Stefano Piastra

Man-Waters Interactions in the River Delta - Sector

Land Reclamations: Geo-Historical Issues in a Global Perspective International Conference

University of May 14th, 2010

Field Trip Guidebook

3 Man-Waters Interactions in the Po River Delta – Emilia-Romagna Sector Field Trip was organized in the framework of the International Conference Land Reclamations: Geo- Historical Issues in a Global Perspective, held at the University of Bologna () on May 14th, 2010.

The scientific event was sponsored by the Institute of Advanced Studies (ISA), University of Bologna, in the framework of ISA Topic Grant 2010 Water Resources Management: old and new Approaches (coordinators Carlo Cencini and Franco Cazzola).

Land Reclamations: Geo-Historical Issues in a Global Perspective International Conference Organizing Committee: Franco Cazzola, Carlo Cencini, Stefano Piastra (University of Bologna, Dept. of History, Anthropology and Geography).

Revision of the texts: Katarzyna Lapinska, Tammy McCarron.

Italian Army Geographical Institute (IGM) maps are published under licence no. 6568 (March 16th, 2010).

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On the binding: “Umana” dewatering pump, dating to the ‘30s of the 20th century. Anita, Argenta Municipality ( Province, Northern Italy). Photo: S. Piastra, 2010.

On the binding background: wetlands (Po River Delta, Ferrara Province, Northern Italy) from a map dating to 1851. Source: Re g i o n e Em i l i a -Ro m a g n a , IBC Em i l i a -Ro m a g n a , Uso del Suolo Storico. Carta Storica Regionale, DVD, 2007. 4 Contents

Introduction p. 7

The historical evolution of the Po River Delta p. 7

From a wetland to an agricultural zone: the development of land reclamations in the Emilia-Romagna sector of the Po River Delta (second half of the 19th-‘70s of the 20th century) p. 8

Present-day economic and management issues p. 10

Field Trip Itinerary p. 12

Stop no. 1. Naviglio Zanelli artificial channel (18th century) (Bagnacavallo Municipality) p. 12

Stop no. 2. The “double face” of Anita (Argenta Municipality): Fascist Era reclamation-related new settlement, present-day Communist and Post-Communist toponymy p. 16

Stop no. 3. Fascist Era rural houses, Umana dewatering pump and Argine di Agosta, “The road on the water” p. 16

Stop no. 4. “Valle del Mezzano” land reclamation (‘50s-‘60s of the 20th century): landscape and economic issues p. 19

Stop no. 5. “Valle Pega” land reclamation (‘50s of the 20th century): reclamation-related standard-rural houses, nationalistic new toponymy, archaeological investigations in reclaimed areas p. 21

Stop no. 6. Stazione Foce: a boat trip in Comacchio residual wetlands p. 21

Stop no. 7. Comacchio city: social and urban themes p. 21

Cartographical Appendix: landscape evolution in the Emilia-Romagna sector of the Po River Delta from historical and contemporary maps (19th-20th centuries) p. 29

Photographical Appendix: the people and the city of Comacchio at the beginning of the 20th century p. 37

