BiodiversA
BiodiversA is the newsletter of Viso A Viso. It was launched in spring 2025, after five years of activity by the community cooperative, to tell who we are, what we do, and why.
It is called BiodiversA to reflect the environment in which we operate, the Monviso Transboundary UNESCO MAB Reserve, characterized by a great variety of living species, rich in life and biological diversity. But BiodiversA also expresses a wish for cultural diversity and inclusivity, which we strive to build every day.
The “A” in BiodiversA, which concludes the name, represents the mountain that majestically dominates our horizon, a letter that begins, feminine singular.
Past Events | Present | Near Future | in BAO – Open Library of Ostana | Biodiverse Adventures | Something Good | In the Upper Po Valley | News from the Monviso Park
An Summer at the “O” School
On August 29th, another summer with the 90 (!) children of the “O” Summer School came to a close. This year again, the summer school for children from 12 months to 12 years old was open throughout June, July, and August. We continue to firmly believe that schools of every level should always be open and welcoming, to guarantee equal opportunities for all girls and boys.
This year, bees were the stars of the little ones’ summer. Thanks to the program of the “O” Summer School, even the youngest children were able to observe these extraordinary living beings up close, appreciating their charm and their essential role within the ecosystems they belong to.
As every year, walks in the woods among fragrant flowers, trees, and waterfalls were not lacking—activities that allow children to develop an understanding of the natural environment from an early age, in a joyful and collaborative atmosphere.
We warmly thank the many families who, once again this year, chose the “O” Summer School, and the new families who, for the first time, entrusted their children to this educational journey in nature.
For the fifth consecutive year, Viso A Viso hosted the UNITA Rural Mobility program as part of the project “The New Alpine Cultural Centers for the Future European University.”
Since 2021, Viso A Viso has been a partner of the University of Turin and coordinates the project “The New Alpine Cultural Centers for the Future European University,” which began as a pilot in Ostana and expanded the following year to include Borgata Paraloup, later growing further with the participation of the Waldensian Cultural Center Foundation. This summer, the network of partners widened, and we had the pleasure of collaborating with Arborea APS and the Municipality of Viola, as well as with friends from the La Ca de Tui Association in Borgata Ferrere, Paesana.
The Rural Mobility students contributed their skills and commitment to the development of local projects in sustainable tourism and biodiversity enhancement, through educational and cultural initiatives, and by producing GIS surveys aimed at local trail networks.
Viso A Viso continues to strongly believe in the value of this project, which envisions the European university of the future not as confined to large urban centers, but active in rural territories as well. A university capable of bringing young people and innovation to inland areas, building skills suited to local contexts, and fostering European cohesion and connection starting with the next generations.
Autumn is a wonderful season in the Monviso Park.
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You can book our e-bikes, which allow you to experience mountain bike tourism even if you’re not an Olympic athlete 🙂
You can do this experience independently or accompanied by our cycling guides. For info: andrea.fenoglio@visoaviso.it
- You can work in our Coworking space at Lou Pourtoun, escaping the city chaos for a few days with a view of Monviso. For info, rates, and workstations: https://www.visoaviso.it/coworking
- You can share a walk along the trails of Ostana and Monviso Park during the deer rutting season. For info: https://www.visoaviso.it/le_terre_del_monviso
At Lou Pourtoun, the Piccolo Teatro returns after the summer break.
We remind everyone that anyone can participate, from 0 to 99 years old. Giulietta De Bernardi and the entire group will be waiting for you. In early November, during ConversAzioni, they will stage King Lear for the second time.
Past Events | Present | Near Future | in BAO – Open Library of Ostana | Biodiverse Adventures | Something Good | In the Upper Po Valley | News from the Monviso Park
From November 6 to 8, 2025, ConversAzioni#4 returns to Ostana.
The 2025 festival is titled “Beyond Inclusion. Towards a New Civil Vocabulary for Living in Italy” and will take place in Ostana from November 6 to 8.
With a continued focus on the strategic role of businesses and institutions in generating social and economic transformations, the festival will be enriched by the testimonies of those who, from Italy and other countries, will share their experiences with community cooperatives. A new feature of ConversAzioni#4 is the DopoFestival, taking place from the afternoon of Saturday, November 8 to the afternoon of Sunday, November 9. This will give participants the opportunity to explore the territory, learn about its history, and inspire the birth of new ideas.
