Danilo Re is a park warden from the Province of Cuneo (Piedmont, Italy) who met his death in the line of duty in 1995.

For many years now, the annual Danilo Re Meet has provided a major opportunity for all those working in Alpine Protected Areas to get acquainted with one another, in particular those in the field, carrying out surveillance, facilitation and fact-finding missions.

The Meet comprises a sports competition (known as “The Danilo Re Trophy”), a theme-based seminar and a range of other activities for all participants to enjoy together.

It symbolises the friendship, efforts and shared objectives of all communities accommodating Alpine Protected Areas. More than just a sporting event, the Meet is an occasion for international promotion of the Alpine territory, highlighting logistics and sports alongside tourism and hospitality aspects.

Danilo Re

Danilo Re was born in Boves (Piedmont, Italy) on 27 October 1956 and developed an interest in botany and birdlife as a boy. After a spell working as a voluntary ecology officer for the Province of Cuneo, Danilo finally fulfilled his dream of becoming a national park warden by passing the competitive exam for Piedmont Alta Valle Pesio Regional Park (which was extended to include Val Tanaro 10 years later), where he started work on 1 January 1981.

From 1991 onwards, with the launch of a programme of studies and surveys of the protected area’s flora and vegetation, his meticulous collection of plants contributed to the discovery or rediscovery of numerous stations of species of considerable importance, including Phyteuma cordatum, Saxifraga cernua, Crocus versicolor, Epipogium aphyllum, Viola pinnata, Rhynchospora alba,and Juniperus phoenicea.

His exsiccatae (dried plant specimens) are conserved in the Park’s herbarium, which is just one of the many initiatives of botanical interest that he instigated.

Danilo was a keen and seasoned photographer, taking over a thousand photos of flora as well as creating a magnificent poster of Alta Valle Pesio flowers. His love for his work led him to build up a highly specialised library at considerable personal expense. Keeping a low profile, but an invaluable asset to the community, he was also very much involved in environmental education and ecological awareness-raising activities.

Danilo died on 23 November 1995, as the result of an accident while on the job. In honour of his undying enthusiasm and major personal contribution, the Office for Management of Cuneo Province Parks and Nature Reserves (the present name of the park where he worked) decided to name the Park’s botanical centre near Lake Marguareis – another venture that he championed enthusiastically – after him.

A competition in memory of our departed colleague has been held annually since 1996. Initially, it was only for park wardens in the Piedmont region, but it was later extended to national and international participation, and a theme-based seminar, which is now an integral part of the event, was added to the programme, The seminar focuses on a different topic of professional interest every year, covering a wide range of missions entrusted to fieldworkers in Alpine Protected Areas.