Tagliamento is the name of a river in the far Northeast of Italy, in the region closest to Slovenia and Austria. Its name means “river with a lot of linden trees along its banks.” The river has its source in the Dolomite mountains and flows to the Adriatic Sea, covering a distance of 178km.
Tagliamento stands today as one of Europe’s last remaining rivers that flows freely from its source to its mouth, carving its own natural riverbed. What makes this river absolutely unique is its pristine and untouched nature: its course is mostly morphologically preserved. In fact, the Tagliamento is the last Alpine “braided river” in Europe. Its riverbed can stretch up to three kilometers wide, making it one of the most vital ecological corridors on the continent. It seamlessly connects the diverse ecosystems of the Alps with those of the Mediterranean, fostering unparalleled biodiversity.
The deep and fascinating connection between people and this river spans millennia. Its banks have been continuously inhabited since prehistoric ages, consistently providing local communities with essential resources and fostering the exchange of people, cultures, and ideas. This river is also a profound source of myths and traditions, and even today, the Tagliamento remains a core part of the region’s identity, serving as a testament to the enduring bond between the population and the river.
Unfortunately, over the last 40 years, the integrity of the river has periodically been threatened by proposals for various high-impact projects conceived in a very old-fashioned way to contain possible floods. So far, thanks to the mobilisation of the population and some institutions, all these projects have been dismissed or kept on hold. Nowadays, a massive dam threatens Tagliamento, or as the local government calls it, a “a bridge-weir for lamination/flood control”, specifically planned across the middle course. This project is advocated by certain public authorities and private stakeholders, but contrary to the propaganda and according to other studies, it would not ensure protection against either floods or droughts. Despite strong opposition from environmental committees and over 12,000 signatures from the local population, and even an appeal from over 800 scientists at an international level, the Regional Council of Friuli Venezia Giulia approved the design process for this structure in April 2024.
Thanks to the endurance of the local civil society, the project advancement is currently in a stand-by situation, awaiting answers by the regional institutions. The danger is there, though, and this is the main reason why we are welcoming the Confluence’s alliance, as we think that mutual support and experience sharing with sister organizations can help us all in our struggle for a more sustainable and nature-based approach towards the future.
