On Sunday 30th June 2024, Pastorizia in Festival, a festival dedicated to traditional breeding practices, organized the “Sui Passi del Pastore” (“In the Shepherd’s Footsteps”) day trip, in collaboration with LIFE Grace’s beneficiary ARSIAL.
More than 100 people, including local representatives, tourists, researchers, technicians and breeders, followed shepherds and their herds on a 6-km hike in the “Prati di Mezzo” area, which is located in the Picinisco municipality (FR) and is a part of the National Park of Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise.
Throughout the day, LIFE Grace’s beneficiaries (ARSIAL and the Department of Environmental Biology of La Sapienza University) introduced the participants to the ancient grazing and breeding practices that resulted in the development of biodiversity-rich grassland habitats in Lazio. Moreover, this special bond between humans and the environment led to the evolution of local breeds which adapted to these grasslands and to a wide variety of food and wine delicacies.
Thanks to Claudio di Giovannantonio (ARSIAL), the participants discovered what a day in the life of a shepherd looks like and how the Picinisco “Pecorino” cheese, which is a DPO (Denomination of Protected Origin) product, is made. The organoleptic properties of the Pecorino are influenced by the diversity of plant species that make up the diet of sheep on these grasslands. Plant biodiversity in this environment was further illustrated by Marco Massimi, researcher at La Sapienza University, who shed a light on the role the breeders can have in preserving these special habitats. This stewardship role is the very thing that LIFE Grace wants to protect, promote and enhance.
At the destination, at Fonte Fredda, the hikers took part in a wine and food tasting and attended a folk music performance by musician Ambrogio Sparagna.
You can watch a video about the experience if you want to follow “in the shepherd’s footsteps” and take a virtual hike on the grazing lands above Valle di Comino:
LIFE GRACE (18/09/2024)