IN QUIETE COOPERATIVA
NAME: Andrea Gambassini
BUSINESS: In Quiete
ADDRESS: via Aldo Moro, 15 – 52015 Pratovecchio Stia (Arezzo)
EMAIL: andrea.gambassini@cooperativainquiete.it
WEBSITE: cooperativainquiete.it
“ON CAMPUS” COURSE: ReStartApp 2015
Molin di Bucchio is a dream come true, a dream that I and my business partner Alessandro have shared since we were kids. Those who love fishing and walking along rivers today cannot overlook how urgent it is to preserve and protect endemic species. This is what I am committed to”
Andrea Gambassini
Andrea Gambassini meets us at 9 am at Passo della Calla. This is the highest mountain pass in the Tuscan-Romagna Apennines, 1,296 metres above sea level. It divides the province of Arezzo (the Casentino area in particular), in Tuscany, from the province of Forlì-Cesena, in Romagna. «There you will find Sara and Alessandro – explains Andrea – They are taking a group of students on a trekking trip to discover the national park Parco Nazionale delle Foreste Casentinesi. I’ll see you later at Molin di Bucchio».
Alessandro Volpone and Sara Baldini are, respectively, a partner and the Chairperson of cooperative Società Cooperativa In Quiete. Molin di Bucchio, in turn, is an old fish farm, deeply set in these ancient forests, that was recently brought back to life, and is now managed by the cooperative.
Working as environmental tour guides with private citizens and school classes – like the one that is now getting off a coach from Lugo di Romagna (Ravenna) – allowed the partners to fund and initiate the project for the conservation and recovery of endemic fresh water fish species – which had always been Alessandro’s, Andrea’s, and Sara’s dream.
Environmental tour guides
Sara Baldini, Andrea Gambassini and Alessandro Volpone are three environmental tour guides “I started working as one in 2009, after attending a course organised by the Tuscany Region to become a certified guide”, explains Andrea.
Cooperativa In Quiete offers tours all year round except in November. Two or three excursions are available every weekend, on Saturdays and/or on Sundays. “Every year we take thousands of people to discover our national park. The secret of our success is our ability to propose innovative ideas and initiatives. “Among winter activities, one is called “Your first walk on snowshoes” – says Andrea – This tour is always fully booked. And then we have the “Ciaspolenta” (a combination of the word ciaspole – snowshoes – and Polenta, a local dish): a walk on snowshoes and a meal with Polenta in the Camaldoli Forest or on the Pratomagno mountain ridge”. Summer initiatives, too, are quite original, like the night trekking amongst fireflies in the Fairies Wood or so-called Water Trekking, walking up the streams and torrents of the Casentino area. “Our clients come from Tuscany, Emilia-Romagna, Umbria, and Marche. Many drive for up to two hours to come and walk with us”, he concludes.
