Mario Wezel (University of Applied Sciences and Arts Hannover)
Sin began with Marlene
Award of Excellence
Interpretive Project
The cultivation of apples at the Val Venosta in Alto Adige, Italy‘s northern-most province has been drastically increasing in the last decades. About one million tons of apples are being produced there every year (among them sorts like Marlene or Golden Delicious) – and contribute with this amount to an esteemed twelve percent of Europe‘s production of apples. The apple fields of Alto Adige make for the biggest connected fields of cultivation of fruit in Europe. Most towns in the valley have started to participate in the apple industry. Just one small town at the western end of the valley has refused. Mals, with it’s 5000 inhabitants has started to revolt against the traditional agricultural sector. In early September 2014, a referendum on the usage of pesticides was held- a novelty in the history of the European Union. 75% voted for a ban of pesticides.
Apples are three times more profitable than the cultivation of wheat or rye. But they also promise a much easier living – while being more profitable – in comparison to the humble profits of cow-farmers. This recent development has changed prices of land dramatically. Within a few years, prices went from 30 Euros until up to 90 Euros per square meters. Fertile land seems almost impossible to be bought by local farmers.
Therefore the intensive farming seems to succeed – most of all in financial terms. As a result of usage of pesticides grave results can be witnessed: the decline of biodiversity as well as vanishing habitats for animals and plants as well as serious problems for organic farmers.
The area now has the chance to become a role model for many other regions in Europe.
Story: Sin began with Marlene
blossoming
Apple blossoms are illuminated by the full moon. The white leaves shine bright. The beauty of the plants doesn't give you a hint about the heavy use of pesticides that is necessary to keep the farming simple.
Story: Sin began with Marlene
Fighting the Poison
Guenther Wallenhoefer is an organic farmer from Italy’s northern most province South Tyrol. He lives in the small town of Laatsch where he has been fighting together with other activists against the heavy use of pesticides by local apple farmers. The area is one of the biggest connected fruit cultivation fields in Europe. Pesticides threaten the harvest of the few organic farmers in the valley. The strong winds often blow the pesticides from the neighbors onto their fields. In August of this year a referendum in the town was held, initiated by Mr. Wallenhoefer and his colleagues. 75% of all inhabitants voted for a ban of all pesticides in the farming area of the town. At the time the portrait was taken, the future of Mr.Wallenhoefers organic farm was still unsure since it was before the referendum. The positive outcome might shine much further than just his region in Italy but throughout all of Europe, since this is the first time that a town has voted like this in the European Union.
Story: Sin began with Marlene
overview
A cable car takes visitors from Latsch up to St. Martin. The sun has just started to rise. The apple fields down in the valley offer an interesting pattern from above. Down in the valley there is basically no free space available. Prices for the fertile land have gone up throughout the last years from 15€ to around 90€ per square meter.
Story: Sin began with Marlene
protection
A white cover is stretched over the organic herb fields of the family Gluderer. They have been growing organic herbs for years but their neighbors are all conventional apple farmers, using a lot of pesticides. Strong winds in the valley often blow the pesticides onto the Gluderer’s fields. To protect their harvest they have already spent around 100.000€. Besides the very expensive white cover they have also built a 12-meter high water wall, which is turned on during the neighbors use pesticides.
Story: Sin began with Marlene
family
Martina Hellrigl and her son Anton sit in a tree house inside their garden in the town of Mals. Mrs. Hellrigl is the mother of two. She is part of the initiative “Hollawint†that has been fighting for the realization of a referendum in Italy’s northern most province South Tyrol. The inhabitants of the town of Mals were, after a fight with politicians and apple farmers, given the right to vote about the ban of pesticides. Around 75% voted for banning the pesticides, which is a novelty in the European Union. Mrs. Hellrigl took part in the initiative because she felt she also owned it to her children to protect the nature around them from the heavy use of pesticides.
Story: Sin began with Marlene
clean
Shortly before the tourist season starts, the pools of the hotels are not clean yet. A statue stands aside a pool on a hill above Meran, overlooking the Valley with all its apple plantations.
Story: Sin began with Marlene
picking
The “Golden Delicious†is the flagship of the local apple industry. End of September or early October the mellow fruits are being picked. Many of the apple pickers are originally from eastern Euorpean countries. They come to South Tyrol only for the six weeks of picking time.
Story: Sin began with Marlene
Gluderer
Family Gluderer has been growing organic herbs in the middle part of the valley of Vinschgau for over ten years. Apple plantations surround their land. To prevent the pesticides of being blown on their harvest, they had to invest more than 100.000 Euros in the last years, building a stout canvas over all of their land as well as a 12-meter high water wall that can be used if the neighbors are using pesticides in that moment.
Story: Sin began with Marlene
Mals
The market town of Mals is the first town in the European Union that has voted for a ban of all pesticides in farming for the whole area. Early September 2014 the result was officially released: 75% voted for the ban. Thereby, Mals could become a lighthouse of a new way of farming not only in Italy but also in all of Europe.
Story: Sin began with Marlene
tourism
On a Sunday afternoon, the farms around Meran have opened their doors for tourists. One of the owners has put a peacock in the apple fields as an attraction for the tourists. The region of South Tyrol is a very popular destination for tourists around Europe.