Who we are

Article 44 of the Italian Constitution, which went into effect on the 1st of January 1948, deals with rational land use and land reclamation, making mention of the mountains. The second section reads: The Law makes provisions for mountain zones. These provisions are initially outlined in "Law 1102". This law implements the policy governing mountain areas and revolves around the Mountain District. This territorial governing body draws up and implements plans, using them as an instrument for economic and social development of the mountain areas. The fundamental features of the new law on mountain communities — Law no. 1102/71 — can be summarized as follows:
Institutional organization of mountain communities establishing a new agency for public rights: the Mountain District.

• Economic and social development of mountain territories following precise multi-year plans.
• The Mountain District is at the hub of all activity as it has the authority for urban planning and can also have Regional and Municipal authority and hold State financing.
• Law 1102/71 was the first regional framework law as it empowered the Regions to i) delimit zones where Mountain Districts could be established, ii) dictate the standards governing the laws, district bodies and other organizations working within the territory, iii) establish the criteria and iv) earmark funding for the development plans.

The Regions implemented law 1102/71, passing a series of regional laws to set up Mountain Districts, the first approved on 28th July 1972 by the regions of Puglia and Umbria. The Lazio Region passed Regional Law 16 in 1973 and modified it with Regional Law no. 9 in 1999. Except in a very few cases, the individual Mountain Districts were drawn out to incorporate areas with uniform territorial features and socio-cultural similarities. On 31st January 1994, with National Law no. 97, new arrangements were established for mountain zones. The first section of this law solemnly assigned the primary role for safeguarding and upgrading mountain zones to the Regions and Local Bodies — including the Mountain Districts. All those organic actions directed at global development by safeguarding and upgrading the environmental quality and potential of the mountain habitats fall under special intervention for mountain areas. The actions involve the following aspects:

1.  Territorial aspects: developing formulas to protect environmental resources and that take into account both their value and the pressing demands of the resident populations, with particular reference to the development of systems of transport and local road networks.
2. Economic aspects: to develop economic enterprises in those mountain territories considered disadvantaged.
3. Social aspects: even by guaranteeing adequate services for the general population.
4.  Cultural aspects: related to local traditions.