Man and environment. The protection afforded during the late Mediaeval period for hill and mountain areas in the Apennines of the Marche region. Part two

Abstract

The essay focuses on the Municipal Statutes of Serrapetrona and Camporotondo, settlements in what is now the Province of Macerata. The main economic, social and technical issues affecting agriculture in the 19^th and 20^th centuries on the above estates, as well as on those of Sefro and Fiastra, are outlined. Results of an analysis of the Statutes from the two municipalities, dating back to the late 15^th century are presented, focusing on the regulations disciplining the cultivation of fields and forests, the breeding of livestock, hunting and fishing, the management of springs, streams and ponds, and how to ensure compliance with these regulations. The regulations succeeded in providing adequate protection for the natural resources, from which the inhabitants of Serrapetrona and Camporotondo gained their sustenance, safeguarding the techniques used to optimise production. The study concludes with some reflections on the protection of the forests and soil protection, carried out since the end of the Middle Ages.