The Municipal Administration of Catanzaro is proud to announce that on Sunday, July 6th, the Siano Pine Forest will host the XC Pineta Siano, the final stage

The Municipal Administration of Catanzaro is proud to announce that on Sunday, July 6, the Siano Pine Forest will host the XC Pineta Siano, the final stage of the XCalabra Cup 2025 mountain bike trophy. The initiative, promoted by ASD Swattati Team Catanzaro and included in the official circuit of the Italian Cycling Federation, represents an important sporting and symbolic moment for the city.

The choice of the Siano Pine Forest as the natural setting for this event is not accidental, but the result of a process of recovery and enhancement that the Fiorita Administration has implemented since the beginning of its mandate. Despite the serious damage caused by the 2021 fire, the Pine Forest retains a rare and precious biodiversity in the Mediterranean landscape, which the Administration has sought to protect and regenerate with concrete and structural interventions.

Already in the first weeks of government, in 2022, an important renaturalization intervention of about 4 hectares of the wooded area affected by the fire was completed, carried out by Calabria Verde, which included slope consolidation operations and hydraulic-forestry works also using trunks that were only partially burned and suitable for interventions. In addition, specimens of native species, selected directly from the plants present in the park, were sown to strengthen the endemic character of the ecosystem.

Subsequently, the council followed up with a comprehensive redevelopment plan, which included: the removal of trees in dangerous conditions and the consequent partial reopening of the Pine Forest by mayoral ordinance (no. to be inserted); the restoration of the fountain in the children's playground at the park entrance, inactive since the time of the fire; the planting of about 20 new trees to enrich and shade the play area. With a view to circular recovery of natural materials, some removed pine trunks were transferred to the playground and will be reused for the creation of flower beds. At the same time, Calabria Verde has started work—already underway—for the removal of burned material on a further 15 hectares of Pine Forest.

In this context of environmental rebirth and new planning, the creation of the first mountain bike trail in the Municipality of Catanzaro, officially recognized by the Italian Cycling Federation and CONI, takes place. Thanks to the collaboration between the Administration, Calabria Verde, the company awarded the contract, and the Swattati association, the Pine Forest is preparing to become a regional reference point for outdoor sports.

From the outset, councilors Antonio Battaglia (Sports and Heritage), Irene Colosimo (Environment and Ecological Transition), Vincenzo Costantino (Tourism and Youth Policies), and Giuliana Furrer (Productive Activities) have given full importance to the collaboration proposal put forward by ASD Swattati, an organization whose seriousness, technical competence, and commitment to the area they immediately recognized. Convinced that the "Li Comuni" Park can once again become a reference point for the entire community, the councilors enthusiastically welcomed the opportunity to relaunch it through initiatives that combine sport, nature, and active citizenship. The shared goal is to return to citizens a place to be fully experienced, in an even more participatory way than in the past.

A valuable contribution was offered by City Councilor and agronomist Alberto Carpino, who supported the Administration in environmental choices with technical expertise and sustainable vision, and by City Councilor Raffaele Serò, a deep connoisseur of the park and the neighborhood, always close to the enhancement paths of the Pine Forest.

Thanks are also due to the Director of Calabria Verde, Dr. Oliva, and Dr. Giuseppe Mancuso, for their great availability and technical support provided in collaboration with the Swattati association.

The event on July 6 therefore represents not only a major sporting competition, but also the first step in a strategic vision that sees the Siano Pine Forest as a multifunctional place, where nature, sport, and social gathering can coexist harmoniously.

The future of the Siano Pine Forest also depends on the ongoing regional legislative process, which aims to recognize this extraordinary ecosystem as a Regional Nature Reserve, thanks to the bill promoted by Regional Councilor Domenico Bevacqua. This is a fundamental step to ensure greater protection, investment, and integrated long-term planning. The municipal administration looks favorably and confidently at this prospect, convinced that only a broad institutional alliance can fully restore the park to the strategic role it deserves for the environment, health, and quality of life of citizens.