Paesaggio Parmigiano Reggiano, GAL

A project promoted by GAL Antico Frignano e Appennino Reggiano, curated by LAND Italia and CAIRE Consorzio, who have put not just their hands — but above all, their minds and hearts — into an initiative that goes beyond mere preservation: giving new voice and value to the landscape of Mountain Parmigiano Reggiano, working side by side with the very people who, day after day, truly shape this landscape.

We’re talking about a territory that is never just one thing, but many: from the hills and mid-mountain areas, filled with expanses of forage crops and cultivated fields drawing green geometries, to the higher, more remote areas, where nature reclaims its space among woods and pastures.
It is a transversal landscape, one that escapes easy labels: what the Action Plan calls the Hillside Landscape and the Agricultural Mountain Landscape, but in reality, it is much more.

In recent decades, however, we’ve witnessed a transformation that has left its mark. The more isolated areas have been abandoned and swallowed by the woods, while the more accessible zones have been intensified and reshaped by human intervention.
As a result, pieces of historic landscapes — rich in memory, biodiversity, and beauty — have been lost along the way.

To this, another phenomenon must be added: in the agri-food supply chain, farms are merging and growing in scale, bringing with them ever-larger barns and facilities that often clash with the proportions and character of these places. The result is a blow to the perception, harmony, and identity of a unique landscape.

And so, it’s time to pause, look around, and rethink. Not alone, but by involving those who live and shape the landscape every day: breeders and farmers, technicians and local communities.
The landscape of Mountain Parmigiano Reggiano isn’t a static backdrop — it is alive, made of daily choices, care, passion, and hard work. And to truly protect it, we must first listen — and listen to those who know it best.