References p. 45

5 Fig. 1 – Po River Delta evolution (Northern Italy) from pre-historical times to the present. Letter A indicates pre- and proto-historical coastline; letter B, Etruscan Time coastline; letter C, Roman Age coastline; letter D, Early-Medieval coastline; letter E, 10th century AD approx. coastline; letter F, 14th century AD coastline. The peninsula on the top of the figure, which lengthens towards the , currently located in Veneto region, dates from 16th-17th century to now. Source: Bo n d e s a n 1990. 6 Introduction work, considered as an irrepleceable ele- ment in geographic research. The field trip, entitled Man-Waters Interac- tions in the Po River Delta – Emilia-Romagna Sector and organized under the umbrella The historical evolution of the Po River of University of Bologna in the frame- Delta work of the International Conference Land Reclamations: Geo-Historical Issues in a Unlike the Eastern Adriatic shorelines, the Global Perspective (May 14th, 2010), implies Emilia-Romagna Coastal Zone is charac- a multeplicity of geographical themes and terized by very straight and regular sandy areas indeed. beaches (130 km approx. in length), main- The excursion involves both the ly due to the alluvia of the Po River, the and Ferrara Provinces, which are part of largest Italian watercourse (hydrographi- Western Romagna and part of Eastern cal basin surface: 70,000 km2; 4 millions Emilia regions, in Northern Italy, allow- m3/year of solid transport approx.). This ing the participants the opportunity of an coastline, located on the border between overview of the main physical and human the Mediterranean bio-geographical re- issues in the Po River Plain and Delta, gion to the South and the Continental concerning man-environment interac- one to the North, has to be considered a tions in general and man-waters ones in Quaternary coastal area due to sedimen- particular. tation processes, while rias, cliffs or rocky Stops and topics were chosen among coastal landforms are absent. many others in the attempt to give exem- The final part of the Po River course, plificative and paradigmatic case-studies, that its Delta, is characterized by very fast with regard to the most relevant historical evolutive trends, which altered deeply the periods for hydraulic works in this zone local landscape and the hydrographic net- (Modern Age, second half of the 19th work in the last centuries. century, Fascist Age, ‘50s-‘70s of the 20th Once the last glacial period (Würm, century). 10,000 years BP approx.) and the subse- Most of the stops are related to rural quent Holocene marine transgression fin- themes, but the last one (Comacchio city, ished, the Po River Delta experienced an no. 7) deals with urban and socio-eco- evolution mainly driven by climatic and nomic studies. anthropogenic factors. The excursion is circumscribed just to the A long tradition of interdisciplinary stud- Emilia-Romagna sector of the Po River ies have been carried out here since the Delta (from a geomorphological point 19th century (Lo m b a r d i n i 1869): an inte- of view, the oldest in the whole Po River grated approach involving paleochannels, Delta complex), skipping the Veneto sec- high river beds, dunes-bars, archaeologi- tor, for the reason of organizational ne- cal investigations and, for recent times, cessities and the Emilia-Romagna sector toponymy and historical cartography, being the only area directly and spatially made possible a general reconstruction linked to the International Conference of the complicated evolution of the Po hosting institution, the University of Bo- River Delta in the last 3000 years (fig. 1) logna. (Ci a b a t t i 1967; Ve g g i a n i 1985; Bo n d e - The approach underneath the trip is s a n 1990; Ci a b a t t i 1990; Bo n d e s a n 2000; strictly connected, of course, to field Si m e o n i 2004). 7 During the 10th century BC, lower Po promoted by Venice in order to prevent River forked into two main arms, the so- Venice lagoon straits silting up, caused by called “Po d’Adria” to the North and “Po Po River alluvia (Tc h a p r a s s i a n 2004). di Spina” to the South, while the coastline On the basis of this diachronic perspec- should to be located 10 km approx. inland tive, it arises clearly that Veneto sector of in comparison with present-day situation. the Po River Delta is currently the active Between Proto-history and Roman Age, one, while the Emilia-Romagna part has sedimentation processes made the shores to be considered as the “fossil one”. lengthen towards the Adriatic Sea and Wetlands, very common in Ferrara Prov- the “Po di Spina” arm became the main ince until some decades ago before the river branch: such an affirmation is based land reclamations program, in this re- on the settlement of the homonymous gion are known as “valli”/sing. “valle” Etruscan town of Spina on it. On the (from “vallum”, “wall”, in this case contrary, in this period the role of “Po probably a dune-bar), or “campi” (liter- d’Adria” underwent a drastic regression. ally “fields”): they have to be explained as Skipping many centuries, in the year 1000 semi-enclosed brackish water bodies, fed AD approx., the Po River course may by the Apennines rivers fresh water in- have flowed South of the city of Ferrara, flow and partially in communication with divided in two branches (“Po di Volano” the sea, due to subsidence phenomenon to the North and “Po di Primaro” to the operating on Po River senescent arms and South). In the middle of the 12th century deltaic lakes. AD, lower Po hydrographic network ex- perienced a drastic change, as the result of a catastrophic collapse of the banks From a wetland to an agricultural and subsequent flood known as “Rotta zone: the development of land recla- di Ficarolo”: during a climate deteriora- mations in the Emilia-Romagna sec- tion period, Po River waters found a new tor of the Po River Delta (second half way North of Ferrara city, originating a of the 19th-‘70s of the 20th century) new branch re-named “Po delle Fornaci” or “Po Grande” (literally “Kilns Po” and Land reclamations hold a long tradition “Large Po”, respectively). In the follow- in Italian lowlands, plains and mouth sys- ing centuries, this new arm became the tems, since the proto-historical period most important of all, while Po Southern (e.g. the Etruscans in Italy) to the Con- arms (“Po di Volano”, “Po di Primaro”) temporary Age, passing through Roman, began to decline. Medieval and Modern Times. The last step of this long-term evolu- Such large and expensive infrastructural tion occurred between 16th and 17th cen- works, strengthened by technological turies, when the coastline was coincident progress in the last 150 years, were usu- with the present one. In this period the ally related to the aim of agricultural de- Po River started an increase of its mouth velopment, as an attempt, in a malthusian complex, forming the nowadays lobate- view of the process, to mitigate fast de- shaped peninsula, located in the Veneto mographical growth. region, lengthening towards the Adriatic At least three land reclamations method- Sea. Such a fast sedimentation process ologies have occurred in Italy through the was inset by an artificial hydraulic work, centuries. known as “Taglio di Porto Viro” (1604), The first one is land reclamation through 8 gravity force. This approach, consisting In the Emilia-Romagna sector of the of “opening a gate” to the waters and let- Po Delta, during Contemporary Age, ting them flow downstream, is quite rare, Governments and private investors pro- because most of the deltaic plains in Italy moted a drainage of deltaic wetlands, at are partially located in depressions below first through hydraulic works, afterwards the sea level: under these conditions land through dewatering pumps (Is e n b u r g reclamation through gravity is impossible. 