Events and News

Geneva biodiversity conference

The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) will hold three meetings concurrently in the last 2 weeks of March, to talk about the state of health of flora and fauna in the planet and in order to achieve a draft program to be finalized during the second part of the UN conference on biodiversity. 

Protected areas and African swine fever

The appearance of African swine fever in Italy has led to restrictive measures to limit its spread. All outdoor activities, from hiking to mountain biking, have been prohibited in the area declared infected. A real lockdown for the protected areas concerned. How will the epidemic evolve? What management scenarios are opening up for protected areas?
Federparchi and ISPRA discuss it on 10 March with a webinar dedicated to these issues.

Bonelli's eagle in Sardegna, last specimens arriving

In September the concluion of the project
The arrival in Sardegna of the last group of Bonelli's eagles is expected in May 2022 thanks to the AQUILAaLIFE project. This year the release area will be in the municipality of Montresta in the province of Oristano, where a special large aviary is ready. As in previous years, the chicks will be constantly monitored and "trained" for life in the wild during the period they spend inside the aviary before being released. Once released, they will be monitored thanks to special GPS transmitters, so that they can intervene in case of need and at the same time better identify the habitats and sites suitable for this species in Sardegna.

World Wildlife Day VIII edition

World Wildlife Day on 3 March 
The  World Wildlife was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2013. The focus this year is on "the recovery of key species for the restoration of ecosystems". ISPRA has been involved for years in research projects aimed at promoting the conservation of some threatened or endangered animal species, following the Europena Straegy for the Biodiversity 2030 .  

Here some activities carried out by ISPRA, in the recent years, on this topic.

Presentation of the EcoAtl@nte

Finally a unique single point of access to Italian environmental data, also accompanied by stories, photos and interactive maps: ISPRA presents the EcoAtlante, the journey into the Italian environment that allows you to discover and share the highly topical issues that affect our country today .

An absolute news: the possibility of creating customized national and local maps with data, trends and SNPA percentages from the various themes.

During the presentation, the operation and the different ways of sharing maps and data will be illustrated.

Come and compose your map!

Program

EcoAtl@nte

Program

Press release (ita) 

Video EcoAtl@nte

Interview with Michele Munafò

World Seagrass Day

Underwater seagrass beds are valuable ecosystems for the oceans. They produce enormous quantities of oxygen and capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, provide food and shelter for many species and protect the beaches. Unfortunately they are strongly threatened by anthropogenic impacts and it is essential to improve the conservation and monitoring of these ecosystems around the world.

What is the impact of plastics on sea turtles?

ISPRA researchers have explained during the tv show Geo the impact of plastic on sea turtles and presented the publication “Marine Litter: looking forward a new world” e il fumetto "Carrie. A brave turtle in a changing world".

The protection of the environment, biodiversity and ecosystem included in the Italian Costitution

The Italian parliament has definitively approved the bill amending two articles of the Constitution, 9 and 41
Article 9 is part of the "fundamental" articles of the Constitution. It already contained the protection of the landscape heritage and the historical and artistic heritage of the Nation, with the reform the Republic also attributes the protection of the environment, biodiversity and ecosystems and explicitly specifies a principle of protection for animals.
The amendment to Article 41, on the other hand, states that health and the environment are paradigms to be protected by the economy, as well as safety, freedom and human dignity. And the same amended article also states how institutions, through laws, programs and controls, can orient public and private economic initiative not only towards social but also towards environmental purposes.

"The inclusion in the Constitution of the protection of the environment, biodiversity and ecosystems represents the culmination of a path that stems from the sensitivity of citizens and gives strength to these issues, qualifying them as fundamental assets. A strong signal, a challenge for all of us and a greater responsibility that will allow us to carry out more effective protection actions for health and quality of life, definitively establishing that the environment is a right for everyone, as the President of the Republic has often declared "declared Stefano Laporta, president of ISPRA and SNPA

Conservation of aquatic ecosystems, spatial planning and involvement: a strategy for the protection of biodiversity

On the occasion of the World Wetlands Day, Legambiente presents the Report on Aquatic Ecosystems with a map of 15 best practices, citing a series of successful projects in the management of wetlands and aquatic ecosystems throughout the Peninsula: from the protection of the Mediterranean trout, at the visitor center on the otter in the Gran Paradiso National Park, monitoring the pink flamingo in the Gran Sasso National Park, up to the census in Sicily of the wetlands of the Mediterranean islands, just to name a few.

