Mount Grappa and Biosphere Reserve

The “Monte Grappa” Biosphere Reserve, which entered the Network in 2021, is an area located in the Venetian Prealps, with a surface area of 66,067 hectares, which includes the territory of 25 Municipalities belonging to the Provinces of Belluno, Treviso and Vicenza. The area includes the Grappa Massif, the foothill areas that surround it and, to the south, the hills and the high plain that connect it to the Po -Valley. To the east and west, the Piave and Brenta rivers mark the border, distinguishing the territories connected to other massifs of the Veneto pre-Alpine belt. The territory of the Reserve has a high biodiversity thanks to the presence of mountainous, hilly and high plain territories as well as a wide hydrography that allowed the settlement of numerous species and the creation of different habitats. The number of the population residing in the territory of the Reserve, about 175,000 people in 25 Municipalities, testifies to a gradual depopulation that began at the end of the 19th century following the abandonment of activities related to forestry and sheep farming. The recognition of the Reserve aims to enhance the commitment of local communities towards achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of 2030 Agenda, to improve the well-being of the community through support for the green economy, the circular economy and corporate social responsibility, as well as combating depopulation through specific policies to involve young people in particular in the protection of local values.