Cleanest beaches in Italy 2023: Liguria - great!
Cleanest beaches in Italy: the Riviera boasts the cleanest beaches
Liguria, the picturesque coastal region in the northwest of Italy, is known for its breathtaking landscapes, the sparkling Mediterranean Sea and a series of picturesque villages nestled against steep hills. In this idyllic setting, the region has achieved a remarkable success: In 2023, the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) will once again award Liguria’s beaches the highest number of Blue Flags – an internationally recognized symbol of ecological excellence and cleanliness on beaches and marinas.
The Foundation for Environmental Education: pioneering work for a green future
The Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) is at the forefront of the global movement for environmental education and sustainable development. Founded in the 1980s, the organization has developed into a comprehensive, worldwide network dedicated to making a positive contribution to global environmental protection through education. With programs in over 77 countries, FEE reaches millions of people and promotes awareness of environmental issues and sustainability.
Mission and vision
FEE works on the premise that education is an essential tool for achieving a more sustainable world. She sees it as her mission to empower people of all ages to expand their knowledge of the environment and translate this knowledge into concrete action. Their vision is a world in which people are consciously committed to the environment and contribute to the preservation and improvement of the earth.
FEE programs
FEE is known for its diverse and successful programs, each targeting different aspects of environmental education and management. Among the most prominent are:
- Blue Flag: Perhaps FEE’s best-known program is the Blue Flag program, which recognizes clean, safe and sustainably managed beaches, marinas and sustainable boating businesses.
- Eco-Schools: Eco-Schools is an international program that encourages students, teachers and local communities to actively participate in projects that make schools and their environments more sustainable.
- Young Reporters for the Environment (YRE): YRE is a network of young environmental journalists who are trained to draw attention to environmental problems through investigative reporting, photography and video production.
- Green Key: This international environmental certificate is awarded to tourism businesses that demonstrably meet strict environmental standards and are committed to sustainable management.
- Learning about Forests (LEAF): LEAF promotes environmentally friendly behavior and knowledge about forest conservation and sustainability through educational activities.
Influence and reach
Through its programs, FEE reaches people in urban and rural areas and bridges socio-economic and cultural barriers. By entering into partnerships with schools, governments, NGOs and companies, the organization promotes the dissemination of best practices and innovations in the field of environmental management and education.
The role of environmental education
The FEE emphasizes the importance of environmental education as a basis for sustainable development. By conveying an understanding of complex ecological interrelationships and promoting a critical examination of environmental issues, the organization equips individuals with the tools they need to make responsible decisions.
Challenges and future plans
The challenges facing FEE are as dynamic as the field of environmental protection itself. Climate change, species extinction, environmental pollution and resource scarcity require innovative solutions and the courage to rethink existing systems. FEE plans to expand its reach, diversify its programs and strengthen its presence in developing and emerging countries to achieve an inclusive and far-reaching impact.
Cooperation and support
FEE invites individuals, schools, communities and businesses to join its programs and become part of the solution. Through donations, volunteer work and active participation in their programs
The prestige of the Blue Flag
The Blue Flag is a renowned seal of quality for environmental management, education, safety and accessibility at beaches and marinas worldwide. Beaches that wish to receive the Blue Flag certificate must meet strict requirements that are regularly checked. These criteria ensure that visitors can not only enjoy clean and safe beaches, but are also informed and involved in local environmental issues.
Italy’s cleanest beaches: commitment to environmental education
A key aspect of the Blue Flag program is the promotion of environmental awareness. It requires that visitors have access to educational resources that help them understand the environmental significance of the place they are visiting. Information on biodiversity, ecosystems and local environmental phenomena must be clearly visible and accessible.
The role of the Community for the cleanest beaches in Italy
The award also underlines the commitment of local communities and initiatives such as the “Organic Trees” adoptive parents. Through sustainable agriculture and care of the natural environment in the immediate vicinity of the coast, they make a decisive contribution to keeping the beaches clean.
Fulfillment of strict criteria
In order to be considered for the Blue Flag, the municipalities in Liguria must fulfill a variety of requirements, including:
– Comprehensive public information on environmental issues and the Blue Flag program.
– Consistent compliance with high standards for bathing water quality and wastewater treatment, including regular water samples and timely reporting.
– Establishment of a beach management commission that adheres to legal requirements and meets waste management standards.
– Ensuring lifeguards, first aid equipment and safe access to the beach as well as developing emergency plans.
If national standards for certain criteria, such as water quality, are higher than the Blue Flag requirements, these have priority.
The Blue Flag is not only a sign of environmental awareness and clean bathing water, but also acts as a quality feature that attracts tourists and strengthens the image of the regions as exemplary travel destinations.
