In the latest session with students from Ignazio Vian High School, participating in the TSOP (Transversal Skills and Orientation) Program, we tackled a crucial issue for the region’s ecological future: the environmental impact of large-scale hazelnut monoculture in the Tuscia region.

Through an active research approach, students were divided into groups to explore different perspectives—from environmental consequences such as water eutrophication and soil degradation to legal frameworks and real-world cases of lawsuits and awareness campaigns.

We examined how large corporations justify their production strategies and the measures they claim to adopt to mitigate the environmental damage caused by intensive monocultures. To understand the tools available for protecting ecosystems and public health, students researched key regulations on biodiversity and natural resource conservation, comparing European and international legislative frameworks.

https://youtube.com/shorts/ggQouDjaH9g

This experience deepened their understanding of the need for ecological farming practices that respect biodiversity and water cycles while equipping them with critical tools to analyze the environmental and economic dynamics shaping our landscapes.

Understanding to drive change: Critical thinking and research skills lay the foundation for active citizenship. Analyzing the transformations in our territories caused by economic and political decisions served as a basis for reflecting on youth participation in democratic processes. What tools do we have to understand the needs of our communities and protect the places we live in, the living beings around us, our health, and future generations?

Read more: Hazelnut Land, a report by Manlio Masucci, Navdanya International, on the expansion of intensive hazelnut monocultures.