The natural return of the wolf to Italian territory is unfortunately not immune from problems, because, due to the predations on farm animals, it generates a strong social conflict that puts its conservation at risk.
Not a day goes by that in the media, especially those of small local realities, there are no direct attacks on the presence of the wolf that praise the killer and the removal of the species.

In this context, our association, active since its foundation to encourage the acceptance of the great predator through mitigation activities of the man-wolf conflict, has understood the importance of personally involving those who live with the wolf every day through their own profession.
To answer the growing problems of small breeders in a sector in deep crisis, we asked ourselves what we could have done to help these small realities in order to make them understand how the wolf and its supporters can be a concrete resource even for those who have always seen in the great carnivore an enemy.
We thus analyzed the main problems of these small breeders looking for an element that could act as a bridge and we found them in one of the oldest raw materials in the world: the wool.
This is now considered above all as a cost for the breeder: the average revenue from the sale of non-selected breed fleeces is around € 0,50 per kilogram, a figure that does not even pay back the shearing costs necessary for the care of the animal.
If the wool is not collected from the farm, it must be disposed of as special waste with heavy economic and management costs for the farmer.
A recent study by Ispra, the Higher Institute for Environmental Protection and Research entitled "Spin, weave, color, create. Stories of sustainability, passion and excellence”Estimates that around 9 tons of freshly shorn wool end up in landfills every year.

Thus was born "Wool for the Wolf - a direct bridge that unites the world of volunteering with that of sustainable pastoralism, in an imaginary woolen thread that connects two apparently so different worlds, but united by the communion of intent: to favor the conservation of the wolf in our country, hand in hand with the continuity of sustainable breeding activities.
The main action of the project is to recover the wool from the shearing directly from some small breeders, freeing them from the economic burden of having to dispose of this precious raw material.
To carry out this recovery action our association, in addition to its volunteers, has collaborated with a small local community of women rooted in the territory of the upper valley of the River Taro, in the Northern Apennines, which for some years has been promoting the recovery of wool under the name of "Alta Val Taro Mountain Wool”, Focusing on manual processing, free from chemical agents in full environmental sustainability.
Thanks to their experience we have selected some small breeders who stand out for a sustainable approach to breeding and who often have sheep of endangered breeds among their animals that deserve special consideration.
Once recovered, the wool available to "I am not afraid of the wolf", was worked in order to create a product suitable for use in the form of skeins or felt and then used for the creation of wool articles, whose sale together with the skeins will serve to finance the purchase of means of protection such as electrified nets, signs for guard dogs, information brochures and everything that can serve to reduce the conflict between wolves and livestock activities to be provided free of charge to breeders who will need them.  

Support now by purchasing the products of "Wool for the Wolf - La lana per il lupo" you will be an active part for the protection of the wolf in Italy