Events and News

World Wildlife Day 2026

On December 20, 2013, at its 68th session, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed March 3 as World Wildlife Day. This day is important because it commemorates the date in 1973 when the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) was signed.

The theme chosen for the 2026 observance is “Medicinal and aromatic plants: safeguarding health, heritage, and livelihoods”

Medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) are essential for both human health and ecological balance. The World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes their importance, particularly in developing countries, where 70–95% of the population relies on traditional medicine for primary healthcare. These plants form the foundation of many healthcare systems and remain vital to modern pharmaceuticals, as many active compounds are derived directly or indirectly from natural sources, despite advances in synthetic chemistry.

Silent Plains: 2025 data released on bird populations associated with agricultural environments

The recent 2025 update on the “Common Birds of Agricultural Areas in Italy” produced within the framework of the National CAP Network with the support of Lipu, provides a crucial and concerning snapshot of the health of our countryside. At the center of the study is the Farmland Bird Index (FBI), an aggregated indicator that monitors trends in the populations of species closely associated with agricultural environments.

Third appointment of “Voce all’Ambiente”

GMOs: Opportunity or risk for the environment? Interview with: Valeria Giovannelli, Matteo Lener and Giovanni Staiano, ISPRA researchers

GMOs, an acronym for Genetically Modified Organisms, is a term familiar to many, but whose meaning, implications, and impacts in the environmental, agricultural, and social fields are often not fully understood. Some consider them a danger to the environment and human health, while others see them as a resource for the future of agriculture. But… what exactly are GMOs?

We discuss this with Valeria Giovannelli, Matteo Lener, and Giovanni Staiano, who have been studying genetically modified organisms for years, with particular reference to genetically modified plants and their environmental impacts.

The Traveler: Danger or Resource?

The Contribution of Bioethics to Regenerative Tourism

The role of the conscious traveler can constitute a sort of "public good." We create connections between the health of people, places, crops, animals, and knowledge.

ISPRA researcher Andrea Monaco will participate in the meeting with a presentation entitled "Inform yourself, think, travel. For sustainable and alien-free tourism, data on invasive species."

“Stop the clock” on environmental commitments?

Between regulatory decisions and voluntary corporate commitments.

The event, which will take place in Rome on February 18, aims to provide an updated overview of the current state of implementation, as well as the future prospects, of regulations affecting the agri-forestry sector in particular.

The meeting will also be an opportunity to analyze the possible effects of delays in implementing some key European Green Deal regulations.

Second event of “Voce all’Ambiente”

Restoring Nature: Behind the Scenes of the European Law on Ecosystem Restoration for People, the Climate, and the Planet
Interview with Valentina Rastelli, ISPRA Researcher

Following a complex legislative process, the European Nature Restoration Regulation officially entered into force on August 18, 2024. What objectives has Europe set to restore degraded ecosystems and halt biodiversity loss? What challenges await Member States in its implementation? We discuss this in the second episode of “Voce all’Ambiente” with Valentina Rastelli, who serves as Italy’s representative in the European Union’s expert group on the Regulation.

"Un Solo Mare" Festival

From 11 to 15 February 2026, the first edition of Un Solo Mare will take place at the Auditorium Parco della Musica Ennio Morricone. This new festival, produced by the Fondazione Musica per Roma, aims to celebrate the sea as a shared heritage and an irreplaceable resource.

The Festival was created out of the need to establish a space for dialogue dedicated to the 70% of the planet’s surface and 90% of its biosphere that regulates the climate, sustains life, nourishes us, and produces half of the oxygen we breathe.

Marine biodiversity and conservation, climate change and adaptation, marine exploration and technologies, the blue economy and sustainable development, and Mediterranean governance will be the major themes at the heart of the Festival.

ISPRA is organizing “The Deep Colors of the Mediterranean”, an immersive journey into the depths of the sea through images and videos collected by ISPRA. A conference-show designed for lower and upper secondary schools, aimed at discovering hidden ecosystems, understanding their fragility, and closely observing life in the deep sea.

