Italy has an extensive network of protected natural areas that often goes unnoticed in public discourse: approximately 882 parks, covering a total of over 3 million hectares of protected land, equivalent to nearly 20% of the country’s territory. However, although these areas span the country from north to south, they are often viewed merely as places to preserve or visit, rather than as active preventive infrastructure.
According to Andrea Camaiora, CEO of Skill and author of the book “Parks, Italy’s Secret Weapon,” parks should not be viewed solely through an environmental or tourism lens, but as central elements for public health, collective well-being, and regional development.
The environmental and health paradigms are intertwined: the quality of ecosystems directly influences people’s physical and mental well-being, the resilience of communities, and the ability to adapt to climate change. Access to high-quality green spaces is associated with measurable health benefits, especially in urban areas, where these spaces can help prevent risks linked to extreme heat, stress, or exposure to pollutants.
Camaiora emphasizes how parks thus become active spaces for public health, true natural infrastructure that can reduce vulnerability and promote a better balance between the environment and society.
Parks are not just about the environment but represent an important economic driver: tourism in parks generates approximately 27 million visitors, 105,000 jobs, and 5.5 billion euros in tourism revenue. Furthermore, a Symbola–Unioncamere study indicates that in national park areas, businesses generate 34.6 billion euros in added value, equal to over 3% of the wealth produced in Italy.
These figures highlight the often-underestimated economic potential of parks, which could prove to be a significant lever for territorial development.
In his book, Camaiora calls for a rethinking of the role of parks by moving beyond two limiting ideas: that of nature as merely a space to be contemplated and that of technocratic management. For the author, parks are “living cultural infrastructures,” places where ecology, citizenship, education, and territorial identity intertwine.
Environmental protection thus becomes a profound political act, linked to the way a society chooses to inhabit space and time. Parks also become schools of ecological citizenship, where one learns slowness, respect for limits, and collective responsibility through direct experience.
Camaiora emphasizes that the true strength of Italian parks lies in their ability to combine environmental protection, economic development, and public health. In a country where nature is also culture, history, and human presence, parks can serve as a laboratory for territorial and cultural innovation.
In this vision, green spaces are not merely a context to be protected, but a precious asset to be left to future generations—not only as a natural environment, but as an essential element for health, social cohesion, and sustainable development.
