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INTRODUCTION

by Cesare Patrone *

he first supplement of Silvæ is dedicated to the analysis of
one of the most debated themes in public law. The topic of
T“environment” especially in the last few years, has acquired
great importance, and that because of several social and institutional
dynamics.
Under a social point of view, the sensitivity towards the protection
of the ecosystem, in all its variety, is growing constantly, both in Italy
as in the majority of the western countries. Such sensitivity is showing
also in the attention that Institutions are paying to the needs for the
preservation of the delicate environmental balance, as it appears in the
fact that this need has been rarely at the centre of the political debate.
In this context, the Constitutional Reform of 2001 has been
introduced with which the “conservation of the environment” has
formally become part of those values that find recognition in our
Constitution. The recognition of this value is included in the new Title
V Part II of the Constitution and is connected to the different relations
of the different organs in the government (State and Regions, as to the
legislative power; State, Regions, Provinces and City-halls, as to the
administrative functions) this does not diminish the importance of the
statements contained in the reformed constitutional text, because just
simply mentioning the concept of “environmental protection” is a
clear sign of the relevance it has acquired.
A relevance which justifies the opinion, widely shared, that sees in
the conservation of the environment one of those fundamental
principle that must characterize our legal system, even leaving out of
consideration the explicit insertion of a sort of recall to its attention in .3
the I Part of the Constitution (in which, as it is well known, are oI-n
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* Head of the State Forest Police Force n
n
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