1971). The most famous case in Italy of such a Reclamations reached their peak during kind of land reclamation is the Fucino the Fascist Age (‘20s-‘30s of the 20th cen- one (Abruzzo Region, started during the tury), in the framework of the so-called Roman Times, but ended only in the sec- “Bonifica Integrale” (literally “total land ond half of the 19th century), located not reclamation”) and during the Agrarian in a coastal plain but in an Apennines- Reform (‘50s of the 20th century; A. De surrounded one. Gasperi government). This is significa- A second methodology is usually called tive: Ideology and Politics always influ- “hydraulic land reclamation”: wetlands enced land-reclamations; the political di- and lowlands could be filled-up thanks mension of such projects was to create to rivers alluvia, transported there on the approval towards the government among basis of a river anthropic diversion. Such farmers and field-hands, beneficiaries of a system requires just a few works (fluvial the new lands (Is e n b u r g 1981; Ca z z o l a diversions, banks construction to canal- 2000; Sa l t i n i 2005). ize the sediments, etc.), but it runs only These works, which ended only at the be- in a very long period (decades, sometimes ginning of the ‘70s, altered in a large scale centuries, depending from rivers solid the physiognomy of the territory. transport). This approach was frequently Firstly, new lands (so-called “Terre nuove”) used during Medieval and Modern Times were organized with a regular and mod- in the Po Plain in general and in the Po ular division of land (fig. 2), completely Delta wetlands in particular, until the mid- different from “historical” fields (so- dle of the 19th century. The most impor- called “Terre vecchie”), creating, in a very tant hydraulic land reclamation project in short time, a new agrarian landscape, here the Emilia-Romagna Region was the “La- known as “larghe”/sing. “larga” (literally mone land reclamation”, in Ravenna dis- “large”). New settlements were founded trict (7000 hectares; 1840-1950 approx.), and new rural houses were built using a described by Swiss scholar Friedrich standard model. Vöchting, in the ‘20s of the 20th century, Nowadays, it is possible to state that the as «impressive» (Vö c h t i n g 1927). relation between costs and benefits was The last land reclamation method, also in unsatisfying, and that this anachronistical a chronological perspective, is related to program has largely failed: in the ‘60s of dewatering pumps (so-called “mechanical the 20th century, Italy had already become land reclamation”), and it began in the Po a secondary sector-pulled economy; the River Delta during the second half of the agriculture was no longer the most im- 19th century. Waters were sucked up from portant economic sector in the country; depressed areas by pumps (at first pow- emigration, country depopulation and ur- ered by steam, then oil, finally electricity), ban concentration processes had already raising their level and then letting them begun (Ce n c i n i 1996, pp. 65-66; Za g o flow to the sea by gravity. 2003). Moreover, in the Emilia-Romagna 9 Fig. 2 – Modular division of lands in the “Valle del Mezzano” (Ferrara Province), reclaimed between the ‘50s and the ‘60s of the 20th century. Underneath the fields, paleochannels are recognizable. Satellite image. Source: Google Earth. sector of the Po Delta, further evidences Present-day economic and manage- of land-reclamations failure is linked to ment issues the fact that in some parts, large estates of land have now re-appeared (field- Until the first half of the 20th century, the hands and fishermen, beneficiaries of Po River Delta, both in Emilia-Romagna reclaimed areas, have re-sold the lands to and Veneto Regions, was one of the most large estate holders), and to soil saliniza- underdeveloped zone in Northern Italy, tion processes, which are presently reduc- characterized by high rates in unemploy- ing the agricultural yield. ment, social decay, illegality and low in- Unfortunately, under this program, the comes. wetlands surface decreased drasticly and Currently, isolation and social problems important natural values (firstly, Biodiver- have been mitigated, but the situation of sity) were lost: in 50 years (‘20s-‘70s of Comacchio area (South of Ferrara and the 20th century), the Emilia-Romagna reclaimed zones chief town) is still prob- wetlands surface decreased by 60-70% lematic: urban population has decreased (fig. 3) (Do n a t i 1984; Iv a l d i 2004). in the last decades; today industry is un- derdeveloped. Since the ‘60s-‘70s, Sun & Sea tourist de- velopment on Ferrara coastline meant a significative step forward for local system 10 Fig. 3 – The evolution of land reclamations in the Emilia-Romagna sector of the Po River Delta between 19th and 20th century. Dotted spaces indicate brackish wetlands, currently reclaimed; black ones indicate brackish wetlands still existing; single oblique lines indicate fresh water wetlands, currently reclaimed; black oblique lines indicate fresh water wetlands still existing. The dates emphasize, for each “valle”, the year during which land reclamation work was finished.Source : Ce n c i n i 1996. 11 (Me n e g a t t i 1979; Ga l v a n i 1987), but, highway, the excursion starts next the skipping building speculations in newly town of Bagnacavallo (Ravenna Prov- urbanized coastal areas, Comacchio city ince), with the first stop located along the was only slightly involved in this process. “Naviglio Zanelli”. Nowadays, a perspective for local, sus- After this, it is planned to go some kms tainable development is linked to the North West as far as Alfonsine; from here, Emilia-Romagna Po River Delta Regional turning right, the road crosses the Park, which has its direction office lo- River (former Po di Primaro River), leav- cated in Comacchio city. This protected ing the Romagna Region and entering in area, founded in 1988 and included since Ferrara Province and the Emilia Region. 2000 in UNESCO World Heritage list, The first settlement on our way is Anita, could contribute to develop eco- and a village founded during the Fascist Era. agri-tourism. In particular, birdwatching Once out of Anita, the field trip con- holds great potential, because the Po Riv- tinues on to “Argine di Agosta”, one of er Delta is one of the largest European the most evocative places in Comacchio wetlands, together with Volga and Dan- wetlands. A short deviation on the left is ube ones and Camargue. related to land reclamations in “Valle del Unfortunately, until now, such a perspec- Mezzano”, one of the largest of all. The tive has been locked or checked by the Po next stop concerns land reclamations in River Delta fragmentation into two sepa- “Valle Pega”, reaching finally “Stazione rated regional parks, one in the Emilia- Foce”, where a short boat trip in residual Romagna Region and another one in the wetlands is going to take place. Veneto Region, the last founded in 1997. The excursion finishes at Comacchio city, This fact caused a gap in relation with with a walk in the historical centre (fig. management policies and practices; more 4). than 20 and 10 years after the creation of these protected areas respectively, the lim- its of this division arose. Stop no. 1. Naviglio Zanelli artificial Inside the scientific community and, less channel (18th century) (Bagnacavallo so, on the regional political level, the de- Municipality) sire is to re-think the model, and to adopt, in the case of the Emilia-Romagna and In Romagna Region, watercourses present Veneto Regions, a new inter-regional small hydrographical basins, irregular ré- strategy to manage the Po River Delta gimes and low water volumes: this is the as a whole, both from the point of view reason why none of them is currently of natural conservation and tourism re- navigable. Such a problem promoted de- sources exploitation. bates and hydraulic projects through out Turning two separated regional parks into the centuries, in order to solve this situ- one national park, seems to be the best ation and unlock this territory to com- option in the near future. merce. The first idea to open a new waterway, linking the city of Faenza, located in Field Trip Itinerary Romagna plain, at that time part of the Papal State, to the Adriatic Sea, dates to After the preliminary stage from Bologna 1682: Pietro Maria Cavina (1641 approx.- South to Romagna Region by the A14 1691) proposed to increase the water vol- 12

