NECTON - New Ecosystems on the Walnut Stream

The overall aim of the NECTON project was to create a small river park within the La Rocchetta provincial nature reserve.
It was a continuation of the Nibbio project, conducted in the years 1996-1997, again with funding from the EU LIFE programme.

The La Rocchetta protected area is located in the lowest part of the Valle di Non, at the end of the Noce torrent; it covers an area of 74 hectares and contains two types of habitats listed in Annex I of Directive 92/43/EEC

• the Alpine rivers and the herbaceous vegetation along their banks;
• alder(Alnion glutinoso-incanae) alluvial forests, which are considered a priority habitat.

However, further upstream the Noce River is blocked by a hydroelectric power plant, which is responsible for a drastic reduction in the stream's natural flow and a concentration of pollutants in its waters. When the LIFE project was presented, the hydroelectric concession had come to an end and the negotiations for its renewal took into account the improvement of the protected area, with the aim of achieving more adequate river flow levels.

The creation of the small river park aimed at four specific objectives

1. to increase the environmental diversity of the biotope, i.e. the variety of environments, by creating new wetlands and "renaturalising" floodplain areas occupied by meadows and cultivated land
2. reconstituting the hygrophilous riparian forest of willows and alders in areas where this had been removed to make way for meadows, so as to increase the area occupied by this valuable environmental type, which is particularly threatened throughout Europe
3. improve the water quality status of the Noce River and smaller watercourses included in the biotope
4. equip a portion of the biotope to make it accessible to the public, in order to enhance it as part of environmental education.

At the time of the project's realisation, the competent PAT structure was called the Servizio Parchi e Foreste Demaniali.

The European Union, through the LIFE programme, granted funding of 40% of the total expenditure, up to a maximum of €170,705.

The results achieved in the La Rocchetta protected area thanks to the NECTON project have been

• an increase in the environmental diversification of the main watercourse and the biodiversity of the area through a series of interventions, including
  • modelling of sites suitable for the reproduction of salmonid species (in particular Salmo marmoradus)
  • opening of new meanders and open water areas on which to extend reed vegetation for nesting waterfowl and amphibians (in particular Bombina variegata)
  • re-establishment of hedges and extension of reed shelter areas for migratory birds
• increase of almost 4 hectares of the area with habitats of Community interest ("Residual alluvial forests of Alnion glutinoso-incanae" and "Alpine rivers and their woody vegetation with Salix elaegnos")
• creation of a purification lagoon to cleanse the water of pollutants
• the development of a site management plan

Another success was the project's contribution to the revision of the conditions for the renewal of the hydroelectric plan concession, and the consequent granting of a minimum vital runoff at all times of the year.

The Province of Trento has also created an educational trail, with a starting point at the Cressino railway station (Trento-Malè line), where there are also some information panels.

In November 2000, when almost all the actions of the project had been completed, a flood severely damaged most of the works carried out. However, the Province of Trento subsequently repaired most of the damage with its own funds.