In early Februrary a meeting in Poschiavo, Switzerland, happened within the project Waterwise framework. Clément Roques from the University of Neuchâtel, project coordinator, met here with local stakeholders to discuss future, possible connections between the Valposchiavo area, which already hosts a project deployment site, and Waterwise.
The two-hour long meeting was very participated, and many local representatives attended: the mayor of Poschiavo, the director of the Poschiavo municipal forestry agency, the director of the Bernina Region and head of the regional development, the hydroelectric company Repower, the president of the agricultural organization from the neighboring municipality of Brusio.
Participants showed a keen interest in the project and the discussion that started here was very productive and we are very happy to announce that it led to Valposchiavo becoming the 8th project pilot site.
As it was stated above, one of the deployment sites of the project is nearby: it’s the Val d’Ursé catchment, part of the Valposchiavo Valley. The hydrology of the catchment is shaped by both seasonal precipitation and the dynamics of snowpack melt, which recharge the aquifer systems highly sensitive to climate change – which poses significant challenges to the pristine biodiversity and aquatic ecosystems typical of high alpine settings. In addition to its environmental importance, the catchment supports pastoral activities, and the Ursé stream supplies water to the Poschiavino river, on whose banks the town of Poschiavo lies.
Once this is established, it is easy to understand why local stakeholders are interested in Waterwise and the support it can bring to the local communities.
The “upgrade” to being one of the pilot sites means that Valposchiavo will host a series of project workshops aimed at defining local needs, to elaborate ecosystem-based solutions to future water challenges. The Waterwise team will also continue to conduct tests and analyses in Val d’Ursé, which will help predict the future evolution of the catchment in response to climate change, and together with the local community they will co-design more sustainable, resilient water management strategies.
Thank you to Cassiano Luminati from Polo Poschiavo for organizing this meeting!