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g o s t i n i White White line indicates numbers itinerary; the indicate the Cartography: stops. Fig. Fig. 4 – Interactions in the Po River Delta – Emilia- Romagna Sector trip (May 14 t o A

13 Fig. 5 – Aque, Fiumi, e Scoli principali della Romagna by Pietro Maria Cavina (1678). North is on the top, but diverted to the West by 44 degrees. This was the first project, in Romagna Region, concerning a new navigable channel linking Faenza to the Adriatic Sea. On the map, the channel is emphasized in blue. Source: Pi a s t r a 2009. ume of the “Via Cupa” stream, flowing 1977). After several years of discussions, between the Lamone River to the West Scipione Zanelli, thanks also to his rela- and the River to the East, and tionship with the Pope of that time, Pius make it navigable (fig. 5) (Pi a s t r a 2009). 6th (they were cousins), had the papal This project, characterized by high invest- approval to such a work. The hydraulic ments in a crisis period like 17th century in infrastructure, sponsored with Zanelli’s Italy, was never put in practice. private funds, was finished in just 6 years, One century later approx., Scipione Zanel- and it was inaugurated on May 29th, 1782, li, a Lord from Faenza, re-considered this with the presence of the Pope. But Zanelli conjecture, giving the scholar Romualdo promoted a speculative approach in new- Bertaglia, from Ferrara, the duty to draft a ly opened channel management, putting new program (1754). Bertaglia supposed taxes on water commerce and hampering a new artificial navigable channel (fig. 6), private navigation, in the effort to re-gain fed by the Lamone River waters, passing his investments. Because of this, naviga- on the left of Lamone course and being tion declined through the decades, and conveyed, on the lower section, as a right ended completely during the second half tributary of “Po di Primaro”, a Po River of the 19th century, turning this waterway Southern senescent arm (currently Reno into a mills channel. In the 20th century River) (Br a g g i o n , To cc i 1972; To cc i “Naviglio Zanelli” was converted into an 14 Fig. 6 – Pianta Topografica Demostrativa della situazione della Città di Faenza, e del luogo progettato per condurre un Canale Navigabile dalla Città suddetta al Mare Adriatico, mediante il Po di Primaro (…), by Romualdo Bertaglia (1754). This project was adopted by Scipione Zanelli, a Lord from Faenza, to dig Naviglio Zanelli channel from Faenza to Po di Primaro River. The new navigable channel (in red on the map) was inaugurated on May 29th, 1782.

