by InTrieste
Regional officials in Friuli Venezia Giulia have launched a new pilot program that deploys mounted patrols to monitor the Karst plateau outside Trieste, aiming to strengthen environmental oversight and broaden community engagement.
The initiative, announced Sunday by Fabio Scoccimarro, the regional councillor for environment and defense, will run for five days in collaboration with the Carabinieri Forestali of Belluno’s Biodiversity Service.
“What begins today on the Karst is a pilot project that we would like to extend across Friuli Venezia Giulia in the future,” Mr. Scoccimarro said, emphasizing that the effort is not meant to be punitive but rather to foster “proximity to the territory, to citizens and to businesses.”
Mounted patrols, regional officials said, can access areas that are unreachable by vehicles, allowing officers to detect illegal dumping sites, waste abandonment, or potential cross-border environmental crimes. While the primary goal is environmental protection, officers are also authorized to intervene in civil or criminal violations, bolstering security in the area.
“This virtuous project enhances environmental controls on our territory,” Mr. Scoccimarro added. “The officers patrolling the Karst are prepared to intervene when necessary, ensuring safety for our citizens.”
The program supplements ongoing environmental surveillance in Friuli Venezia Giulia and is part of a broader framework agreement between the region and the Carabinieri Forestali. Additional protocols are under discussion with other law enforcement agencies, including the Noava, the region’s environmental surveillance unit, to expand monitoring efforts.
Officials described the initiative as one element in a long-term regional strategy to promote environmental education and stewardship. “It is another piece of the broader work we have pursued for years to encourage environmental awareness,” Mr. Scoccimarro said, stressing that the approach is designed to engage residents, including children, rather than impose restrictive measures.
