Diversity Ark: How (and Why) to Measure Biodiversity in the Vineyard

In the study, research and choice of cultivation techniques , the gaze can no longer be limited to the vine and its relationships with the soil, climate and plant diseases. It is a question, as has always happened in research carried out in the ecological field and applied to natural ecosystems, of moving the gaze away and understanding the diversity and role of all the elements, the herbaceous species, the trees, the insects and the microorganisms of the soil and the plant, which establish relationships with the vines and which with them occupy the ecological spaces present even in an anthropized system such as that of a specialized crop.

To explain how to approach, enhance, transfer, measure and finally certify biodiversity in the vineyard, we visited the Vecchie Terre di Montefili company in Panzano in Chianti Classico, which has been engaged for several years in this path that very soon crossed paths with that of Stefano Amadeo and the professionals of Vitenova and which in 2022 was one of the first Italian companies to obtain the Diversity Ark certification .

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Together with many other Italian companies, Vecchie Terre di Montefili has represented for Vitenova di Stefano Amadeo and Stefano Zaninotti , a sort of training ground or pilot project for measuring biodiversity. From these experiences, the data and information collected over the years and also thanks to a project born with Vinnatur that led them to work closely with naturalists and entomologists, Diversity Ark was born, a new company which also includes the administrator Luigi Vignaduzzo.

Diversity Ark deals with agroecology projects, collaborates with a network of external professionals who carry out monitoring in companies and develops and holds as “scheme owner” the homonymous specification of the biodiversity certification scheme in the vineyard, certified by CSQA as a third party.

“It all started out like the hyphae of a mushroom that grow underground until the mushroom we see emerges: as the network grew, new companies with the right sensitivity joined and at a certain point we decided to turn these values into a real brand. It's not about going beyond organic, but rather integrating or reinforcing it or even just understanding how the vineyard is doing following the activity carried out and regardless of whether organic management is applied or not”.

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Source: Mille Vigne