Tuscan-Emilian Apennine National Park institution
The Tuscan-Emilian Apennine National Park (TEA Park) consists of a striking stretch of the Apennine Mountains surrounded by forests, in an extraordinary geographical position: a 930 mile-long Apennine Mountain range that runs north-south, and lays right in between the Po River Valley, the rest of Europe, and the Mediterranean Sea. The Apennine ridgeline is the physical border between Emilia and Tuscany: you can walk along it, and on clear days overlook the Alps on the north side and the Mediterranean Sea on the south side.
Two sides, twice the biodiversity
The Park is split into 2 regions – Emilia-Romagna and Tuscany – and 4 districts: Reggio and Parma in Emilia Romagna on the north side; Lunigiana and Garfagnana in Tuscany on the south side. This orientation gives the Park two distinct climate zones and dramatic diversity. There are olive trees, holly oaks, and vineyards and early, warm springs on the southern side in Lunigiana and Garfagnana. On the north side in Reggio and Parma, there are grasslands, fir trees, and ample snowfall. In this unique environment you can meet exceptional biodiversity: the Park contains 70% of all the species present in Italy, including species of birds, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, fish, the wolf and the golden eagle. The Tuscan-Emilian Apennine National Park is a rural area in the heart of Italy, we think it is important to support and sponsor these areas.
UNESCO man and biosphere reserve
Due to its extraordinary features and ongoing relationship between man and nature, in 2015 the Park was designated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as a Man and Biosphere Reserve. As a biosphere reserve, the Park focuses on three core elements of conservation, development, and providing logistic support to local stakeholders in order to promote sustainable environmental, economic, and social practices across the reserve. TAUW Italy established a connection with the National Park institution. In a symbolic way we bought Sustainability Credits and held our get together meeting there in September.