The Christmas Markets are back! On December 7 in Valle Varaita at Segnavia (Brossasco) and on December 14 in Valle Po at Lou Pourtoun (Ostana).
Past Events | Present | Near Future | in BAO – Open Library of Ostana | Biodiverse Adventures | Something Good | In the Upper Po Valley | News from the Monviso Park
During the ConversAzioni Festival, on Friday, November 7 at 3:00 PM, we are delighted to host Matteo Meschiari for the presentation of his latest work Terre che non sono la mia. Una controgeografia in 111 mappe (Lands That Are Not Mine. A Counter-Geography in 111 Maps).
For over two thousand years, geography has been used as a tool of power to describe and manage territory. Today, it still functions this way, and many believe that mapmaking is a talent reserved for specialists and professionals. Yet, geography has always also been an imaginative practice accessible to everyone—a range of ways to experience space, understand others, and dream of elsewhere. While the West has quickly forgotten this geographic vocation for otherness, countless cultural traces and survivals testify to the existence of another geography, a counter-geography that continues to generate visions and create remarkable inventions.
In this unique book, Matteo Meschiari has gathered 111 maps showcasing the incredible variability and cultural creativity of our species, spanning the globe from Greenland to Australia, from China to the Amazon, from Paleolithic art to contemporary works, from Babylon to an Italian kindergarten. A collection of distant worlds to understand and reflect on our own, an atlas of “territness” to rethink our place on this planet.
Where: Località Sant’Antonio 60/A, 12030 Ostana (CN), in BAO.
In Segnavia, on November 21 at 6:00 PM, we will host our dear friend Stefano Fenoglio, who will present Ed ecco, io vi manderò il diluvio (And Behold, I Will Send You the Flood).
For those who wish, an apericena will follow.
Many ancient civilizations, in different but comparable ways, share the tradition of the Great Flood. Beyond the biblical account, similar stories can be found from China to Peru, from India to Mesopotamia, from North America to the Mediterranean. Stefano Fenoglio, one of Italy’s leading experts on river ecosystems, asks: “How is it possible that peoples so diverse and distant developed the same mythological story? Or, more precisely, what really lies behind the myth of the Flood?”
From this question begins a journey backward in time and across the civilizations that have inhabited the planet, uncovering, among myths and legends, the natural basis of the “universality of the great flood.” Fenoglio offers a compelling interpretation: “It is more exciting and engaging to search among wrathful deities, extraterrestrial cataclysms, and lost civilizations for answers to this question than to see it in all its obviousness: humans are a riverine species.” Floods, therefore, are an existential factor of our experience, from the moment we stopped being nomadic hunters and became settled farmers in need of water and rivers near our homes and fields.
How should we behave in the face of raging waters, especially today when catastrophic weather events, once exceptional, have increased in frequency and intensity? Fenoglio, with the skill of a great communicator, presents a list of possible solutions to cope with river-related disasters, reduce material damage, and prevent them from, as often happens, crippling our cities and economies. He delivers a clear and hopeful message: it can be done, we just need the will and must act immediately, together.
Where: Via Provinciale, 12020 Brossasco (CN), at Segnavia.
Past Events | Present | Near Future | in BAO – Open Library of Ostana | Biodiverse Adventures | Something Good | In the Upper Po Valley | News from the Monviso Park
Cyclotourism in the Lands of Monviso
In recent weeks, the E-bike rental service managed by Viso A Viso at the Porta di Valle in Paesana has hosted groups of researchers and students, demonstrating that mobility on two wheels is not only about cyclotourism but can also provide a new way to explore, learn, and process information to address present-day challenges.
The first group we hosted was a team of researchers affiliated with LTER Italy. The LTER Walks are an informal science communication initiative carried out by researchers of the LTER-Italy Network. These are itinerant events conducted at a slow pace, mostly on foot or by bicycle, along routes connecting two or more sites in the network. They are open to everyone and promote interaction between researchers, the local territory, and citizens through an active and participatory approach.
https://www.lteritalia.it
The second group, coordinated by Tobias Luthe, director of the Monviso Institute in Ostana, is part of the Systemic Cycles project. Systemic Cycles are both sports and cultural experiences—educational journeys aimed at exploring systems thinking within a bioregion. A bioregion is a geographic area defined not by political or administrative boundaries but by its ecological and natural characteristics. The concept originates from deep ecology and emphasizes the importance of living in harmony with the territory, acknowledging its limits and potentials to foster sustainable, locally rooted development. The goal of Systemic Cycles is therefore to understand the contemporary bioregional context in order to envision and co-design a more generative and sustainable future.
https://www.systemic-cycles.org
An Alternative Mobility
Thanks to the reactivation of the Savigliano–Saluzzo railway line, it is now possible to reach the valley using the train plus bike option, promoting intermodality as a valid alternative to private motor vehicles. Arriving by train in Saluzzo, the gateway to the Lands of Monviso, and taking an assisted pedal bicycle to explore and travel through our territories is both exciting and necessary.
