CONOSCENZA DELLA REALTA' AGRICOLA DEL PARCO NATURALE REGIONALE "SALINE DI PUNTA DELLA CONTESSA" (BR) PER LA CONSERVAZIONE E VALORIZZAZIONE DELLA BIODIVERSITA'

The management of the Regional Natural Reserve "Saline di Punta della Contessa" protected area is strictly linked to agriculture considering both the high influence exercised by agricultural systems and practices upon landscape features and biodiversity and the wide area it covers in the territory, agricultural land in this wetland is about 73% compared to wild area. For a better understanding of agricultural aspects of "Saline di Punta della Contessa", each parcel of land has been detected in the field by using digital orthophotos and the geographical point has been recorded by using Global Positioning System (GPS). All type of information about the tillage has been signed. Farmers have been interviewed about ancient varieties, fertilizers, weeds and pests control. The conflict agriculture - protected area is exasperated by a very high number of hares which destroy crops. Detailed knowledge of agricultural system and practices let us to realize the Land Use Map which will be useful for the evaluation of the impact of anthropic activities connected to the use of the territory.