Appennino Lucano National Park faces tree removal for ski project

Environmental organization Legambiente has formally requested intervention from Italy's Minister of the Environment, Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, regarding a controversial redevelopment project in the Sellata-Monte Pierfaone ski area. The project, located within the Appennino Lucano National Park and adjacent to a Natura 2000 conservation zone, involves the removal of 951 alder and beech trees.

The initiative aims to install a 480-meter synthetic ski slope, intended to be the longest in Italy, to allow for year-round tourism despite seasonal snow shortages. While regional authorities in Basilicata have allocated significant public funds—estimates range between 6 and 8 million euros—for the project, critics argue the environmental cost is too high.

Legambiente has called for greater transparency, a re-examination of the Environmental Impact Assessment, and an internal investigation by the Basilicata Region to clarify the authorization process. Opponents argue that sacrificing protected forests for artificial infrastructure is an outdated model that contradicts climate crisis mitigation efforts.