Events and News

The mountain hare shifts in altitude

A paper published in the journal Biodiversity and Conservation, edited by ISPRA and the University of Turin investigates the relationship between ten years of climate change, and the distribution of the mountain hare in the Aosta Valley, Western Italian Alps

Typical inhabitant of medium and high Alpine altitudes, the mountain hare (Lepus timidus), is potentially affected by the climate changes underway. It is a mammal adapted to high mountains or extreme latitudes, and owes its name to the seasonal change in color of the coat: during the winter it changes to a white coat, which is why it is also known in Italy as ‘the white hare’.

Adopted the National Strategy for Biodiversity to 2030

The Minister of the Environment and Energy Security, Gilberto Pichetto, has signed the decree adopting the National Strategy for Biodiversity to 2030.

The Strategy defines national guidelines for the protection and enhancement of biodiversity and ecosystems, implementing the commitments undertaken with the ratification of the 1992 Rio Convention on Biological Biodiversity which recently adopted the Global Framework for Biodiversity to 2030 in Montreal in December and in line with the objectives of the European Biodiversity Strategy 2030

Sea turtle nests, 2023 is the record year

 There are currently 293 loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) nests found and secured along Italian beaches: it is the all-time record and a number destined to increase in the coming weeks. Volunteers from Legambiente and other organizations, engaged in nest monitoring and surveillance activities as part of the European LIFE Turtlenest project, continue to report day by day traces of mother turtle ascent on Italian beaches.

LIFE Conceptu Maris: photo contest edition 2023

Until midnight on 24 September 2023, those who photograph the beauty of the Mediterranean can participate in the second edition of the “Profondo blu. Whales, dolphins and turtles in the open sea”related to LIFE Conceptu Maris.

"Beware of those 4!" Citizen science campaign promoted by IRBIM CNR and ISPRA for the sighting of alien species in the Mediterranean

In the video, the latest sighting, along the Calabrian coasts, of the Scorpion Fish which has very long and thin venomous spines on its dorsal, anal and pelvic fins.
ISPRA and CNR-IRBIM recall the campaign Watch out for those 4! The two institutes, in collaboration with the Alien Fish project, collect reports as envisaged by the "Beware of those 4" campaign.

Video

Published on Nature Communications a global a study on the assessment of marine plastic exposure risk for oceanic birds

The study, carried out with the contribution of three ISPRA researchers, has demonstrated that 25% of the risk of plastic ingestion by seabirds occurs on the high seas, outside the exclusive economic zones of individual countries.

Read the study

Presentation of the volume "Foreste d'Italia"

On 20 July in Rome, at the Parlamentino delle Foreste, the book "Foreste d'Italia" will be presented.
The data from the national forest inventory are organized by region to learn about the Italian forest heritage and the activity of the Carabinieri for forest monitoring and control.

Online the web site for Network for the study of mycological diversity

In February 2021 ISPRA launched the Network for the study of mycological diversity (Ndm) with the aim of collecting, systematizing and publishing in a single national database surveys, samples and data (historical and current) relating to the fungal species present in the Italian habitats.

Sea urchins more sensitive to metal toxicity as a consequence of the past two decades

The ISPRA research group based in Livorno, in collaboration with a researcher from the University of Nottingham, has published the results of a twenty-year laboratory activity conducted using sea urchins in Marine Pollution Bulletin. Data have shown as the climate change and ocean acidification, which is already taking place in the Mediterranean Sea, have caused a reduction in the tolerance of a natural population of sea urchins to copper toxicity. This conclusion supports the need to reevaluate the knowledge we have today about environmental contaminants in the context of future changes in the environment.

The Mediterranean Sea is one of the areas in the world where seabirds are most at risk of ingesting plastic

Published in Nature Communications a study on the exposure of seabirds to plastic pollution in the seas, carried out by more than 200 scholars from all over the world, including three ISPRA researchers.
The movements of more than 7,000 individuals belonging to 77 seabird species were analyzed in relation to the concentration of plastic in the sea.
The results of the study identified the Mediterranean Sea, the Black Sea and circular sea currents as the areas most at risk of plastic ingestion for birds.

Read the study

The big predators between the rules of nature and law

The first part of the conference will discuss the conservation and management of big predators from a legal and biological point of view with a focus on the reintroduction of the bear in Trentino.
The second part of the conference, on the other hand, will give space to the pronouncements of the TAR and the Council of State and to the role of ISPRA in the decision-making and juridical processes to face the issue of the role of environmental associations in the management of big predators.

Fourth Meeting for the presentation of the Guidelines for the conservation of the Mediterranean trout and its habitat – LIFE STREAMS Az. E.1.2.

