviso project foresees the renaturalization of the banks of the Po and the surrounding areas, with formation of wooded banks, cycle-pedestrian, paths, landings for small tourist boats and areas for relaxation, games, camping and picnics.

introduction | site restoration | maximizing the natural resource | employee involvement in health & safety | sustaining a rural economy | renaturalization of a river area | innovative regional development | operational best practice | conserving natural heritage | working with a fishery association | reducing employee accidents | lowering emissions | developing geo-tourism | health & safety best practice | local community partnership | facilities for local organisations | protection of species - biotopes | decreasing environmental impacts | cooperation with regional authorities