Fig. 7 – Present-day image of Naviglio Zanelli channel near Bagnacavallo (Ravenna Province). The navigation stopped in the second half of 19th century, and the channel was converted to provide energy for mills. Currently, it is used as an irrigation channel. Photo: S. Piastra, 2010. 15 irrigation channel (fig. 7). fact, the square is dedicated to pro-free- Currently, some environmental resto- dom victims; secondary roads to Second ration projects connected to it are in World War communist partisans. progress, with the aim to re-consider this rural landscape element as historical-cul- tural evidence. Stop no. 3. Fascist Era rural houses, Umana dewatering pump and Argine di Agosta, “The road on the water” Stop no. 2. The “double face” of Anita (Argenta Municipality): Fascist Era Once out of Anita, agrarian landscape reclamation-related new settlement, is characterized by large, straight and present-day Communist and Post- regular fields, here known as larghe“ ”. In Communist toponymy connection with a right-angle bend in the road, an exemplificative Fascist Age During the Fascist Era (1922-1943), land reclamations-related standard rural house reclamations, on the basis also of an ideo- is visible (fig. 10): the layout is regular; the logical perspective, reached their acme. only building materials are bricks; on the In Ferrara Province, during this period, façade, an epigraph celebrates the assign- a mechanical drainage of “Valle Umana” ment date to the farmer (1939). wetland, South of Comacchio and East Going straight, a huge historical land rec- of Argenta, was promoted. Here, in newly lamation plant is visible on the left: it is reclaimed area, besides new fields, a new “Umana” dewatering pump, dating to settlement, called “Anita”, was founded in the ‘30s, still today in operation (fig. 11). 1939 (Pe n a z z i 2007; Pe n n a cc h i 2008, p. Originally, dewatering pumps were fed 289, n. 46), just one year before Fascist through steam, then oil, finally electricity. Italy came into the Second World War. The next stop is “Argine di Agosta” (lit- Such a toponym (a female first name) erally “Bank of Agosta”), on the top of refers, with celebrative and nationalistic which the road runs: it has to be inter- aims, to Anita Garibaldi, the wife of the preted as a Proto-historical dune-bar, Italian Risorgimento famous hero Giuseppe some meters in relief, once dividing “Valle Garibaldi: she died in this zone in 1849 Fossa di Porto” wetland to the East and while escaping, together with her hus- “Valle del Mezzano” wetland (currently band, from Austrian and Papal armies. reclaimed) to the West. The toponym The village presents a Fascist-styled ur- “Agosta” refers to the latin “Fossa Augus- banism, with orthogonal quarters (fig. ta”, a semi-artificial channel dating to the 8); the church, the school and the Fascist Imperial Roman Age, linking the port of Party Section (fig. 9) are located facing the Ravenna to the Po River Southern arms central square, as an ideological manifesto of that time, which are currently filled of the urban body. up. Currently, Anita is an isolated, semi-de- Francesco Serantini (1889-1978), a local serted village, and, as a sort of a retalia- writer from Castelbolognese (Ravenna tion, shows a Communist and Post-Com- Province), dedicated a story to this evoca- munist ideological re-appropriation of tive place, entitled La strada sull’acqua (lit- urban spaces, contrary to the original one, erally “The road on the water”), dating to related to the social conditions of field- the ‘60s: «(…) This is argine di Agosta! Yes, hands who were the first to settle here: in it is, a finger made of earth located in the water, 16 Fig. 8 – Satellite image of Anita village (Argenta Municipality, Ferrara Province). The village was founded in 1939. It presents a Fascist-styled urbanism, with orthogonal quarters; current urban toponymy denotes a Communist and Post-Communist ideological re-appropriation of urban spaces. Satellite image. Source: Google Earth.

Fig. 9 – Anita: Fascist Party Section, recently recovered for public uses. Photo: S. Piastra, 2010. 17 Fig. 10 – Neighbourhood of Anita: a Fascist Age reclamation-related standard rural house is visible. On the façade, an epigraph celebrates the assignment date to the farmer (1939). Photo: S. Piastra, 2010.

