Editing Montecristo (section)

===Island of Montecristo nature reserve===
Nowadays the island has only two permanent human inhabitants, both nature reserve keepers. In addition, agents of the [[Corpo Forestale dello Stato|State Forestry Corps]] from [[Follonica]] live there in alternating shifts of two weeks at a time.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.uniurb.it/giornalismo/lavori2004/esposito/Benelli/Benelli.html |title=Isolani, ma non isolate |accessdate=27 February 2012 |language=Italian |url-status=bot: unknown |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140110221241/http://www.uniurb.it/giornalismo/lavori2004/esposito/Benelli/Benelli.html |archivedate=10 January 2014 }} archive.org</ref> The state nature reserve ''Isola di Monte Cristo'' is a biogenetic reserve of 1,039 hectares established in 1971 by ministerial decree to protect the unique nature of the island.<ref name=cfs/> Today it belongs to the [[Tuscan Archipelago National Park]]. It was also awarded the European Diploma of Protected Areas in 1988,<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.minambiente.it/home_it/menu.html?mp=/menu/menu_attivita/&m=argomenti.html |title=Ministero dell'Ambiente&nbsp;– Le aree protette italiane insignite del Diploma |language=Italian |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110702235936/http://minambiente.it/home_it/menu.html?mp=%2Fmenu%2Fmenu_attivita%2F&m=argomenti.html |archivedate=2011-07-02 }}</ref> and recognized as a site of pan-European interest.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://awsassets.panda.org/downloads/wwfeslreport.pdf|title=Habitats Directive WWF European Shadow List|publisher=[[World Wide Fund for Nature|WWF]]|accessdate=27 February 2012}}</ref>

[[File:Montecristo-68.JPG|thumb|The beach of ''Cala Maestra'']]
Visitors face a number of restrictions. It is not possible to stay overnight, and swimming, and surfing are prohibited within 1 kilometer of the coast. It is possible to cruise within three miles ({{convert|3|mi|abbr=out|disp=output only}}) of the coast, but fishing is not allowed. Access by sea is possible only at Cala Maestra (where the seabed is sandy) and with an approach course perpendicular to the coast; it is possible to dock at the pier or tie up against a buoy, but dropping anchor is not allowed; there is also a small heliport for emergencies. To visit the island, one must apply for access at the Forestry Corps in Follonica.

Visitors with basic authorization must stay at Cala Maestra, and can visit only the Royal Villa, the botanical garden, and the museum. The waiting list for access is long, since the limit for visitors has been set at only 1,000 per year. The average waiting time for approval to visit is three years, and priority is given to scientific expeditions, associations, and schools. Tours take place only on three existing trails, all of which are very challenging.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://greenholidayitaly.com/2013/06/05/the-forbidden-island-of-montecristo-tuscany/ |title=The Forbidden Island of Montecristo, Tuscany |date=2013-06-05 |access-date=2016-12-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161203212232/http://greenholidayitaly.com/2013/06/05/the-forbidden-island-of-montecristo-tuscany/ |archive-date=2016-12-03 |url-status=unfit}}</ref>