Protective designation

In Italy, protection of territory and its correlated values (landscape, environment, ecology) is founded on a system of planning, regulatory and customary legislation and regulations. These act at different levels, ranging from a national to a local level and are valid on either a general or specific scale.
Although the nominated site extends over 5 provinces and 3 regions – and is consequently governed by a complex legal system, with overlapping protected areas and various authorities responsible – it is effectively protected almost in its entirety. In the Dolomite region protection measures are founded on a common legislative base, defined by specific State law instruments. This common base consists of large number of laws, which together form the framework of protection. The legal instruments (laws pertaining to protection of nature, landscape and cultural heritage, forests, waters and the environment, land-use planning etc.) may be grouped by international, national and local level.

Selection of the most important legislation

1. Europe
– Conservation of natural habitats and of wild flora and fauna. Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 - Official Journal L 206, 22/07/1992
The greater part of the Dolomite region is under the protection of this Directive. In specific detail, there are 30 protected areas within the nominated property (total area about 95.000 ha) and they represent 70% of the entire candidate area. Any work that may potentially change the natural characteristics of these locations must be submitted for an environmental impact assessment.

2. Italy

– Code for cultural and landscape assets, Law Decree No. 42, February 22nd, 2004 The Code restricts, for landscape protection purposes, the use of areas surrounding lakes and the banks of permanent rivers and torrential rivers registered in the list of public waters, portions of mountain above 1,600 metres in altitude (which therefore includes the entire candidate area), glaciers, glacial cirques and lastly, woodlands (art. 142).

– Framework law for protected areas. Law No. 394, December 6th, 2001.

– Hydro-geological restrictions. RLD 3267/1923 All nominated area is subject to hydro-geological restrictions; any work that may constitute a risk to the stability of the slopes, including the transformation of woodland into pasture, is subject to particularly strict authorising procedures.

3. Region/Provinces and Autonomous Provinces [Receiving Council Directive 92/43/EEC in local legislation]

– Decree of Regional Government of 4th October 2002 for the Veneto Region,

– Provincial Decree N° 63 of 26th October 2001 for the Provincia Autonoma di Bolzano.

– Provisions for town planning, environmental protection, public waters, transport, fire services, public works and hunting, Provincial law N° 10 of 15th December 2004 for the Provincia Autonoma di Trento

– Regulations concerning regional natural parks and reserves, Regional Law N°
42 of 30th September 1996 for the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region The Dolomite region includes nine parks (1 national, 2 regional, 6 provincial), all covered by management, protection, and control instruments that are well structured, tried and tested. The table below summarises the protected areas within the nominated property.

BL = Belluno – TN = Trento – BZ = Bolzano/Bozen – UD = Udine – PN = Pordenone