On 11 February, the “Blue Economy between Italy and the Mediterranean” conference will feature the participation of ISPRA Director General, Maria Siclari.

ISPRA is organizing also the following conferences:

Questa è una spiaggia ecologica e tu ne fai parte!

Mare nostrum: scopriamo insieme il Mar Mediterraneo

I colori profondi del Mediterraneo

Banquette alla riscossa

Dentro i laboratori del mare. Collegamento con navi oceanografiche e basi artiche

The National Biodiversity Network supporting the educational programme to explore the biodiversity of Benevento

On Wednesday, February 11, the educational programme dedicated to biodiversity, territory, and citizen science officially began, involving students from the Made in Italy High School and the Applied Sciences High School of the Guacci Institute in Benevento. The programme is carried out in collaboration with Futuridea – Territorial Innovation Laboratory and is supported by ISPRA’s National Biodiversity Network (NNB), which provides its infrastructure for data collection.

IPBES publishes a report on the links between business and biodiversity

On the occasion of the 12th plenary meeting of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, held in Manchester from 2 to 8 February 2026, the global methodological report “Business and Biodiversity: Methodological Assessment of the Impact and Dependency of Business on Biodiversity and Nature’s Contributions to People” was adopted. On the same occasion, the plenary also approved the Summary for Policymakers of the report.

World Wetlands Day

World Wetlands Day, celebrated on 2 February, marks the signing in 1971 of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance and aims to raise global awareness of the crucial importance of wetlands for people and for our planet.

The Ramsar Convention defines wetlands as “areas of marsh, fen, peatland or water, whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, with water that is static or flowing, fresh, brackish or salt, including areas of marine water the depth of which at low tide does not exceed six metres” The Convention is the only international environmental treaty specifically focused on these ecosystems which, in addition to hosting and conserving a rich biological diversity of plants, birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fish and invertebrates, provide substantial water and food resources and play a fundamental role in mitigating climate change.

World Wetlands Day and the 50th anniversary of Italy’s ratification of the Ramsar Convention

On the occasion of World Wetlands Day, established by the United Nations in 1997, Italy will mark a major double milestone on 2 February: World Wetlands Day and the 50th anniversary of Italy’s ratification of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, signed in Ramsar, Iran, in 1971.

The theme chosen for World Wetlands Day 2026, “Wetlands and Traditional Knowledge: Celebrating Cultural Heritage,” aims to highlight the contribution of local communities and traditional knowledge to sustainable management practices and ecosystem restoration. This integrated approach, bringing together science, culture, and territory, is essential to counter the global decline of wetlands and to strengthen the resilience of natural systems.

The Nature Restoration Law: technical evidence for the drafting of the national restoration plan

The meeting will provide an opportunity for dialogue between European and Italian experiences, with the aim of promoting the exchange of good practices and critical reflections on the operational and knowledge-related challenges that lie ahead in the coming years.

The morning will be structured into two sessions. In the first session, the meeting will host (online) speakers from several European countries, who will share their approaches and strategies for drafting their National Restoration Plans. The discussion will focus on how each country is addressing key challenges—such as setting measurable targets, integrating biodiversity and climate objectives, ensuring effective governance, and engaging stakeholders. This comparative perspective will help highlight the diversity of national contexts and the overarching European vision underpinning the Nature Restoration Regulation.

The second session will be dedicated to the Italian context. Speakers involved in the preparation of the Italian National Restoration Plan will discuss the critical issues and opportunities of the ongoing process.

Natural Map: the map of the Umbria region is available

As part of the work on the creation of Italy’s Nature Map, the update of the habitat map and the related ecological-environmental assessments for the Umbria region is now available on the ISPRA website.

The products were developed by ISPRA following the methodological review and the update of the Legend.

The updated map includes 111 different habitat types and 48,534 ecotopes.

The cartography can be viewed on the ISPRA Geoportal or requested free of charge in shapefile format through the dedicated online form.

