- Mark Flynn

Two enormous eagles soar through the air, taunting each other with swoops and near collisions with an intricacy that the most skillful fighter pilots could not replicate. Far below, in the Furlo Valley, outside of the town of Cagli in the Marche region of Italy, Capt. Rochetti de Armando gazes into the sky with humble admiration of such a beautiful sight.

Rochetti, 47, the captain of the forestry department in Cagli, the Corpo Forestale dello Stato, recalls the eagles playing as one of the most wonderful sights he has seen during his 27 years with the Corpo.

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Guida Naturalistica

- Lauren O'Connell

Andrea Pellegrini knows the mountains of Cagli so well that he could navigate their trails blind. In fact, he once did. When a dense fog descended during a hike, Pellegrini managed to follow his own tracks back to safety. As a licensed nature guide, the 34-year-old has spent years studying and exploring the mountainous terrain in Cagli and the surrounding region. He is deeply passionate about his work. For Pellegrini, love for the land is more than just his job and more than just an interest. "It is a mission," he says. He is determined to teach others to respect and appreciate nature, just as he does.   As he sees it, his work is crucial both to his future and to the future of Cagli.

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