Pastures, Alpine farmsteads and traditions

Environment

Alpine pasturing, also known as monticazione (the seasonal herding of livestock from the valley to the high meadows), begins when spring turns to summer. It is at this time that the herds ascend the slopes in search of higher pastures. An upward motion that follows the cycle of vegetation and the ancient rules of Alpine transhumance.

The practice originates from a practical purpose: allowing the animals, which have been cooped up in stables and sheltered from the winter weather for a long time, to regenerate and strengthen themselves by spending their days in the sun and feeding on fresh, nutritious herbs. The result is an improvement in the quality of dairy products, which, thanks to the use of raw milk and established artisanal techniques, acquire distinctive flavours deeply rooted in their place of origin.

Alpine pasturing also ensures the management of the landscape: without grazing, slopes become overgrown, meadows close up and the risk of fires and landslides increases. Alpine pasturing keeps paths and clearings in good condition, making slopes that were trodden by hooves and sticks in summer accessible even in winter, beneath the snow.

Home

Today, there are around 600 alpine farmsteads in Trentino, but only half of these are active. Of these, only a few dozen produce cheese on site; the rest transport their milk to valley dairies. These structures, which provide shelter for shepherds and animals, mark the boundaries of the mountain pastures and have been adapted to suit different altitudes. Between 900 and 1,300 metres a.s.l., there are low alpine farmsteads: stone and wooden buildings comprising a stable and the dwelling of the alpine farmers. Daily milking takes place there and the milk is processed into cheese. These farmsteads are the beating heart of the summer alpine pastures and the connection point between agriculture, nature, and food and wine culture. Further up, the vegetation thins out and the structures become more basic and isolated. However, up to 1,900 metres, there are still high alpine farmsteads nestling among rhododendrons and flowering meadows. The grazing areas are open and less frequently visited. Activities focus on milking and caring for the cattle, and dairy production only takes place on site when possible.

Above 1,900 metres, there is only room for high pastures and a few mountain huts or bivouacs where shepherds can find a basic but safe shelter for short periods. These places exude rugged tranquillity, shaped by mountain winds and dominated by alpine meadows. There are a few tracks, and then just the immensity of the sky, right there, almost within touching distance.

Human capital

It is people who go up to the Alpine pastures. In their saddlebags, they carry ancient knowledge and stories of hard work and dedication, deeply rooted in the land. In the past, the malgaro profession (Alpine herder) was passed down through the generations, creating a deep connection between them and the mountains.

Today, although this bond is changing, it is not broken: many young people, often trained in agriculture or zootechnics, choose to approach mountain pastures with a new awareness, rediscovering a job consisting of gestures, attention, and responsibility towards the environment.

They are the living breath of these mountains, safeguarding and renewing a thousand-year-old tradition and lending a voice to a landscape that never ceases to unfold its stories. They stand for an economy of dignity and quality. Through their work, they maintain cultural routes and open up the path to the future, combining tradition and innovation in a place where sky and earth embrace, breathing life into the peaks.

Identity and mutual dependence

The Alpine pasture is a living memory in itself, representing cultural and human heritage. This is evident in the names of the Alpine farmsteads, the stone-and-wood architecture, the dialects used to distinguish herbs and cowbells, and the seasonal festivals. Mountain communities recognise themselves in this cycle and this 'lived' and shared place—a ritual that is renewed every year.

Trentino recognises this and has long supported mountain farming through tenders and incentives, enhancing Alpine farmsteads as cultural hubs as well as farms. Through dialogue between shepherds and visitors, these farmsteads and pastures become places of encounter and exchange. Alpine pasturing represents the relationship between people and the land, based on mutual respect, where humans and nature collaborate to shape the essence of the land.

At a time when climate change and phenomena such as depopulation and overtourism are affecting our Alps, ensuring adequate support for Alpine pasturing is crucial for the future growth of mountains and communities, in harmony with the rhythm of the seasons.

The paths of the Alpine pastures offer a gentle way to enjoy the mountains, where people are travellers and inhabitants alike, strong and caring, willing to work hard, listen and appreciate a glass of frothy milk sipped among the goats, in a spirit of sharing