Smeraldino

The mascot adopted by the company

In the Spring of 2005, something strange happened in IMPA’s factory. A continuous murmuring sound was heard, similar to the chirping of a cicada, but louder. But it wasn’t a cicada, it was a toad.

A colony of European Green Toads (Bufo Viridis) chose the water tank as an ideal place to reproduce. We fell in love immediately.

Bufo Viridis

The population of Bufo Viridis is declining all over Europe due to the deterioration of the environmental conditions, uncontrolled development, the use in agriculture of herbicides and pesticides and consequent reduction of the biotypes.

For this reason, the European Green Toad is protected by the Bern Convention which prohibits its capture and killing and

the destruction of the reproduction sites and by the 92/43/CEE Habitat Directive that protects and conserves the wild flora and fauna.

The Bufo Viridis has a grey to green colour with dark green spots enclosed by a black border. It has a round body smaller than a common toad. It is a land amphibian whose life cycle only depends on water during reproduction when the

adults migrate to the most suitable site: ponds, wells or small canals.

Smeraldino, the green toad

The fact that a community of European Green Toads chose our cooling water tank as a habitat is

surprising, and extraordinary due to its spontaneity. Everyone at the company was very excited about the event because it seemed as though we were adopted by an entire tribe of mascots.

We like to think that in some way we were approved by Nature, not by accident, but in recognition of our continual and sincere commitment to sustainable development.

Basically, we interpreted the arrival of the colony as great encouragement and IMPA adopted the Green Toad as its testimonial.

From the amusing beginning came reflections, ideas and initiatives. First, we commissioned the biologist, Bruno Nerozzi, to conduct a study on the Bufo Viridis population, which was published in February 2006. The study provided indications on how to protect and improve the living conditions of the colony.

With the primary and secondary schools of the Municipalities of Refrontolo and Pieve di Soligo, we created an educational project aimed at sensitising children on protecting the territory and its guests.

The iconic European Green Toad therefore has become the testimonial of the company’s environmental policy, appearing as a distinguishing mark on all the eco-compatible products.