Park's History

The Parco Nazionale del Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga was established with the Law No. 394 of the 6th December 1991 entitled " Legge Quadro sulle Aree Protette" (Framework Law on Procted Areas). Defining the perimeter was a difficult task, and from the initial 220 thousand hectares it was defined a surface of 150 thousand hectares. Many legislative measures have been implemented concerning the debate and the several stances of local institutions, associations and organizations.
With the ministerial decree of the 4th December 1992, the first temporary perimeter of the Park was established. With an order of the same day, the Minister of Environment stated the first protection measures. With a circular letter of the 5th February 1993 the Minister provided all the information to implement the order of the 4th December 1992 and, later, with a new order of the 22nd April 1993, he identified further safeguard measures for the territory included in the provisional perimeter of the Park. Another Ministerial Decree of the 4th November 1993, confirming the early perimeter, divided the territory into two areas and established the safeguard measures again. Finally, with a Ministerial Decree of the 22nd November 1994, the perimeter of the Park was changed, and the areas functioning as neighboring zones were excluded from the provisional perimeter. With a presidential decree of the 5th June 1995 the Gran Sasso and Laga Mountains Park Authority was established, and the present perimeter was defined together with the safeguard measures for the zones 1 and 2.
In 2001 the institutional and administrative office of the Park was transferred from L'Aquila to Assergi and located in the former Franciscan monastery dating back to the 14th century, which could be renovated by the Park Authority itself thanks to a co-financing from the Abruzzi Region. In this period originates the environmental, tourist and cultural project which led to the division of the protected territory into eleven districts having merely virtual borders, that are useful for an effective planning of the infrastructural works.

The Park is a very complex fact: it extends over three regions (the Abruzzi, Lazio and the Marches) and five provinces (L'Aquila, Teramo, Pescara, Ascoli Piceno and Rieti), with its nine executive centers, the network of museums and visitor centers; and it is committed in the safeguard of the territory and the enhancement of the anthropological heritage. Therefore, as much complex and virtuous governance tools and management practices are needed, both from the administrative, political, socioeconomic perspective and the environmental point of view.

Since 1995, year of its establishment, the Gran Sasso and Laga Mountains National Park has witnessed many people succeeding one after the other as Presidents or special Commissioners: Giuseppe Rossi, Walter Mazzitti, Stefano Allavena, Giandonato Morra and Arturo Diaconale, the latter being the present president. As directors Marcello Maranella and Dario Febbo followed one another.