The Po River and the UNESCO MaB network in northern Italy

This contribution, using a geographic approach, investigates the territorial relationships between the Po River and the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere (MaB) reserve network, which serve as areas designated for biodiversity conservation and sustainable development, to strengthen the relationships between humans and the environment. By applying a GIS-based mapping approach, the research shows that most of the MaB network in northern Italy is closely linked to the Po River and that these relationships vary across the territory. It can be distinguished the MaB reserves which overlap with the territories crossed by the Po River (Monviso, Collina Po, Po Grande e Delta del Po); the nearby MaB reserves which are closely linked to the main river (Ticino Valgrande Verbano and Appennino Tosco-Emiliano); the most distant MaB reserves, still framed by the Po district, that are directly linked to the Po River through its tributaries (Valle Camonica e Alto Sebino, Alpi Ledrensi e Judicaria). Nevertheless, there are some territories crossed by the Po River that lie ‘in-between’ the existing MaB reserves and could potentially ensure continuity of the MaB network along this extraordinary natural blue-green corridor. By exploring the territorial patterns and the spatial distribution of the so-called ‘inner areas’ localized along the Po River, the research seeks to outline a territorial vision aimed at enhancing natural and man-made assets through the MaB intangible network.