alpeggi

Alpeggio (plural alpeggi) is the seasonal movement of livestock to high mountain pastures for summer grazing, a traditional practice in the Alpine and Apennine regions of Italy and in other mountainous areas. The pastures themselves are called alpeggi, high-altitude meadows typically located above the treeline, where animals graze during the warmer months. The practice is part of transhumance, the seasonal migration of livestock between lowland wintering areas and upland summer pastures, which has shaped pastoral economies for centuries.

In Italy, alpeggio is closely linked with dairy production; many high-altitude farms, known as malghe in the Alps, milk cattle, sheep, or goats and process the milk into cheeses and other dairy products on site or in nearby dairies. Management typically involves shepherds and seasonal staff who move herds between valleys and alpeggi, maintaining grazing rotation, water access, and shelter huts. The huts or malghe provide milking rooms and often facilities for cheese production.

Environmental and economic aspects of alpeggio include support for meadow biodiversity and the livelihoods of mountain communities. The practice faces challenges such as climate change, land-use pressures, and the need to balance grazing with conservation. Modern regulations and grazing rights govern access to pastures, duration of use, and the allocation of resources among farmers, communities, and conservation authorities.

Variations of the term exist in other languages (alpage in French, alme in some contexts) and the concept is widespread across European mountain regions.