Sardinia continues to suffer under the weight of the drought, which has been plaguing the island for months now. But it is not only breeders and farmers who are paying the consequences of the water crisis. The conditions of the forests are also worrying, with the many plants of filirea, mastic, strawberry tree, cork oak and holm oak suffering in recent weeks.
The areas most affected by this phenomenon are Sarrabus-Gerrei, Ogliastra and Baronia where it has not rained regularly for about a year. The alarm was raised by Sardinian shepherds without a flag who are urging the competent regional bodies to monitor and analyse the situation "by discussing with the breeders who operate in the affected territories to find concrete solutions" to the water crisis. "A situation like this has never occurred to this extent and this is also confirmed by the elderly who live in the affected territories - say Fabio Pisu, Nenneddu Sanna, Gianuario Falchi and Mario Carai -. This scenario will create further problems for livestock farms that have been struggling with the water crisis for some time due to the lack of rainfall. The probable causes of this phenomenon are multiple: the severe drought is certainly the basis of everything but there are also those who claim that the presence of a pathogen that is affecting the root system of the plants has been ascertained; If this 'latest theory' were confirmed the results would be dramatic for our ancient forests".
In the face of growing difficulties, there remains hope that the rains will return as soon as possible, with regularity. But, the breeders emphasize, even in the best case scenario the problems will still not be few. For livestock farms that operate with wild grazing, it will be complicated to guarantee the right sustenance for the animals, given the "situation now compromised for this year".
(Unioneonline/vf)