Fig. 11 – Neighbourhood of Anita: “Umana” dewatering pump, dating to the ‘30s. Photo: S. Piastra, 2010. 18 today it is a road, a sort of dream. (…) it is tion processes and extreme organic com- a beautiful road, miles and miles in the middle ponent of soil (fig. 14), agriculture yield is of the waters, in the silence of wetlands, in the decreasing. solemnity of wetlands, in the mystery of the wet- In conclusion, costs-benefits relation lands; the man who planned this road has to be was/is inefficient, and the land reclama- a magician or a poet» (Se r a n t i n i 2003, pp. tion caused a decline of natural values. 109-110). Such a negative balance was shared, in an emotive way, by Francesco Serantini, who dealt with such a theme in several stories, Stop no. 4. “Valle del Mezzano” land for example, in Addio alle valli, (literally reclamation (‘50s-‘60s of the 20th cen- “Farewell to wetlands”) (‘60s): «(…) I went tury): landscape and economic issues to give the last farewell to “Valle del Mezzano”, it does not exist anymore because they drained it. Once a bridge on the left is passed, our (…) I saw you as a dead woman’s body. Your itinerary enters the “Valle del Mezzano”, surface is still here as far as the horizon, but it the largest wetland complex in Comac- is no more a majesty of light blue water, it is a chio area (20,000 hectares approx.), re- desert of rusty grass, a desert without life and claimed between 1957 and the late ‘60s, soul. I saw no more birds on you (…). And they by the Ente Delta Padano (EDP) (literally were your colour, your beauty, your breath, your “Po River Delta Authority”), afterwards way to be alive» (Se r a n t i n i 2003, pp. 191- renamed Ente Regionale Sviluppo Agricolo 193). (ERSA) (literally “Agriculture Develop- The same in La strada sull’acqua, previous- ment Regional Authority”), a body which ly quoted: «(…) the black and deserted earth had to manage land reclamations in this is waiting, the roads are ready, who is this land period (fig. 12). waiting for? Does it know that men don’t want This land reclamation, carried out through to be farmers anymore?» (Se r a n t i n i 2003, p. dewatering pumps (Fosse and Lepri 110). plants), was one of the latest in the re- Concerning “Valle del Mezzano” land gion. Its present rural landscape is charac- reclamation, similar elegiac impressions terized by a very regular modular division are also present in Francesco Fuschini’s of land; agriculture here is highly mecha- works (1914-2006), another local writer nized; new rural settlements are very rare from Argenta (Ferrara Province). In a (fig. 13). story entitled Un paese perduto (literally “A Such a land reclamation, programmed in lost village”), dating to the ‘70s, these are the attempt, under a political view, to turn Fuschini’s considerations: «[In the “Valle definitively Comacchio fish-poachers (so- del Mezzano” just reclaimed] you can see only called “fiocinini”, word linked to their fish- watermelons (…) and you can hear the strident ing tool, it. “fiocina”, “harpoon”: see also echo of bulldozers, which are creating new fields par. no. 7) into farmers, can probably be in reclaimed lands. Concerning the original sav- considered the most exemplificative case age environment of Comacchio wetlands, I found of failure of the land reclamation pro- nothing except for a postcard» (Fu s c h i n i 2007, gram: in the ‘60s, agriculture was no more p. 120). the main Italian economic sector; assign- ees have re-sold their fields, and large es- tates of land have re-appeared (Ga l v a n i 1999, pp. 51-52); because of soil saliniza- 19 Fig. 12 – Reclamation works in “Valle del Mezzano” (Ferrara Province). Photo dating to the ‘50s of the 20th century (ERSA Archive). Source: Ca m p i 1989.

Fig. 13 – Present-day highly mechanized agriculture in reclaimed “Valle del Mezzano”. Photo: S. Piastra, 2010. 20 Stop no. 5. “Valle Pega” land reclama- Stop no. 6. Stazione Foce: a boat trip tion (‘50s of the 20th century): recla- in Comacchio residual wetlands mation-related standard-rural houses, nationalistic new toponymy, archaeo- Once arrived to “Stazione Foce”, Emilia- logical investigations in reclaimed ar- Romagna Po River Delta Regional Park eas visitor centre, the excursion is going to start a round boat trip in Comacchio re- Once out of “Valle del Mezzano” land sidual wetlands. We will reach, by boat, reclamation, the field trip enters “Valle traditional, seasonal houses, currently con- Pega” land reclamation, reclaimed in the verted to educative purposes, located in ‘50s, just a few years before the “Valle sand islands (locally known as “bari”/sing. del Mezzano”, in the framework of Ital- “baro”) in the middle of the “valli”: in this ian Agrarian Reform promoted by Italian area, these houses are known as “casoni”/ Prime Minister Alcide De Gasperi. Dif- sing. “casone” (literally “big houses”). Two ferently from “Valle del Mezzano”, rec- different types of “casoni” are visible here: lamations-related modular rural houses fishing ones (so-calledcasoni “ da pesca”) are visible here (fig. 15); the toponymy (fig. 18) and guard ones (so-called casoni“ presents nationalistic and ideological im- da guardia”, with the aim to prevent illegal plications, referring to former Italian ter- fishing, which was once under public or ritories (Istria peninsula) passed to Yugo- semi-public monopoly, in the wetlands) slavia after the Second World War, in the (fig. 19). Moreover, eel fishing traditional attempt, in a theoretical and over-ambi- structures, known as “lavorieri”/sing. “la- tious approach, to claim them and keep voriero”, have been rebuilt (fig. 20). their memory among the people (fig. 16). During the boat trip, it is possible to ana- Another scientific issue related to the Po lyse Comacchio wetlands landscape: clay- River Delta wetlands reclamation pro- and flat-bottomed brackish water bodies, gram regards archaeological findings: just 1-2 meters deep, very rich in ichthyo- waters drainage and channel excavations fauna, without any permanent human set- brought to light several archaeological tlements. complexes, dating to the Iron Age (Etrus- These residual wetlands were saved from can settlement of Spina, with respective the land reclamation program thanks to a necropoleis), the Roman Age (several coun- proposal, dating to 1965, by the Ente Delta try villas and also a well-preserved com- Padano (Da g r a d i 1979, p. 39): in fact, at mercial ship) and the (Be r t i that time, both scientific community and 1990; Ug g e r i 2006). public opinion, fully aware about the un- During “Valle Pega” reclamation, besides solved problems of reclamation, were an Etruscan necropolis related to Spina, largely adverse to the total fulfilment of an Early-Medieval church, S. Maria in Pa- the land reclamation project. dovetere, was investigated (fig. 17)C ( o r t i 2007): the toponym “in Padovetere” refers to the church’s original location along a Stop no. 7. Comacchio city: social and Po River senescent arm. urban themes

