Arborea has really many things to celebrate in this special 2018. A hundred years ago, on the 23th September of 1918, Reclamation Sardinian Society (Società Bonifiche Sarde, SBS) has been founded with an ambitious goal: SBS had to plan the reclamation of Campidano’s flat land, in Oristano’s region. When the Society began to work, Arborea's territory was covered by swamps. That couldn't have been easy.
During the rise of Fascism, reclamation of large areas in Oristano’s region and Mussolinia di Sardegna's foundation (after World War II renamed in Arborea) were two important steps towards the recovery of a wide, unhealthy area. The project led to a new agricultural development, as well as to a growth of an economical base for the whole region. Mussolinia, now Arborea, is 90 years old.
The drainage begun in 1922. One of the objectives of reclamation was to reduce breeding places of mosquitos and to limit malaria outbreaks with the drainage of the swamps. The final eradication of the disease was only possible with the experimental work of Rockefeller Foundation from 1946 to 1950. Rockefeller Foundation used a DDT-based insecticide to free Sardinia from malaria. The campaign played an important role for the following malaria control policies in the island.
From 1928 to 1931 and from 1935-1940, settlers arrived in Arborea's territory, mainly from Venice. They got a sharecropping contract with Reclamation Sardinian Society (SBS) and cultivated the land. People from north-eastern Italy brought knowledge and know-how and gave the framework for the agrarian cultivation and the dairy industry. As many families from Venice settled down in Arborea, venetian dialect is spoken until today and traditional venetian festivals are still held and popular.
The cultivation of the drained area of the Oristano region was a success and wheat became a very profitable product. The foundation of the co-operative 3A (Assegnatari Associati Arborea) was a remarkable point in the mid-1950s. Until today the co-operative is successful and gained a reputation as international operating co-operative. 3A was followed by many other enterprises and co-operative, as Cooperativa Produttori Arborea in the meat sector.
The Mayor, Manuela Pintus, made very clear her satisfaction for the days of celebration: Arborea and SBS's birthday. “A lot of people came to our events, even if the weather had not been good enough. The preservation of this heritage means the preservation of the memories of our culture and history”.
Nowadays Arborea is a place of great entrepreneurial ferment and a territory of great natural value, marked by wetlands ( ponds of S'ena arrubia and Corru s'ittiri ) and involved in Maristanis' project. Arborea boasts sites (countryside and villages) where nature and men have a respectful and fruitful relationship, combining quality of life with the protection of ecosystems and biodiversity and acting as a stimulant to the local economies.
Durante l'avvento del Fascismo, la bonifica di vaste aree nel territorio di Oristano e la fondazione di Mussoliania di Sardegna (ribattezzata Arborea dopo la Seconda Guerra Mondiale) sono stati due passaggi importanti verso il recupero di un'ampia zona insalubre. Il progetto mise le basi per un nuovo sviluppo agricolo, oltre che per la crescita di un polo economico fondamentale per tutta la regione. Oggi Arborea compie 90 anni.
Il perimetro della bonifica faceva parte dell’alto Campidano, comprendente un’estensione di 18.000 ettari, tra gli stagni di “S’Ena Arrubia” e di “Marceddì”, “fino allora regno incontrastato della malaria, tanto da meritarsi il non invidiabile appellativo di “ tomba dei forestieri”. Il progetto di risanamento venne completamente realizzzato quando la malaria fu debellata grazie all'opera della Fondazione Rockfeller che finanziò una capillare campagna antimalarica tramite l'agente DDT.
I primi lavori di bonifica idraulica e di irrigazione iniziarono nel 1922: non appena terminata la bonifica idraulica SBS passò alla bonifica agraria, con una fascia dunale di rimboschimento di circa 800 ettari di pini, e di duecentomila alberi di eucalipto, barriere naturali frangivento, contro maestrale, scirocco e salsedine così dannosi per le culture.
Dal 1928 al 1931 e dal 1935 al 1940 arrivarono i coloni nel territorio di Arborea, soprattutto dal Veneto. Iniziarono con un contratto di mezzadria a coltivare la terra. Le genti del nord est d'Italia portarono nell'isola, oltre ai propri sogni di vita, le conoscenze e il know-how per avviare un processo di sviluppo agricolo e dell'industria lattiera che tuttora rappresenta un esempio di cultura imprenditoriale vincente. Alla metà del 1950 la fondazione della cooperativa 3A (Assegnatari Associati Arborea), un modello di cooperazione cresciuto negli anni in considerazione e in volume di affari, ha rappresentato un esempio virtuoso, seguito da altre realtà d'impresa come la Cooperativa Produttori Arborea nel settore delle carni.
La sindaca, Manuela Pintus, ha espresso parole di soddisfazione per i giorni di celebrazione che hanno animato Arborea: “Molte persone hanno partecipato agli eventi organizzati per le ricotrrenze del territorio: la fondazione di Arborea e della Società Bonifiche Sarde. La valorizzazione del patrimonio di impegno che ci giunge dal passato ci consente di avere memoria della nostra storia e della nostra cultura”.
Ai giorni nostri Arborea è un vivace territorio di fermento imprenditoriale, oltre che un'area di grande pregio naturalistico, coinvolta nel progetto Maristanis per la tutela e la valorizzazione delle wetlands. Nei territori di Arborea la natura e l'uomo hanno avviato una relazione rispettosa e proficua, che mette insieme qualità della vita e protezione della biodiversità, agendo anche da volano per lo sviluppo di un processo economico virtuoso.
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