Swiss-Italian national park gets green light

The Swiss government has approved plans for a trans-border national park in southern Switzerland.  The Federal Council has approved an international treaty with Italy, as well as the necessary amendments to park regulations, announced the Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC) on Wednesday. Eight municipalities in the canton of Ticino are planning the new park, which will include an area in neighbouring Italy. Now there will be a referendum where citizens will vote on whether the trans-border project should indeed go ahead.   +Find out more about some of the Swiss' reasons for - and against - a new national park  Local support The Swiss News Agency has reported wide-spread support for the project. The local authorities of all the regions who were involved in the Federal Council’s consultation process voted in favour of protecting the area’s natural habitat by labelling it a “park of national importance”. In a statement, DETEC said ...