Having to promote the remarkable local reality represented by land reclamation buildings scattered in Portogruaro area, we concluded to prepare this guide; it deals with the historical evidences of an ever evolving community.
The reclamation district run by "Pianura Veneta tra Livenza e Tagliamento" Syndicate covers about 60,000 ha; until 1800 it was an insalubrious, inhospitable marsh.
The first systemic interventions of land reclamation started in the 20th century; since then, some embankments were put up, drains were dug and also several mechanical water-lifting plants were built.
In such a district, you can never state that land reclamation works have come to an end: these days, 40 water scooping plants are still working. They keep our territory safe, since it is for the most part under the sea level.
The Land Reclamation Syndicate has always been paying attention to the issues of local flood safety; actually, it runs and checks operations in all its water scooping plants. Thanks to this project, it can encourage tourists to visit land reclamation buildings. Through the commitment and the hard work of its workers, it contributed to create the environment in which we live and is still playing an important role in local development. 
The defence against floods is Land Reclamation Syndicate main task; however, it cannot forget that any other action aiming at developing the area and its community falls within the general idea of bonum facere that is typical of global land reclamation works. In Portogruaro area, it has carried out some outstanding interventions, which are a precious example in the European and Italian framework. 

Gianluigi Martin
Chairman of "Pianura Veneta tra Livenza e Tagliamento"
Land Reclamation Syndicate 

The "Pro.tur.rurale" project, co-financed by 2000-2006 Italy-Slovenia Interreg IIIA Community Initiative Programme, undertook several initiatives aiming to promote tourism in sites of historical and cultural interest as well as in conservation sites by stressing the importance of land reclamation works and buildings, which are diffused in Slovenian and Venetian areas.
This initiative was carried out by "Pianura Veneta tra Livenza e Tagliamento" Land-Reclamation Syndicate, which has its headquarters in Portogruaro, Venice, in cooperation with ROD Development Agency in AjdovšĿina, Slovenia. It wanted to foster a fruitful cross-border cooperation in order to increase tourists' turnout in these two regions and to enable managers of these reclaimed areas to share or exchange their experiences.
The project core consists of an "Atlas of land reclamation in cross-border areas", dealing with the evolution of Venetian and Slovenian territories since 1930 up to now from tourism viewpoint. This project also proposes a real cross-border thematic tour, including a guided tour of those areas that underwent land-reclamation works: on the occasion of their 100th anniversary, it is the right chance to rediscover the surrounding nature as well as the history of our territories and communities.

Avv. Fabio Gava
Regional Minister entrusted with 
Economic and Institutional Policies