Regional Act No. 19 on the creation and establishment of protected nature areas in the Puglia Region.

In accordance with the general principles established by Act No. 394 of 6 December 1991, the present Regional Act lays down rules for the creation and the management of protected nature areas in order to guarantee and encourage the conservation and improvement of regional natural and environmental resources. The Puglia Region protects agricultural and sylvo-pastoral activities performed on protected nature areas (as defined by article 1, paragraph 3 of Act No. 394). This Act is divided into five Titles. Title I contains general provisions. The regional territories to be protected shall be classified, in accordance with their particular features and destination, into the following: (a) regional nature parks; (b) regional nature reserves; (c) regional nature parks and reserves of provincial, metropolitan and local interest; (d) natural monuments (art. 2). The Technical and Scientific Committee is established by article 3. It shall exercise advisory functions, including: (a) advices relating to the park plan referred to in article 20; (b) formulation of proposals and directives concerning the creation and management of protected nature areas; (c) elaboration of technical and scientific advices to be submitted to the Managing Entities of protected areas; (d) proposal of scientific research and experimentation. The Region shall provide for the establishment of protected nature areas mainly by using the regional forestry domain as well as forests pertaining to the Provinces, the Communes and other public entities (art. 4). The management of the services of protected areas may be entrusted to private entities, as provided by article 23 of Act No. 394 of 1991. Hunting is prohibited on regional protected areas. Title II of the Regional Act determines and provides for the establishment of protected nature areas falling within the regional territory. Article 6 defines the procedure to be followed for the establishment of the protected areas. Title III makes provision on protected areas management, which is entrusted to the Provinces, Mountain Communitites and local entities. The mentioned public organisms may create public entities consisting of the organisms referred to in article 9, paragraph 3. Title IV of the Regional Act concerns the territorial management and contains particular provisions relating to the Park Plan (art. 20), the socio-economic plan (art. 21), inspection (art. 23) and penalties (art. 25). The Regional Programme on Protected Nature Areas, containing the list of nature areas to be established, is attached.