INNO NATOURInnovation in Nature Based Tourism

Services

Suceava, Romania May 15th-28th 2011

An Italian pre-case study:

“Middle-Earth cooperative, an opportunity on the Euganean Hills”

by Francesca Savio

“MIDDLE-EARTH

COOPERATIVE, AN

OPPORTUNITY ON

THE EUGANEAN

HILLS”

“Middle-Earth cooperative”

Casa Marina since 2003

Visitors’ center, hostel and

environmental education laboratory.

On Venda Hill, Regional Park of

the Euganean Hills

Bapi Park since 2008

An urban park managed by Middle Earth cooperative, where parties and ludic activities are organized. This is also the headquarter of the enterprise. Mestrino,

Padua.

“Euganean Hill” hostel since 2007

Provides hospitality to groups, nature-

learning paths, sport and school turism and

adventure camps.

St. George Valley, Baone.

LOCATIONS

“Middle Earth cooperative, an opportunity on the Euganean Hills”

Venezian Hostel since 2011

Another location for group or family hosting.

Monselice, Padua.

“Middle Earth cooperative, an opportunity on the Euganean Hills”

BRIEF HISTORY

The “Middle Earth” social cooperative was founded in June 2000, than it has committed itself to the following activities:

• from November 2000 to June 2010, management of the Ethnographic Park of the Rubano Forest which included a large natural area around a lake, a big house - ethnographic museum of rural

culture and visitors’ center –, an educational farm and Social gardens, cultivated by Rubano citizens in their spare time

• autumn 2003, conduction of “Casa Marina”

• September 2005, organization of guided excursion and educational tour within the Regional Park of Euganean Hills

“Middle Earth cooperative, an opportunity on the Euganean Hills”

BRIEF HISTORY

• 2006/2007, collaboration with the Body responsible for Urban Basins PD3 and PD4 for the awareness towards

recycling and reuse of waste, carried out in schools; starting of the project “House of the Future” aimed to

enhance and enrich pupils' knowledge on energy

• March 2007, administration of the “Euganean Hill” hostel, owned by the municipality of Baone.

• 2008, menaging of Bapi Park

• 2009, collaboration with the Training Center of the Civil Protection of Veneto Region

• May 2011, administration of the new “Venetian Hostel”

“Middle Earth cooperative, an opportunity on the Euganean Hills”

OTHER ACTIVITIES

ADVENTURE CAMPS

During summer, Middle Earth arranges engaging and adventurous one-week stays featuring environmental

education activities for youngs and outdoor sports and games.

Battles with

blowpipe

Orienteering

Raft building

with stakes

and cords

Games in the wood

Mountain biking

Climbing

kayakingRiding

donkeys

HOUSE OF THE FUTURE

It is a wheeled wooden house that can be

transported inschool gardens, squares,

or exhibition halls, showing some plants which use renewable energy. The "House of

the Future", in addition to being a model of

sustainable house, becomes a classroomwhere outdoor play is

also part of a tour dedicated to experiments.

“Middle Earth cooperative, an opportunity on the Euganean Hills”

OTHER ACTIVITIES

“OPEN PATHS” PROJECT

A service dedicated to disabled

people who are given the opportunity to take tours

withthe use of electric cars along a path around the specially

equipped Venda Hill, departing from Casa Marina, with the presence of a nature guide who escorts the group.

Photovoltaic

panel

Thermal solar panel

Reconstruction of a

geothermical system

Model of a biomass

boiler

“Middle Earth cooperative, an opportunity on the Euganean Hills”

OTHER ACTIVITIES

collaboration with Energetic and Technologic Services of Rovigo for awareness towards ecological activities

consultancy for municipalities and bodies

training and refreshment courses for educators and nature guides

collaboration with Padua University and secondary school institutes offering environmental specialization through the acceptance of trainees and interns who spend experiences at the Ethnographic Park or at Casa Marina

collaboration with local socio-health units for job placement of disadvantaged and disabled people at facilities operated by the cooperative, through periods of training aimed at increasing in these people autonomy, manual skills and professional abilities

“Middle Earth cooperative, an opportunity on the Euganean Hills”

MANAGEMENT ASPECTS

Middle Earth is a “B” type social cooperative.

It means that, indicatively, 1 out of every 3 positions destinated to working members has to

be covered by a “disadvantaged person”.

For this reason the enterprise is exented from some taxes (IVA, INAIL, INPS).

It is made by 34 members: 21 workers and 13 voluntaries.

“Middle Earth cooperative, an opportunity on the Euganean Hills”

MANAGEMENT ASPECTS

BOARD OF DIRECTORSMarco Siciliani

Gaetano BattocchioMariaserena Seren

Francesco LoreggianLuisa Betto

ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTIONGaetano BattocchioFrancesco Loreggian

RESEARCH & MACRO COMUNICATION

Marco SicilianiGaetano Battocchio

Areas of interest

Euganean Hillslocations

Civil protection

others…

“Middle Earth cooperative, an opportunity on the Euganean Hills”

PROBLEMS AND STRATEGIES

PROBLEMS OCCURRED

STRATEGIES ADOPTED

Competitiveness with other enterprises

interested in providing tourist services

Preferential hiring of local staff

Day trips, shorter and cheaper activities options are offered

Nowadays families and schools spend less

Less immediate engagements and

higher management costs

More careful management of economic issues

“Middle Earth cooperative, an opportunity on the Euganean Hills”

AREAS TO IMPROVE

• Decrease staff turnover

• Lower precariousness of the concession for the structures

• Make the work amount more balanced in all seasons

• Establish political relations

“Middle Earth cooperative, an opportunity on the Euganean Hills”

THANK’S FOR YOUR ATTENTION !