Valmalenco (SO): new Botanic Gardens for science and people

The triennial project Interreg B-ICE Italy-Switzerland Bernina Terra Glacialis. Study and exploitation of a precious natural and cultural heritage in an open Alpine region, with innovative approaches to the future started in December 2018. The project is aimed to create a management model for the ongoing climate change. Within this context, we are performing the census of the autochtonous flora and an ethnobotanical investigation aimed at the study and enhancement of the plant and cultural biodiversity in Valmalenco (SO), in particular in the municipal territories of Chiesa in Valmalenco, Caspoggio, Lanzada, Spriana e Torre di Santa Maria. The following phases of the project concern the planning and the realization of Botanic Gardens of different types for the preservation of species of interest, selected on the basis of their traditional and potential uses, ancient crops or species threatened by the actual climate change. In detail: (i) Didactic Botanic Garden at Caspoggio, near the Mountain Centre Zenith. Educational paths and guided tours aimed at children will be developed by means of communication tools based on the game and also on the scientific deepening through innovative iconographic and caption devices. It is planned to create ad hoc botanic labels and digital sheets that will be accessible with tablets and electronic frames. The data provided will include pictures of the plants, information on their morphological and structural complexity, as well as on the traditional uses, recipes or anecdotes related to their uses. The Garden will become a reference point and a focal junction of tourist-ricreative and sports routes, in order to implement the attractiveness of the Valley. (ii) High-rise Botanic Garden in Sant'Antonio di Caspoggio, near the chair lift. The communicative actions are going to be developed through a dual approach: iconographic devices devoted to the scientific research (floristic and chorological survey of native species, ethnobotanic survey, bibliographic survey on the biological activity) and exhibition panels on topics related to global warming. Several categories of visitors will be involved with a fruition of the contents at multiple levels of technological expertise, from reading (ad hoc botanic labels) to the use of tablets. In both the Gardens we are going to realize: (a) caption devices and panels with trilingual description (Italian/English/German), in order to welcome an audience that becomes mainly touristic during spring and summer; (b) training courses devoted to educators with botanical/herbal and communication expertise. Finally, among the species of interest, we are going to select target species in order to activate their cultivation and to support the creation of shared Gardens in residential areas and individual homes. As a whole, these activities will enhance the knowledge about the importance of the plant biodiversity conservation, also in view of the actual scenario of climate change, and on the value of the cultural heritage connected to the plant traditional uses and their sustainable exploitation. At the end of the project the Botanic Gardens will become repositories of the culture of the territory and places of transmission of the intergenerational knowledge, accessible to everybody. This will allow the local communities to acquire a wider awareness of the cultural heritage of the Valley, generating new perspectives for the involvement of the local people and positive effects on the tourist attractiveness.