World Wetlands day

On February 2, World Wetlands Day to increase awareness on the important role that these areas have for the people and the Plante. The wetland, such as lagoons, are between the environment most productive, with an high level of biological diversity.

Also this year the LIFE Lagoon Refresh project continues its restoration actions in an area of ​​the northern lagoon of Venice to re-establish the saline gradient and improve the quality and conservation status of the lagoon habitats and the species that live there.

The project Life Lagoon Refresh - Coastal lagoon habitat (1150*) and species recovery by restoring the salt gradient increasing fresh water input started in September 2017 and will end in 5 years.

To date, the project is moving towards an end, the concrete actions are completed, while the reed bed transplantation and monitoring activities are still in progress. The monitoring results show a change in the project area: the saline gradient, the key objective of the project, has been restored; flora and fauna are responding to the change in salinity. ISPRA and the University of Venice continue to collect data to verify if the objectives of the project have been achieved.

15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15): a new Strategic Plan to combat the loss of Biodiversity

Two years late, the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15) will be held this year in Kunming-China, the 10th meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Protocol of Cartagena on Biosafety (COP-MOP10) and the 4th meeting of the Conference of the Parties which serves as the meeting of the Parties to the Nagoya-ABS Protocol (COP-MOP4).

Published in the ‘Biodiversity and Conservation’ scientific journal the article ‘Cetacean sensitivity and threats analysis to assess effectiveness of protection measures: an example of integrated approach for cetacean conservation in the Bonifacio Bouches.’

The study investigated the effectiveness of spatial protection measures for conserving cetacean species in the Bonifacio Bouches. Cetaceans are highly mobile and eclectic species, which interact with the environment and the human activities in a complex way. To preserve their environment, a primary tool is the establishment of marine protected areas in key sites of high ecological value. 

Biodiversity in movement

The first meeting of the year of "Museum meeting to talk of  fauna" organized by Science Museum of Trento will focus on the study of migration birds in Italy

Third scientific conference LIFE Perdix

The third conference of the LIFE Perdix project will be held on January 18 and will be dedicated not only to analyze the situation of the project actions, but will also be enriched by the valuable contributions from those who have already had similar experiences of reintroduction and environmental improvement.

Publication of RETICULA n. 28/2021 - monographic number

The number 28 of RETICULA technical journal on Nature-Based Solutions and territory: take care of Nature with Nature is available online.

Project LIFE CONCEPTU Maris "CONservation of CEtaceans and Pelagic sea TUrtles in Med: Managing Actions for their Recovery In Sustainability"

The LIFE CONCEPTU Maris project, formulated more than a year ago, started on 10 January, based on the awareness that the Mediterranean Sea is undergoing serious changes due to growing anthropogenic pressures.
On this front, cetaceans and pelagic sea turtles, among the most charismatic and important species of our seas, risk a lot in terms of conservation.

Presentation Dossier Stop Pesticides 2021

On 17 december Legambiente will present the dossier concerning the presence of pesticides in food and on good agricultural practices.

Healthy and resilient forests between conservation and sustainable use

On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Program, the workshop "Healthy and resilient forests between conservation and sustainable use" takes place on 16 December 2021 at the Circeo National Park headquarters.

ISPRA publication “Marine Litter: looking forward a new world"

As part of the INDICIT I and II Projects, Ispra has produced the publication "Marine Litter: looking forward a new world", the result of a selection of photographic material collected in over four years of project activity together with an environmental awareness comic.

Open ecological transition. Where is the Italian environment going?

A country covered almost 40% by forests, more than Germany and Switzerland, and which has seen protected areas of land and sea grow up to 20% of the national territory. Greenhouse gas emissions, which have decreased by 19% in the last 30 years, are reduced, as are the main sources of air pollution. However, ozone, the situation of large urban centers and the Po Valley are worrying. Progress also for the circular economy: the economy uses less and less natural resources, separate waste collection continues to increase and landfill is increasingly reduced. On the other hand, the situation for land consumption is worsening: 60 square kilometers still lost every year or 15 hectares a day.
ISPRA presented the Open Ecological Transition report on 13 December which allows us to interpret the changes that have occurred in recent years in the aspects of the Italian environment.
It is a clear synthesis of the many dynamics that determine the Italian ecological transition, which immediately brings the most important aspects of each problem or phenomenon to the attention of society, highlighting the critical issues but also the results already achieved or achievable.The document is divided into three parts: The Italian environment at a glance, Natural systems, Human systems, for a total of 12 chapters and 66 items.