The fourth and last meeting of the LIFE STREAMS Project will take place on 26 June, for the presentation of the proposal for Guidelines for the conservation of the Mediterranean trout and its habitat, implemented in the context of Action C.5 of the project. . The meeting - which will be attended by the representatives of bodies, scientific and environmentalist associations - launches the public consultation phase on the Guidelines, which provide for conservation measures in particular to the managing bodies of Natura 2000 sites and protected natural areas, to the Regions and to the Hydrographic District Authorities. The Guidelines include indications for the conservation of the species even outside the protected areas and, in particular, concerning sport fishing.

What species of cetaceans and turtles can be found in our seas?

Some videos realized in four languages ​​by the CIMA Foundation, the International Center for Environmental Monitoring, are available on the LIFE Conceptu Maris Project website to explain which species of cetaceans and turtles it is possible to encounter in the Italian seas and also to give useful indications for recognizing them.

ISPRA is the coordinating beneficiary of the Project

ENCA Network 31st edition

The 31st session of the Network of European Agencies for Nature Conservation (ENCA network) opens today in Stirling (Scotland).
The topics of the meeting are: land use; the contribution of agencies in the implementation of policies for the conservation of species and habitats; the support of the agencies for the implementation of the global agreement approved at the end of 2022 at the COP15 of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity; the approval of a document of the ENCA network, drawn up also with the contribution of ISPRA, on the concept of "transformative change". This latest report contains a number of illustrative examples for moving towards the transformational shift needed to contrast the loss of the planet's biological integrity.

16 June, World sea turtle day

World Sea Turtle Day is celebrated on 16 June, a day dedicated to raising awareness of the endangered status of these species.
On January 20, the Kick-off meeting of the LIFE TURTLENEST project was held, co-financed by the European Union and coordinated by Legambiente, whose main objective is to conserve and protect the Caretta Caretta sea turtle. LIFE TURTLENEST also intends to evaluate the impact of climate change on the nesting of the species.

ISPRA, as project partner, is responsible for the geomorphological characterization of nesting sites, analysis for land use planning and management, geomorphological and chemical characterization and preparation of guidelines on coastal erosion management for the suitability of the nesting habitat.

Wild waterbirds and type A influenza

Researchers from the University of Bologna and ISPRA collaborate in writing an editorial which comments on recent research findings about the ecology and interspecies transmission mechanisms of type A influenza viruses.

Event cancelled-Italy and the Environment. State, Perspectives and Scenarios

The event has been postponed to a later date

On June 15, ISPRA will present "Italy and the Environment: status, perspectives and scenarios".
The publication seeks to answer two questions: "What is the situation of the environment in Italy?" and “Are we going in the environmentally desired direction?”. Today ISPRA has a vast amount of information, historical series, indicators, the result of years of data collection and processing, to be able to answer these two questions. The publication offers an opportunity to enhance the main indicators present in the ISPRA Environmental Indicators database (Banca dati Indicatori Ambientali di ISPRA)

Third Meeting for the presentation of the Guidelines for the conservation of the Mediterranean trout and its habitat – LIFE STREAMS Az. E.1.2.

The third meeting of the LIFE STREAMS Project will take place on 14 June, for the presentation of the proposal for Guidelines for the conservation of the Mediterranean trout and its habitat. The meeting will take place at the headquarters of the Visitor Center of the Foreste Casentinesi, Monte Falterona and Campigna National Park - Bagno di Romagna (FC). The meeting - which will be attended by the representatives of institutions, scientific, environmental and fishing associations - launches the public consultation phase on the Guidelines, which provide for the conservation measures proposed in particular to the managing bodies of Natura 2000 sites and protected natural areas , the Regions and the Hydrographic District Authorities. The Guidelines include indications for the conservation of the species even outside the protected areas and, in particular, concerning sport fishing.

Festival Green&Blue

The Festival will open on 5 June in Rome on the occasion of World Environment Day and will continue on 6-7-8 June in Milan with sectoral insights. The meetings of the Festival will give scientific information and
the final panel will be dedicated to biodiversity, with particular attention to the theme of water and the oceans. Other topics faced about the European 30/30 strategy, conflicts between human activities and wildlife, enhancement of the natural heritage from both an economic and cultural point of view and conservation projects.

The wolf arrives in the EcoAtlas of ISPRA

A new story in the ISPRA EcoAtlas tells the results of the national monitoring of the wolf with infographics, maps and data that photograph, for the biological year of the species 2020-2021, the consistency and distribution of the species in our country.
After three years of work, the results of the national monitoring of the wolf coordinated by the Higher Institute for Environmental Protection and Research ISPRA on behalf of the Ministry for the Environment and Energy Security are available in the EcoAtlante ISPRA, the thematic portal that allows to discover, view and share national and local environmental information from PCs, tablets and smartphones.

