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In accordance with articles 44 and 129 of the Constitution, this Act pursues the development of mountain areas by encouraging the participation of local communities (by creating Mountain Communities) in the drafting and implementation of development programmes and territorial plans relevant to their respective mountain districts. For this purpose, the Act boosts the removal of socio-economic imbalance and inequities between mountain areas and national territories other than mountain areas (art. 2). The Act is divided into five Titles. Title I sets up the organization intended for developing mountain areas. Article 3 regards in particular the classification and division of mountain territories into homogeneous zones. Article 4 provides for the establishment of Mountain Communities on each homogenous zone by Regional Act. Such Mountain Communities shall be constituted as public entities. The Mountain Communities shall draw up the annual Plans for the Socio-Economic Development of their respective zones, as referred to in article 5. The above-mentioned plans shall be implemented in accordance with article 6. Title II of the Act contains provisions relating to the public forest domain. The Mountain Communities, as well as the Communes, are allowed to purchase and lease for a period of not less than 20 years the uncultivated lands falling within their respective mountain territories in order to undertake reforestation interventions (art. 9). With a view to preserving the soil and protecting the environment, such lands may also be expropriated by the competent Mountain Communities and Communes. The Ministry for Agricultural and Forestry Policies shall elaborate the Mountain Chart referred to in article 14.
