Sparone
Sparone is a municipality in the Metropolitan City of Turin. It lies in the same area as Pont Canavese, Ingria, Groscavallo and Ribordone, the municipalities on the Piedmont side that border the Gran Paradiso National Park.
The request to join the Gran Paradiso Park
In October 2026, Sparone was among the five municipalities that, for the first time in the 104-year history of the Gran Paradiso National Park, asked to become part of it. The other requesting municipalities are Groscavallo, Ingria, Pont Canavese and Ribordone [1][2].
Sparone has requested the inclusion of 407 hectares of its municipal territory, equal to 13% of its total area [1][2]. The request is part of an expansion project that, if approved, would increase the park's total area by more than 8,400 hectares, about 12% more than its current size [1][2].
Institutional process
The expansion project has already received a favourable opinion from Ispra (the Higher Institute for Environmental Protection and Research) and is awaiting discussion at the State-Regions conference [1][2]. The matter was the subject of a hearing of the Gran Paradiso National Park's leadership before the Piedmont Regional Council's 5th Environment Committee, chaired by Sergio Bartoli, at the request of councillor Roberto Ravello [1].
The Park's president, Mauro Durbano, called the municipalities' request "a good sign" of cooperation with the authority on protecting the area [1][2]. Regional councillor Roberto Ravello put forward a motion committing the regional executive to support and speed up the administrative process through to its completion [2].
Timeline
- — For the first time in the 104-year history of the Gran Paradiso National Park, five municipalities on the Piedmont side (Groscavallo, Ingria, Pont Canavese, Sparone and Ribordone) ask to become part of it; the expansion project, which already has a favourable opinion from Ispra, is discussed at the Piedmont Regional Council's 5th Environment Committee, chaired by Sergio Bartoli. → TorinoOggi La Stampa