Press release (ita)

Open ecological transition

Video

Photo gallery

PNRR: MiTE-ISPRA protocol signed for the restoration of the seabed and marine habitats

400 million euros for interventions in favor of the sustainable blue economy
With the signing of the memorandum of understanding between the MiTE and ISPRA, the M2C4-3.5 investment of the PNRR "Restoration and protection of the seabed and marine habitats" can be carried out, which will allow to the Country to strengthen the observation capacities of marine ecosystems and implement a recovery and restoration campaign of marine habitats degraded by anthropogenic pressure.

Published "Marine Litter: looking forward a new world" in the frame of the INDICIT II Project

As part of the INDICIT I and II Projects, both financed by the European Commission and with the participation of 14 international partners, ISPRA has produced an ITINERARY EXHIBITION consisting of photographs, comics and a documentary.
Due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, the exhibition had a limited circulation and thus the idea was born of spreading it in virtual mode through a catalog that represented the works of the Exhibition in order to bear the testimony of the project, waiting for them to resume in throughout Europe the normal activities of scientific dissemination and communication.

Climate crisis and the role of trees

The webinar "Climate crisis and the role of trees" aims to spread right information on a topic which was discussed during the last internation meeting such as G20 and COP26. An ISPRA expert is participating at the event with a presentation on "The climate is changing: ecosystem services and urban forestation actions".

After 30 years on the national law for protected areas

After 30 years on the national law for protected areas, the Ministry of Ecological Transition organizes a day on the role of parks, in the light of the European strategy for biodiversity, the Green New Deal and the NRP, and on the results of conservation and promotion actions.

The reintroduction of the Gray Partridge in the Valle de Mezzano: first results

The Life Perdix project has the general objective of reintroducing in nature - and more specifically in the Valle del Mezzano SPA in the Po Delta of Emilia-Romagna - the Italian Gray Partridge (Perdix perdix italica), until recently considered extinct.

The network life

Protecting biodiversity is one of the crucial missions for safeguarding the environment. But do we really know what the richness of organisms is in the various ecosystems? Experts from ISPRA, Anthon Dohrn Zoological Station and CNR-IRBIM will lead us into the extraordinary variety of lives that populate agro-forestry systems and seas.

The National Biodiversity Network told through a video

The census and sharing of existing databases in Italy on the subject of biodiversity are among the activities assigned to Ispra, through the management and population of the National Biodiversity Network information system (ISPRA / Mite Convention). In order to increase the network of providers participating in the network system and to allow the reuse of the data available for scientific and informative purposes, ISPRA has created the informative video that can be consulted on ISPRA YouTube 

Nature Map - It is available the one of the region Emilia-Romagna

As part of the work to create the Nature Charter of Italy, the map of habitats and related ecological environmental assessments are now available on the ISPRA website for the region Emilia-Romagna.

Carta of Nature to improve knowledge, protect and plan

Carta della Natura is a national project whose products constitute a technical tool of knowledge useful for the management of the territory.
These are cartographic and evaluative products on Italian ecosystems and terrestrial habitats, inserted in a Territorial Information System of public utility.
The aim of the webinar is to share experiences and to highlight how this tool, designed at the time of Law 394/91 to support the system of protected areas

Program

Streaming on Youtube ISPRA

Press release (ita)

Carta della Natura (Map of Nature) of the Emilia-Romagna Region: habitat cartography and assessment at 1:25,000 scale

Format request data

Video Carta della Natura

The bioeconomy of forests

The fourth edition of the national forum "The bioeconomy of forests" will be held in Rome at the Cavour Congress Center on Thursday 18 November. Organized by Legambiente, the Forum is an opportunity for discussion on good practices, tools and political choices to relaunch the country and start a process of green transition for the entire economy, focusing on biodiversity management and increasingly sustainable forest planning and responsible.