wild
The Valley is inaccessible and wild. It’s uninhabited and uncultivated, probably only frequented by hunters.
pastures
Some areas of the forest are deforested and turned into pastures.
woodcutter
The October 24, 1387 Gian Galeazzo Visconti authorizes the Veneranda Fabbrica del Duomo to exploit the Cave of pink marble of Candoglia – Mergozzo and forests of the Val Grande between Cima Corte Lorenzo and Ompio. The wood is used in the Quarry, for the transport of marble and the scaffolding of Milan Cathedral. Deforestation of the Valley continues until the middle of ”900.
war
The area of Novara and Verbania is the scene of a strong resistance against Nazi-Fascism. Between June 11 and July 1, 1944, the SS command of Monza makes in Val Grande and Val Pogallo a dramatic raid of partisan groups, including Valdossola, Armando Calzavara, Giovane Italia, X Garibaldi Brigade. There are numerous executions of partisans, and civilian casualties. The most dramatic execution takes place in Fondotoce June 20, that killed 43 partisans.
abandonment
At the end of World War II all population leaves the area.
idea
The Senator Raffaele Cadorna and the Member of Parliament Natale Menotti support the idea of establishing a park. In 1963 professor Mario Pavan of the University of Pavia backs the idea.
reserves
The state company for the state forests establishes the Pedum Natural Reserve and the Mottac Natural Reserve, for a total area of 3400 hectares.
project
The association Italia Nostra of Novara develops a detailed plan to establish a national park of Val Grande, including Val Cannobina and extended to the Swiss border.
draft law
The regional councillor Nino Carazzoni presents a bill for the establishment of a natural park of Val Grande.
committee
During the conference “Val Grande, last paradise”, municipalities, mountain communities, the region and associations start a committee for the establishment of the park. The initiative led to the creation of a ministerial committee.
decree
December, 4. A decree of the Ministry of the Environment indicates the Great Valley as an area of ecological importance internationally.
park
March, 2. Based on the law no. 394 of 1991, the Val Grande National Park is established by Environment Minister Valdo Spini.