Liguria’s tireless efforts for the award: Italy’s Cleanest Beaches 2023 and the commitment of local communities have enabled the region to maintain a leading position in terms of cleanliness and sustainability – a role model for coastal regions worldwide.
Organic Farm San Martino
Organic Farm San Martino – Alberto’s lifelong dream.
The Organic Farm San Martino is the realization of a lifelong dream for Alberto Dalpiaz and his family. After many years of work as an export manager for several large Italian food companies, Alberto and his wife Giulia Bartellone founded the Azienda Agricola San Martino on the hills behind Porto Maurizio (Imperia) in Liguria.
Since its founding in 2004, Alberto, Giulia and their two sons have worked tirelessly to produce the highest quality food in the most organic way possible. On a nearly 4 hectare San Martino Organic Farm there are three separate vegetable beds as well as a small orchard, olive groves and several beehives. The organic farm San Martino also produces its own extra virgin olive oil from Taggascia-Olive, a highly valued olive variety originating in Liguria.
The latest addition to the farm is a newly renovated guest house with 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms overlooking the beautiful Imperia and the sea.
Why we grow organically
On the farm, we pride ourselves on producing and selling local varieties of fresh products without the use of pesticides or chemical fertilizers. For us, this type of sustainable agriculture at Organic Farm San Martino is without alternative. Our farm is based on a deep respect for the natural beauty and value of the land in which it is located. From the beginning (even before passing the organic certification) at Organic Farm San Martino we have embraced the idea of an organic existence. Similar to our friends e.g. from Sassolive
We, Organic Farm San Martino are a certified organic farm under Bio AgriCert Italia.
Our awards:
- Premio BIOL 3° Classificato (26th of May 2018) – Our olive oil has been internationally recognized and awarded a silver medal by BIOL.
- Best in Liguria region – 3rd place for our olive oil.
- Presidio Slow Food – Liguria region (in recognition of traditional preparation and cultivation of Taggascia olives).
Address and contact:
San Martino Organic Farm (Azienda Agricola San Martino)
Via Amanna sup. 43
Phone (or Whatsapp): +39 335 8478123
E-mail: info@extraverginebiologico.it
Olive Tree Sponsorships 2021 Ticker
Olive tree sponsorships 2021: updates of the 2021 season (from 03/01/2021 to 11/18/2021)
March 31, 2022: The shipments arrive at the olive tree sponsors
We receive WhatsApp messages and e-mails with pictures of the shipments that have arrived every day. Coincidentally, the olive oil comes at just the right time because the shelves in the supermarkets have often been hoarded empty. Unfortunately we cannot offer any refills. We sent the last bottle of our organic olive oil to the sponsors. We get our own needs for this year from a neighbor.
March 16, 2022: The harvest is picked up in Imperia
Today, after many obstacles, the 2021 harvest is picked up in Imperia and delivered to various countries in Europe. The trucks have loaded everything. The organic olive oil from San Martino and Sassolive and the many jars of Salamoia olives.
February 22, 2022: Label release Salamoia Olives
The Bio Cert Organization has finally released the 2022 label for the Bio Salamoia olives. Due to the pandemic, the office had many shortfalls on the staff side, so the process took much longer than usual.
Now we can finally print the labels for the olive tree sponsorships 2021 and have them attached to the glasses.
February 11, 2022: Production of the olive oil
After the delivery of the olive oil bottles was delayed and the boxes are not available, production for the olive tree sponsorships 2021 has finally started. Our partner Calvi in Imperia has been at our side for years. Calvi specializes in the processing (pressing, bottling, labeling) of organic olive products. In this step, the olive oil is bottled, sealed and labeled.
December 02, 2021: Dealing with the bad harvest
We have thought about how we can compensate for the loss of the harvest. We have decided that we will do this:
- small tree: 1 x 250ml organic olive oil from the tree plus 2 glasses of Salamoia olives plus voucher 25% off the next order
- normal tree: 1 x 750 ml organic olive oil from the tree plus 2 glasses of Salamoia olives plus voucher 25% off the next order
- Large tree: 2 x 750 ml organic olive oil from the tree plus 2 glasses of Salamoia olives plus voucher 25% off the next order
Thus we deliver exactly the proportion of the quantity per tree and give the Salamoia olives and the voucher on top as a consolation.
November 18, 2021: Harvest Finale 2021
Today we know how the harvest will actually turn out. The yield will be 30% of the previous year :-(. It’s a shame for our adoptive parents and ourselves, but it’s just nature.
Olive harvest in 2021 - a good year is often followed by a less good one
Olive harvest 2021: not every olive year can be a good one.
