Partnerships for the preservation of rivers in Brazil and italy as a legacy of world War II

World War II was one of the darkest periods in human history. In particular, rivers were hit hard by bridge bombing and intensive removal of vegetation in their watersheds and banks. Defensive or attack strategies modified the river balance of sediments, banks, and sometimes even changed river courses. On the other hand, as the war moved on, some positive aspects began, such as the spirit of collaboration and brotherhood that Brazilian soldiers and Italian civilians built at that time. In the Italian provinces of Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna, this strong bond of friendship between citizens of the two nations continues until today. Revisiting the lessons of the past, this work describes this longstanding fraternity, focusing on Brazilian and Italian experiences in the preservation and recovery of river spaces. As a pilot project, we start with an overview of similar approaches that could be carried out in the Sesmaria and Panaro rivers in Brazil and Italy, respectively.