Corpo Forestale dello Stato Celebrates 166 Years with New San Zeno Command

The provincial coordination of the Corpo Forestale dello Stato celebrations mark the 166th anniversary of its founding with an inaugural event. On Friday at 11 a.m., in Ca’ Montagna, Provincial Coordinator Vittorio Mascagno and the mayor of San Zeno Cipriano Castellani will cut the ribbon of the new Forest Station Command.

Structure and Responsibilities

The Scaligero Coordination, which employs around eighty staff members including guards and operators from the former State Forests and Demanial Lands company, manages, in addition to the San Zeno command, those of Brenzone, Caprino (home of the fire prevention group), Fumane, Sant’Anna d’Alfaedo, Boscochiesanuova, Tregnago, and Verona.

Adjacent to this network of commands, in Peri, one of the two national semi-forest plant facilities is operational.

The Corpo Forestale dello Stato, following recent reforms, primarily functions as an environmental police force. Forest experts intervene wherever human activities threaten the environment, especially in urbanized areas, handling issues such as deforestation for construction; quarrying; river excavation; pollution; damage to historic parks and valuable trees; and monitoring endangered species.

Protection Activities and Inspections

This includes controlling the import-export of exotic animals at airports. Investigations, often in collaboration with the Prosecutor’s Office, are frequent. On behalf of the Ministry of Agricultural Policies, the Forest Service performs controls on European Union agricultural subsidies and support to farmers.

The Veneto Region has also delegated to the Provincial Coordination the management of wildfire operations in the Verona province, which are carried out in close collaboration with the fire brigades and volunteer teams. (f.m)