Ilex – Italian Landscape Exploration

Alessio led the Education Department of WWF Italy for fifteen years till 2001, when he moved to the village of Fontecchio, in the heart of Velino-Sirente Natural Park. There he founded ILEX (Italian Landscape Exploration) an innovative enterprise working on sustainable rural development, cultural tourism and environmental education. ILEX manages the environmental education centre “Torre del Cornone”, which was recognised as an institution of public interest by the Italian authorities. He coordinates the Abruzzo extension of the project, with a special focus on agriculture and rural landscape management.

Marina holds a PhD in Forestry and has been engaged in sustainable and innovative forest management since twenty years, working in the Abruzzo Region, mostly in the framework of EU schemes. She has a solid experience in the facilitation of Local Action Groups and in participatory and social forestry development projects. She is a founding member of FSC Italy and a member of the Environmental Chamber, and always seeking innovative solutions to promote sustainable development that is beneficial for the improvement of local livelihoods and the environment.

Teresa has been working as an architect since 2007, with a postgraduate work on urban planning and an international experience in urban design. She has been involved in community planning projects since 2011, developing a solid experience as a mediator and social animator. She was involved in the first phase of Mediterranean Mosaics project, strengthening the awareness of local communities on the need build rural landscape resilience. During Phase Two, she will focus on developing a strategy and action plan for the adaptive forest restoration of parts of the Aterno river, and on facilitating community involvement on water services management and governance.

Manuela is a senior freelance expert specialized in raising and managing financial resources for the agro-environmental sector, with a focus on the European Union, Italian Government and Abruzzo Region. In Abruzzo, she led or took part into several Local Action Groups engaged in the planning, design, organization and coordination of Structural Funds programs. She also has an International experience and has worked in Asia, South America, Africa and other European countries. Manuela also cooperates with many solidarity economy networks, as an expert in sustainable agriculture and responsible tourism.