Olive harvest 2021: the harvest in the last year 2020 spoiled us very much. Dense inflorescences in May and a lush harvest in October. No storms, no droughts, everything went great. Unfortunately, that doesn’t look so good this year. Admittedly, we cannot complain about storms or adverse circumstances. Also, the weather was actually okay. But still, we count fewer olives on the trees. Often there is no real explanation for this. This is nature in its original form and therefore not unusual.
And that’s what makes up our lives as organic farmers. Every year, not knowing how the year will go. Added to this are the changes brought about by climate change, which has not yet been dramatically visible in our area, but which nevertheless has an impact on such a sensitive ecological system as an organic olive farm.
For our community of adoptive parents our organic olive trees, this does not mean anything concrete at this time. But we would like to gently get you in the mood for the fact that we may not be able to send as many bottles per tree as usual and as last year.
Fortunately, we made “Olive in Salamoia” from many olives last year. Should we actually have a worse harvest in 2021, we would add a glass of “Olive in Salamoia” to every adoptive parent as a consolation. So the sponsorship olive tree may not be a big disappointment.
After a week of harvesting the organic olives, we can already estimate a little better what the yield will be this year. Last year we produced about 2,000 liters of organic olive oil with the whole farm. This year it will be a maximum of half. Some trees have so few olives that it is not worth harvesting, as we harvest by hand and need about 1 hour per tree. If there are only a handful of olives in the nets, the effort is simply not worth it.
2020: a good olive year for farmers
Olive blossoms 2020: farmers really deserve a good olive year
After the olive growers suffered very much from the low harvest in 2019, this year seems to be looking better. Last year, the olive fruit fly (Bactrocera oleae) infested the entire area along the Ligurian coast, resulting in the destroyed of just over two thirds of the harvest.
This was a severe blow to the region. Where, in addition to tourism, the olive oil of the famous Taggiasca Olive is one of the economic pillars of Liguria. And the former, tourism this year will be completely cancelled by the Corona crisis.
But one thing is always the same. In spring we are very curious to see how the olive trees will bloom, whether it can be a good olive year. Because that is the omen for us whether we will have a good year or less good. Just like most fruit growers, for example. When we walk through the organic park every morning and feed the plants, we observe the olive blossoms very closely.
Whether they are juicy and strong, or maybe a little stunted. And then we look to the sky. Is rain coming? Hopefully no storm or thunderstorm. These thoughts accompany us every day until the olive blossom has become a fruit, and we become a little more relaxed and the hope for a good olive year grows.
But when we look at the inflorescences and the overall picture of our 1,000 organic olive trees, joy arises. The trees are good in juice and the olive blossoms are strong and pronounced. Olive trees will bloom in Liguria from April. At end- or side-standing, 2 to 4 cm long, risp-pearly inflorescences stand between 10 and 40 olive blossoms.
The almost seated, four-stellate olive blossoms of the olive tree are twitchy, but can be functionally single-sex and have a double flower shell (Perianth). Each flower contains two dust leaves and two fruit leaves. Most varieties are self-pollinating, with foreign pollination usually increasing yield.
The flower is pollinated by the wind. Here in Imperia the weather has done a good job in the last few weeks. Regular rain, temperatures between 12 and 21 degrees during the day, no storms, no frost. So the year can go on. At least as far as agriculture is concerned.
So: keep your fingers crossed that this is the way things are going and that we will have a good olive year in 2020!
Happy about the 2020 olive harvest
Olive blossoms 2020: farmers really deserve a good olive year
The first weeks of the olive harvest are over. Time to draw a first conclusion. Even without knowing the numbers, a glance at the faces of the olive farmers is enough to realize that it is finally a good harvest in Liguria. After the bad two years, this is a really great year. Maybe even a record year. The weeks leading up to the 2020 olive harvest were nerve-wracking for the farmers here in Liguria. Storms moved across the sea and threatened to destroy the harvest. Instead, however, there was rain, which was urgently needed, because the olives were a trace too small, through the long period without rainfall.
And this light but permanent rain irrigated the olive trees for several days, so that the olives could still be sucked in with water just before the harvest – ideal conditions.
And so this year’s olive harvest became a real joy for organic farmers. The nets, baskets, and boxes are quickly packed with taggiasca olives, a real specialty for which the region is famous. The initial forecasts for the total quantity are promising. The organic farm Sassolive estimates a yield, it will be well above 1,200 liters (normal yield: 700 to 1,000).
After pressing, the olive oil is still very spicy and has a greenish coloration. Therefore, it is rarely sold before January/February. Over the course of these weeks, it will become much milder. Just as the normal consumer is used to.
At Organic Farming Italy you have the opportunity to participate in the harvest and produce your own olive oil.
