From Diversity Ark a seal of approval on wineries' achievements

Biodiversity in vineyards is good for the environment, animals and people. At least that is the philosophy of Stefano Amadeo and Stefano Zaninotti, both agronomists with an idea in mind: to find a set of basic assumptions that when applied to vineyards can protect biodiversity in situ.

Put like that, it would be nothing new: already the organic certification route or even the integrated one (Sqnp for insiders) aim to achieve this balance. But Amadeo is keen to explain how with the Diversity Ark (a European registered trademark) we go 'to measure ex post the balance that is achieved with this protocol'. Which then became a label to be displayed on wine bottles as well. The two agronomists, in fact, found in Csqa, the European certifying body, the structure that 'after a year of work in the field,' continues Amadeo, 'verifies and issues the Diversity Ark certificate'.

From 2022 to the present day, the two agronomists have, taking up the same name, set up the Srl Benefit led by managing director Luigi Vignaduzzo in Latisana (Udine). Diversity Ark, an evocative name 'of Noah's Ark', stands for 'indicating how each organism is indispensable for the balance and life of all the others'. The protocol, in its ten articles, does not allow herbicides or chemical molecules suspected of harming humans; nor fungicides, but it also assesses the type of mowing carried out and the excessive amount of tillage, as well as the presence of plastic in the soil. These are all actions that are already included in the organic protocols, but the novelty is precisely that after a year's journey the results are monitored at key points. This is why Amedeo speaks of 'possible certification to reinforce the others'.

Fundamental to this path is the training of winegrower employees; training events to deepen agro-ecological topics and also suggest an effective communication towards the end consumer. The two agronomists are already working between the rows of nine wineries, such as Agricola Inama (Veneto), Agricola Meroi (Friuli Venezia Giulia), Gradis'ciutta (Friuli Venezia Giulia), Le Piane Boca (Piedmont), La Torre alle Tolfe (Tuscany), Tenuta Luisa (from Friuli Venezia Giulia, which has already printed the Diversity Ark label on its bottles), Tenuta Stella (Friuli Venezia Giulia), Vecchie Terre di Montefili (Tuscany) and also the Croatian Vinarija Kozlović.

They all completed the process earlier this year and can now display the Diversity Ark label on their products. To ensure the protection of biodiversity in the round without compromising on quality.