bonifica

Bonifica is a term used in Italian to denote the reclamation and improvement of land, and, more broadly, environmental remediation. It covers projects that transform wet, unstable, or infertile areas into productive land, as well as efforts to restore contaminated sites to safe conditions. In agriculture and land management, bonifica usually involves drainage and irrigation schemes, soil improvement, embankments and dikes, land leveling, and the creation of infrastructure such as pumping stations and roads. These works aim to reduce waterlogging, prevent salinization, and increase agricultural productivity.

In environmental contexts, bonifica labels the cleanup of polluted soils and groundwater, with measures to contain, remove, or immobilize pollutants, often under environmental regulation and monitoring.

In Italy, bonifica has a long administrative and historical dimension. Many reclamation projects were organized by public authorities called consorzi di bonifica, which manage drainage networks and irrigation systems and collect dues from property owners. The best-known examples include the reclamation of the Pontine Marshes (Bonifica Pontina) and other regional schemes that transformed marshlands into agricultural districts and settlements during the 20th century.

Today, bonifica remains relevant for both rural development and environmental protection. The term also appears in broader discussions of land restoration and soil remediation, sometimes under the more specific labels bonifica agraria, bonifica idraulica, or bonifica ambientale.