From Stazione Foce, the field trip goes on as far as Comacchio. Since the Early Medieval Age, the city of 21 Fig. 14 – “Valle del Mezzano” reclamation. The photo emphasizes salinization and the extreme organic component of the soil: this is the reason why agriculture yield here is low. Photo: S. Piastra, 2010.

Fig. 15 – Modular division of land and reclamations-related standard rural houses in “Valle Pega” (Comacchio, Ferrara Province), reclaimed in the ‘50s of the 20th century. Satellite image. Source: Google Earth. 22 Fig. 16 – Nationalistic and ideological toponymy in reclaimed “Valle Pega”, referring to former Italian territories (Istria peninsula) passed to Yugoslavia after the Second World War: the attempt, in a theoretical and over-ambitious approach, was to claim them and keep their memory among the people. In the picture, a road dedicated to Pula (currently located in Croatia), it. Pola. Photo: S. Piastra, 2010.

Fig. 17 – Archaeological investigations in reclaimed “Valle Pega” (‘60s of the 20th century): the Early- Medieval church of S. Maria in Padovetere, originally located along a Po River senescent arm. Source: Be r s e l l i 1977. 23 Fig. 18 – A traditional fishing house in the middle of Comacchio residual wetlands. Photo: S. Piastra, 2009.

Comacchio had a bipolar economy, based poachers (“fiocinini”). Such a situation on one side on salt production and com- continued until the Contemporary Age, merce in the Po Plain (Ce cc h i n i 1997); on when the public monopoly of commer- the other on fishing and aquaculture, in cial fishing passed to a municipal compa- particular eels (Anguilla anguilla). The lo- ny called “Azienda Valli” (“wetlands com- cal people’s semi-scientific approach to pany”), finally renamed “SIVALCO”, and eels aquaculture impressed, for example, brought permanent conflicts in the urban French scholar Jean-Jacques Coste, who space of Comacchio, where the whole of visited Comacchio wetlands in the middle the population was settled. This process of the 19th century, and dealt with such influenced indirectly also anthropologi- a topic in full detail in his works (Co s t e cal and social behaviours: for example, 1855). for a “fiocinino”, social consideration grew During the Modern Age, commercial in proportion with the number of his ar- fishing in brackish waters became a public rests or months passed in jail; during a or public-related monopoly (at that time, “fiocinino” detention, fishing companions the Papal State), and the social body of were used to support his family (Ce r - Comacchio, isolated from the rest of the n u s c h i Sa l k o f f 1981). This conflicting country, underwent a dichotomic split: condition was further worsened by fast State-salaried wetlands fishermen val(“ - demographical increase. lanti”) and guards (“guardiavalli”) VS. fish Such a peculiar social contraposition in- 24 Fig. 19 – A traditional guard house along “Argine di Agosta”: its aim was to prevent illegal fishing. Photo: S. Piastra, 2009.

Fig. 20 – An eel fishing traditional structure, known as “lavoriero”. Photo: S. Piastra, 2009. 25 Fig. 21 – A present-day image of Comacchio: because of the land reclamation program, carried out during the 20th century, it is currently surrounded by fields. Photo: S. Piastra, 2010. side a small urban space, inspired several related Industrial Archaeology plants have novels: e.g. Il paese dell’acqua brulicante. I been restored, and converted to eco-tour- fiocinini (literally “The village of swarm- ism and environmental education centres ing water. The fish poachers”) by Arturo (fig. 24). Malagù (Ma l a g ù 1967), or Al mare lontano Currently, in Comacchio wetlands eels (literally “To the far-away sea”) by Mas- fishing is still practised, but in a sustain- simo Vaggi (Va g g i 2005). able way; Comacchio salt-pan underwent After the Second World War, land recla- recently an environmental restoration, mations and industrialization broke the becoming a new site for birdwatching isolation of Comacchio, now surrounded (Po r t a n o v a [no date]). by fields (fig. 21); at the same time, emi- gration and depopulation phenomena were inset. Concerning the urban landscape, Comac- chio is very similar, in a smaller scale, to Venice: urban morphology is influenced by channels (Ma e s t r i 1977; Da l l a r i 1979) (fig. 22), in the past used also for internal navigation; the historical core of the city is just for pedestrians, and bridges link the channels banks (fig. 23). Fishing-

