Breggia receives “River Pearl PLUS” label

On Saturday, 9 November 2024, the Breggia officially received the certificate in a ceremony held at the old mill known as Mulino del Ghitello, the access point for the Breggia Gorge Park. The “River Pearl PLUS” quality label recognises valuable streams and rivers and the commitment of the people and local authorities who look after them. The label is valid for five years and can be renewed. Covering a total length of 57 km including some tributaries, the Breggia from the border with Erbonne to the start of the gorges is the fifth watercourse in Switzerland and the first in Ticino to receive this award.

For the certification procedure, the citizens of the municipalities of Breggia and Castel San Pietro got together with representatives of interests such as nature conservation, tourism, angling, schools, agriculture and other stakeholders to launch a participative process. Taking in three meetings between March and May 2024, it culminated in the establishment of a common basis for upgrading the river and involving and raising awareness in the local population and the younger generations. Fifteen measures were discussed and developed in a constructive dialogue. These included the idea of a Breggia discovery day for school groups, monitoring the water quality, taking an inventory of water abstraction and promoting revitalisation projects. To be implemented in the course of the next few years, the measures should help to protect and upgrade the valuable catchment area of the Breggia as well as its rich species diversity over the long term.

Further information about the Breggia