Feb. 26 – In the heart of the Karen Mogensen natural park, there is Italy, an experimental climate station. The project was developed within the cooperation agreement of 1993 thanks to researchers at the Università degli studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia and Modena volunteers. Built almost entirely in wood, the station has photovoltaic panels and a satellite dish; it has a 160 m2 platform and is 4 meters high. It will welcome a lab, a study room, accomodation for researchers and a meeting room. Outside, there is a climate/weather observation point. Construction began in February 2011 thanks to funds provided by Modena companies; operations were carried out also thanks to the Gev Modena and Asepaleco associations, which provided the land, wood and logistics. “The aim of the structure – says Dario Sonetti from Modena University – is to supply an equipped base for Italian and local students and researchers who study tropical forest ecosystems and their biodiversity in light of climate change. This is why we chose to invest in technologies that could capture weather changes and gas movements between the forest and the atmosphere.” The project is supported by the Italian university, Modena’s Maths and Nature Society and both Embassies. The university of Modena and Reggio Emilia developed the project within a cooperation agreement for the conservation of the environment and biodiversity thanks to the financial support of the Provinces of Modena, Parma and Ferrara. The Karen Mogensen national park, established in 1993, covers over 900 hectares of land and is managed today by the local Asapaleco association, with whom the Guardie Ecologiche Volontarie of the Modena Province signed the “Forests Forever” agreement. The Italia station will commence activities on March 1, after an inauguration ceremony with Alfio Piva, vice president of Costa Rica, the Minister of the Environment, René Castro, and the Italian Ambassador, Francesco Calogero.
