a 7-day Eco-Cultural expedition for the blind and the sighted to experience the red deer rut, wolf listening, and local Italian lifestyle
MULTISENSORY IMMERSION in ABRUZZO NATIONAL PARK
DAY 1: Saturday
Meeting: Roma Termini Central train station or Fiumicino Airport at 13:00.
Afternoon and early evening: Drive to Abruzzo, Lazio e Molise National Park (about 2h15). Arrival at Colleciglio, our accommodation on the shores of Barrea lake around 16:00. Essential relaxation; we might even enjoy a swim if the weather allows.
Evening: Social event at the villa around a Mediterranean dinner and a presentation of the Institute and its tour program by the Diakron staff.
More about our accomodation: http://www.barreacolleciglio.it
DAY 2: Sunday
Morning: Short walks around the villa: we will search for signs of red deer, wild boar, red fox and waterfowl, and may even encounter wolf and bear tracks. We will deploy sound recorders and motion-activated cameras around the property to keep an eye and an ear on the wildlife that visits our doorsteps when we look away.
Around lunch time: Local wine and cheese tasting in Villetta Barrea (Optional).
Afternoon and evening: We will visit Sperone (Gioia dei Marsi), an abandoned village now home to a multitude of animals. Then, at dusk, we will walk in an area frequently used by wolves and listen for their howls.
More about Sperone: https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sperone_(Gioia_dei_Marsi)
DAY 3: Monday
Morning: Archaeological exploration and investigation of local cultural artifacts with archaeologist Francesca Del Fattore; multisensory ethnographic walkabout in Frattura di Scanno with anthropologist Anna Rizzo.
Lunch time: “Historical meal” including a delectable chronology of dishes belonging to the different historical periods of Abruzzo, from Prehistory to the Middle Ages, organized by Maria Pia Graziani, Volunteering Consultant of The Diakron Institute and Director of the Transumanza Museum in Villetta Barrea.
Afternoon and evening: Walk and silent listening in the vicinity of the Camosciara integral reserve, the park’s beating heart, to hear the red deer rut on the steep slopes above.
More about Frattura di Scanno: http://www.fondazioneslowfood.com/it/fagiolo-bianco-di-frattura/
DAY 4: Tuesday
All-day: Day hike in the mountains to reach one of the most active red deer rutting arenas. Possible destinations include the Mainarde and Marsicano mountain ranges, where red deer aggregate by the hundreds during the rutting season and where we may also have the opportunity to hear wolves. The excursion will integrate silent listening sessions for participants to experience the full breadth of the natural soundscape around us.
DAY 5: Wednesday
(Day excursion in the Molise and Lazio parts of the park)
Morning: Visit to the ethnographic museum of Transumanza in Villetta Barrea.
Around lunch time: We will dine at the Casa Lawrence, a table d’hôte of locally-produced Abruzzese food, and a fine example of harmonious coexistence with the surrounding natural environment. Lunch will be served in the garden of this historic villa, which once hosted the English writer D.H. Lawrence.
Afternoon: On-site taste-testing of wild forest greens and instruction in medical herbs led by local plant specialist. We will gather our dinner in the woods.
Afternoon/Evening: Short walk and silent listening in the foothills of the Mainarde mountains. Optional bivouac on site; participants will have the option to fall asleep to a natural lullaby, to the majestic sounds of roaring red deer with the possible accompaniment of grey wolf howls...
DAY 6: Thursday
All-day: Local wildlife photographer, naturalist, and conservation biologist Bruno D’Amicis will give a lecture and lead a field excursion in one of his favorite locations. The excursion will integrate silent listening sessions to experience the full breadth of the natural soundscape around us.
More about Bruno D’Amicis: http://www.brunodamicis.com
DAY 7: Friday
Morning: Bear expert Daniela Gentile will take us to Pesco di Lordo, to learn more about human-wildlife coexistence within the park. During our walk, we will identify tree species by tactile recognition of bark and leaves and explore different phases of wood decomposition by touch and smell.
Afternoon: Visit to Pescasseroli and retrieval of sound recorders and motion-activated cameras deployed around the villa on Day 2.
Evening: Relaxing, reflective evening; Italian pizza by the fireside at villa Colleciglio, while listening to the sound recordings collected from around the property.
DAY 8: Saturday
Morning: Last walk on the shores of the lake; departure at 09:00 and arrival at Roma Termini train station or Fiumicino airport at 14:00.