Article

This contribution summarizes the state of the geobotanical knowledge of the Dolomite area starting with the excursions made in the early 1970s with Erika and Sandro Pignatti. The references are limited to the main titles and a meaningful increase in knowledge has been detected, especially at floristic level, also with the discovery of new taxa. The Dolomites were recognized as a World Heritage Site in 2009 by UNESCO on the basis of geological and landscape criteria. The conservation and protection of the Dolomite landscape therefore assumes priority in a historical period in which the natural resources of the planet are increasingly threatened by interventions and projects based on further exploitation initiatives, called “enhancement” for touristic purposes. The article refers to the centrality of geobotanical knowledge and the priority to be attributed to biodiversity, also considering the current evolutionary dynamics. Adequate protection of naturalistic values, as well as landscape values, should be guaranteed by the existence of a large network of national, regional protected areas and/or belonging to the Natura 2000 network.