The Forest Factor

More Nature to fight global warming
The Arma dei Carabinieri  is organizing the international conference "The Forest factor" in Rome on 6 and 7 June 2023, at the Roma Tre University, with the aim of placing the emphasis on the forests protection, as an essential element in the fight against climate change, and on their vital importance for biodiversity, carbon, water and energy cycles on a planetary scale.

Soil care also cures drought

The Festa del Bio will be held in Rome on 27 May, with the participation of an ISPRA researcher at the Talk "The care of the soil also cures drought".

Italian Hub for the Nature-based Solution

Bringing together researchers, administrators, businesses and the public sector in order to promote initiatives and gather information regarding the adoption of Nature-based Solutions (NbS).
This is the main objective of the National Hubs established within the NetworkNature project, funded by the European Commission, which will thus be a beneficial resource for the NbS community. The Terrestrial Ecosystems Research Institute of the National Research Council (CNR-IRET) is entrusted with the coordination of the Italian Hub, whose Kick-off Meeting is scheduled for next May 26, in Rome, at the CNR headquarters

European Day of Parks

The European Day of Parks is celebrated every  year on 24 May for the initiative of European Fedaration Park (EUROPARC). This remind the day in which in Sweden,  on 1909, it was established the first national park in Europe.

"Build on our roots" is the slogan of the European Day of Parks 2023. An invitation to join the Protected Areas to explore the idea and the natural heritage that they protect, but also the heritage of their organization, made up of experiences, skills and good practices for the protection of biodiversity and the territory.
Protected natural areas are at the forefront for the protection of biodiversity but also offer an important contribution in the fight against climate change.

World Biodiversity Day 2023

May 22 is World Biodiversity Day, announced by the United Nations to celebrate Biodiversity, the richness of life – at the level of ecosystems, species and genes – on our Planet.
"From agreement to action: rebuilding biodiversity" is the theme chosen in 2023 to celebrate this day. The aim is to stimulate in particular practical reflection on possible future scenarios by leveraging the concept of "reconstruction". It is not enough to protect the natural heritage of ecosystems, we must also engage in the regeneration of damaged or threatened environments.

With the aim to celebrate the World biodiversity Day 2023 the  Convention on Biological Diversity has planned 22 Actions for the Biodiversity

Bears, wolves and wild boars: on the border of coexistence

From 19 to 21 may it will be held the Food&Science Festival, an event of scientific dissemination of national and international importance that deals with and explores issues related to the science of food production and consumption in a creative and accessible way. On 20 May, an ISPRA researcher will participate in the meeting "Bears, wolves and wild boars: on the border of coexistence".

Presage of diversity and risks of climate change

In the whole of the biodiversity week of Puglia next 20 may in Lecce it will be held a meeting on "Presage of diversity and risks of climate change", which an Ispa expert is participating, with a speech about "The UN agreement asks us to integrate the values ​​of nature in agriculture to reverse the decline of biodiversity and make peace with the world by 2030".

Urban forestation and Nature based solutions for the sustainable future of cities

The European Green Deal, the Next Generation Eu and the European Strategy for Biodiversity place the return of nature in our lives and, in particular, in cities, at the center of restoration ecology. The National Recovery and Resilience Plan (Pnrr), on a proposal from the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security, financed a measure dedicated to urban forestry in the 14 metropolitan cities.

GET ON BOARD WITH THE RESEARCHERS - The Citizen Science campaign to monitor cetaceans, turtles and marine litter of the European Life Project CONCEPTU MARIS is started

The Life Conceptu Maris (CONservation of CEtaceans and Pelagic sea TUrtles in Med: Managing Actions for their Recovery In Sustainability) project is preparing to start the citizen science phase: citizens, professionals and students will be invited to board the ferries to contribute monitoring alongside ISPRA researchers. The recruitment starts from ISPRA colleagues operating on other activities who will want to experience how monitoring data of megafauna and sea turtles from ferries are collected.

Meeting for the presentation of the Guidelines for the conservation of the Mediterranean trout and its habitat – LIFE STREAMS Az. E.1.2.

Next 16 may there will be the first meeting of the Project LIFE STREAMS, financed by the European Community, whose main objective is the recovery and conservation of populations of native Mediterranean trout. The meeting aims to present presentation of the proposed Guidelines for the conservation of the Mediterranean trout and its habitat, implemented within the Action C.5 of the project.
The meeting will take place from 10 to 13 at the headquarters of the Maiella National Park Authority in Sulmona (AQ), in presence and online. The meeting - which will be attended by stakeholders from scientific and environmentalist associations - launches the public consultation phase on the Guidelines, which provide for the conservation measures proposed in particular to the bodies managing Natura 2000 sites and protected natural areas, to the Regions and River District Authority. The Guidelines include indications for the conservation of the species even outside the protected areas and, in particular, concerning sport fishing.