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Chiesura et al. / Qualità dell’ambiente urbano – XI Rapporto (2015)
ISPRA Stato dell’Ambiente 63/15 pagg. 288-297
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Abstract
The present work analyses the presence of natural terrestrial protected areas in the
85 municipalities, with a particular focus to the 12 new cities considered for this XI
th
edition of the Report.
Natural protected areas contribute to urban environmental quality through multiple
ecosystemic services. Though sometimes found in less accessible areas compared
with urban parks and gardens, these areas may cover a relevant portion of total
municipal surfaces, as the presented data confirm: in 15 cities natural protected
areas represent more than 25% of municipal land, and in 5 of them (Pisa included)
this quota rises up to more than 40%.
In general, however, in the majority of analysed cities sample (52 out of 85) the
protected land does not exceed 1/5 of the total municipal land. For 10 cities data for
this indicator are not available.
To be noticed that among natural protected areas, agro-parks are also included: they
represent areas of high agricultural and landscape value, where agricultural
production is maintained/preserved and managed according either to local/regional
laws or specific norms defined by local planning instruments. Data reveal that this
green typology is absent in the 12 new cities analysed in this edition.
Keywords
Protected natural areas, Urban biodiversity, Naturalistic value