We remind everyone that, to encourage experimenting with alternative mobility, we participate in the Mobility Bonus project, promoted by Moeves and funded by the Piedmont Region and the Piedmont Mobility Agency, in collaboration with the consortia Grandabus (Cuneo), Coas (Asti), and Scat (Alessandria). The initiative distributes vouchers to holders of public transport subscriptions issued by the three consortia across the three provinces. The vouchers can be used for various affiliated services related to alternative mobility: bicycle and e-bike rentals, shared cars, taxis, and other mobility services. At our E-bike rental in Paesana, you can use your subscription to receive a mobility voucher and rent an assisted pedal bicycle to enjoy a day immersed in nature.
For information and bookings:
+39 348 8869633
bike@visoaviso.it
info@visoaviso.it
Past Events | Present | Near Future | in BAO – Open Library of Ostana | Biodiverse Adventures | Something Good | In the Upper Po Valley | News from the Monviso Park
At the Merenderia Alpina at Lou Pourtoun in Ostana, this autumn you can enjoy Lou Café du Pourtoun, our personal twist on the classic Irish coffee using local products: mountain honey replaces sugar, and Irish whiskey is substituted with our local Genepy produced locally at Opificio Miretto. This creation is thanks to our Alan, who adapted the traditional Irish coffee recipe.
With the arrival of autumn, days grow shorter and the air turns crisp—the perfect time to rediscover the authentic flavors of tradition. Among the most beloved recipes is Tuscan ribollita, a humble yet flavorful dish, ideal to share in good company and enjoy in the warmth of our cozy spaces.
The recipe calls for simple ingredients: black cabbage, cannellini beans, stale bread, carrots, onions, celery, and tomatoes. Everything is slowly cooked, allowing the vegetables to absorb the flavors of a sauté, then the beans and broth are added. Finally, layers of stale bread are incorporated and the soup is left to “reboil” the next day, as tradition dictates.
Past Events | Present | Near Future | in BAO – Open Library of Ostana | Biodiverse Adventures | Something Good | In the Upper Po Valley | News from the Monviso Park
On the Alta Valle Po Calendar, you can find all the experiences available in the valley. The calendar was created from the ground up and is built collaboratively by various local organizations, businesses, and associations in the Valle Po. To learn how to contribute to the Calendar and add your own events, you can write to: programmazione@visoaviso.it
Past Events | Present | Near Future | in BAO – Open Library of Ostana | Biodiverse Adventures | Something Good | In the Upper Po Valley | News from the Monviso Park
Viso A Viso is based in Ostana and operates between the Valle Po and Valle Varaita, within the extraordinary setting of the Monviso Transboundary Reserve. For this reason, in this section we share news from the Park Authority, useful for exploring this region, rich in biodiversity and natural beauty, in a mindful and informed way.
The observation data from the Migrans project are good.
The 2025 edition of the Migrans project at the Monviso Park, now in its 28th year of observation, concluded with 3,745 sightings. The results are very satisfying and slightly above the average of 3,600 raptors observed in previous years.
The Buco di Viso has been closed.
Following the recent snowfall and the already winter-like weather conditions at higher elevations, operators from the French Ristolas–Mont Viso National Nature Reserve have carried out the annual closure of the Buco di Viso, which is therefore now closed on the French side until late next spring.
The second phase of the "Miele Biosfera Monviso" project is underway.
The second phase of the "Miele Biosfera Monviso" project has been officially launched. This initiative is dedicated to promoting honey produced in the territory of the Mont Viso Transboundary Biosphere Reserve, recognized by UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere program. After beginning in 2023 as a pilot project with the support of the CRC Foundation and involving eighteen companies so far across the Varaita, Po-Bronda, and Infernotto valleys as well as the plains of Saluzzo and Savigliano, the project is now being relaunched thanks to an additional financial contribution from the same Foundation.