Throughout the centuries, the collective management of the common heritage has guaranteed a fair exploitation of natural resources and has preserved and improved life con">
        
        

 

Sustainability in the Ampezzo valley

Throughout the centuries, the collective management of the common heritage has guaranteed a fair exploitation of natural resources and has preserved and improved life conditions also for the future generations.

High pasturelands and forests made up the common heritage; the Regolieri were allowed/entitled to graze only the animals which spent the winters in their sheds; while forests would provide a main commodity: timber.

Dwelling homes, valley meadows and fields belonged to the families, who could mow the grass for the animals, grow vegetables and other products.

ù Each family was to provide for its own sustenance and for the animals and the growing season was rather short. In allotting the lands to its members, each family-head had to evaluate their needs so as to optimize harvest of hay, cereals, and other agricultural products.
The whole agricultural production was intended for family use.
The Ampezzo community had always imported two main commodities: salt from the Hall salt mines in Tyrol and wheat or flour from the plains. Since the 15th century, the Ampezzo Community had been using the fóntego, a barn where cereals were bought and sold. The price of the cereals was increased only of cost price and poor families could receive wheat for free in times of famine. Cold-resistant crops like barley, rye and oats were grown. There were few wheat fields, while flax and hemp were common crops. Broad beans was the main crop for the Ampezzo people until the early 18th century; in 1807, it was replaced by the potato, thanks to the concern of the Bavarian government. To ensure land fertility a system of crop rotation was introduced. In the first year barley was grown, to be replaced by wheat in the second year, then broad beans and finally the potato. The field was no longer ploughed for four or five years and the land returned to grass again.