About Pine and Field

What this archive covers

Pine and Field is an independent reference archive focused on Italy's nationally and internationally protected natural areas. The site documents protected area boundaries, ecosystem types, species records, visitor management frameworks, and conservation governance structures for Italy's major national parks — with particular focus on Stelvio, Gran Paradiso, Cilento and Vallo di Diano, and the Dolomites UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Content is structured as factual park profiles and comparative reference data. It is not a travel guide, nor does it represent any park authority, government body, or environmental organisation.

Sources and methodology

All data published on this site is drawn from publicly accessible institutional sources, including:

• IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) — protected area categories, species Red List status
• UNESCO World Heritage Centre — inscription criteria, boundary maps, periodic review reports
• Italian Ministry of Environment (MASE) — national park decrees and management plan summaries
• EUNIS (European Nature Information System) — habitat coverage and biodiversity site data
• Individual national park authority publications and annual reports
• Peer-reviewed ecology and conservation literature cited inline within each article

Where figures differ between sources, the most recent primary institutional source is used. Dates of data extraction are noted at the foot of each article.

Editorial standards

Articles are written in a descriptive, factual register. The archive does not publish opinion, advocacy, or fundraising content. Language follows standard scientific nomenclature for species names (binomial Latin name given on first mention, English common name used thereafter). All numeric data — protected area size, population counts, elevation figures — is cited to a named source. Inferred or estimated figures are marked as such.

Who maintains this site

Pine and Field is maintained by an independent editorial team based in Milan. The site does not receive public funding, park authority funding, or advertising revenue. Operational costs are covered by the publishing entity.