26 Fig. 22 – The urban landscape of Comacchio, similar to Venice. Photo: S. Piastra, 2010.

Fig. 23 – The most impressive monument in Comacchio: Trepponti bridge (literally “The three bridges”). 17th century. Photo: S. Piastra, 2010. 27 Fig. 24 – Eel-related Industrial Archaeology plant (“Manifattura dei marinati”) in Comacchio, recently converted to an eco-tourism and environmental education centre under the umbrella of the Emilia- Romagna Po River Delta Regional Park. Photo: S. Piastra, 2010. 28 Cartographical Appendix: landscape evolution in the Emilia-Romagna sector of the Po River Delta from historical and contemporary maps (19th-20th centuries)

29 1987. i r e n t u , V e z z o l i : P Section of a map concerning Ferrara Province, drafted by Austrian Imperial Army Geographical Institute (1814). Original scale 1:15,000 approx.; approx.; 1:15,000 scale Original (1814). Institute GeographicalArmy Imperial Austrian by drafted ofProvince, Section Ferrara concerning map a The city ofNorth is on the top. is represented as an island in the middle of Comacchio Source the wetlands.

30 2007. o m a g n a -R m i l i a , I BC E o m a g n a -R m i l i a E e g i o n e : R . Source At that time, Comacchio was under Papal rule Papal under was Comacchio time, that At , drafted by Austrian Imperial Army Geographical Institute (1851). Original Original Carta(1851). delloTopografica Institute Stato PontificioArmy Geographical Imperial dele GranducatoAustrian by di, Toscana drafted Section Section of 1:86,400; Northscale top. is on the

31 1855. Original scale 1:83,000 approx.; North 1855. Original scale 1:83,000 approx.; is on the right. o s t e C , map attached to , map attached Section of de Comacchio Plan de la Lagune et des Valli

32 , 2010). th Comacchio Comacchio wetlands (Northern Italy): North of Isola” has “Valle not been Comacchio, reclaimed yet. Italian Army Geographical Institute map types of dating to 1934. Original scale 1:100,000. From (IGM 77, Comacchio), 16 6568, March Istituto Geografico Militare (licence no.

33 , 2010). th Comacchio Comacchio wetlands: Comacchio), in 77, (IGM map Institute GeographicalArmy comparison Italian existing. still with are Pega” the “Valle and Rillo” previous “Valle Mezzano”, del map, “Valle “Valle Isola”, Comacchio, North of Comacchio, has been totally reclaimed. types ofdating to 1950. Original scale 1:100,000. From South-West 16 of 6568, March Istituto Geografico Militare (licence no.

34 , 2010). th Comacchio area: “Valle del Mezzano” (to the West), “Valle Rillo” and “Valle Pega” (South-West of reclaimed. completely been (South-West have Pega” Comacchio) “Valle and Rillo” “Valle West), the (to Mezzano” del “Valle area: Comacchio On the coastline, to the East, several Sun & Sea seasonal tourist villages have been settled; North of Porto Garibaldi, artificial cliffs have been built to mitigate coastal erosion. Italian Army Geographical Institute map (new version) (IGM 205, Comacchio), dating to 1985. Original scale types of1:50,000. From 16 6568, March Istituto Geografico Militare (licence no.

35 : Google Earth. Present-day image Present-day of Source Satellite image. and reclaimed ones. zone: residual wetlands Comacchio

36 Photographical Appendix: the people and the city of Comacchio at the beginning of the 20th century

37 1905. a m e l l i r e l t : B century. Source century. th Comacchio, surrounded by waters, at the beginning of surrounded waters, by Comacchio, the 20

38 1905. a m e l l i r e l t : B century. Source century. th An urban channel in Comacchio. Beginning of in Comacchio. An urban channel the 20

39 1905. a m e l l i r e l t : B century. Source century. th “Trepponti” bridge in Comacchio. Beginning of bridge in Comacchio. “Trepponti” the 20

40 1990. h i n i cc e : C century. Source century. th ” in Comacchio wetlands at the beginning of wetlands “ Fiocinini ” in Comacchio the 20

41 1990. h i n i cc e : C century. Source century. th lavoriero beginning of wetlands; ”. Comacchio the 20 Eels fishing in a “

42 1990. h i n i cc e : C century. Source century. th 1990. h i n i cc e : C century. Source century. th th lavoriero beginning of wetlands; ”. Comacchio the 20 Eels fishing in a “ Eels out of the net. Beginning of the 20

43 1990. h i n i cc e : C century. Source century. th Kids showing eels ofKids showing Beginning of different ageComacchio. and weight. the 20

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