WOLFNETxT project conference

"Research, Experiences, Best Practices. National Parks and the Wolf in Italy"

WOLFNExT is a network of National Parks that looks to the future of the wolf in Italy in light of the significant ecological changes that have driven the species' expansion into areas where it had disappeared for decades. These changes often create new interfaces, requiring appropriate and increasingly advanced operational capabilities. Last but not least, they suggest adaptive solutions and effective communication with various stakeholders.

MEET-FUNGI: the project and the 2026 initiatives dedicated to fungal biodiversity officially kick off

On 31 January 2026, the launch event of the MEET-FUNGI project will take place in Valle Camonica (Lombardy). The project is coordinated by Federparchi, with the support of Fondazione Cariplo, and involves ISPRA as a partner alongside MicoCosmo and the Valle Camonica Mountain Community.

Following the launch event, a structured programme of outreach and training initiatives will begin and continue throughout 2026. These activities will include mycological excursions, workshops, and awareness-raising initiatives, open to the public and aimed at a broad and diverse audience.

The census of overwintering waterbirds celebrates its first 60 years

Coordinated in Italy by ISPRA, the Wetlands International project promotes the counting of waterbirds around mid-January across the entire European territory.

From 6 to 25 January 2026, surveys of overwintering waterbirds are being carried out in more than 2,000 Italian wetlands as part of the International Waterbird Census (IWC) project. The project is coordinated by ISPRA and relies on a network of over 500 expert surveyors and around 1,500 collaborators distributed throughout the country. With more than 30 years of continuous activity across the entire national territory, the IWC surveys represent one of Italy’s longest-running research projects, and certainly the leading one in terms of geographical coverage and regularity.

The 2026 marks the 60th anniversary of the IWC censuses.

The first phase of genetic monitoring of the Marsican brown bear has been completed

Analysis of over eight hundred hair samples collected in the area of the Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park to estimate population size

The first phase of genetic monitoring of the Marsican brown bear has been successfully completed, with the aim of estimating as accurately as possible the population size of one of Europe’s rarest mammals. The activity took place within the Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park, where 854 hair samples were collected and will now be analyzed by specialized laboratories.

To obtain these samples, “scent traps” were set up to attract bears to rubbing posts and around berry patches—environments where they find fruit to feed on. Thanks to more than four hundred installations, genetic material was collected for biomolecular analyses, which will make it possible to estimate both the size of the population and the species’ distribution range, in historically occupied areas as well as in zones of more recent colonization.

2026 Calendar of the National Biodiversity Network

The 2026 calendar of the National Biodiversity Network is illustrated with drawings and photographs created as part of educational activities and citizen science initiatives promoted by the Network.

ISPRA project for schools: “Botanical iconography as a tool for knowledge and environmental awareness.”

“Biodiversity in Pose” project: a citizen science initiative aimed at reporting the presence of plant and animal species across the national territory.

Download the calendar in pdf 

The Red Sea mullet has established itself in Lampedusa

Fishermen on the island are increasingly catching specimens of this alien species, which arrived in the Mediterranean through the Suez Canal.
Initially observed only in deep waters, it has recently also been found along the coastal belt—an indication that suggests a stable establishment in the area, as has already occurred with other alien species such as the brown rabbitfish and the cornetfish.
ISPRA is closely monitoring the evolution of the phenomenon in order to assess interactions with native species and potential impacts on the ecosystem.
The collaboration of fishermen is crucial, as they provide valuable information to the scientific community

The European project Life Sea.Net concluded

A toolkit featuring operational tools to support managing authorities in the governance of protected areas has been presented.
The Italian marine Natura 2000 network can become the cornerstone of a new model of sea governance: effective, coordinated, participatory, and capable of protecting biodiversity, strengthening local economies, and making coastal communities more resilient.

Protecting migratory marine species such as the Mediterranean monk seal and the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) will now be easier thanks to cooperation among transboundary states, as will identifying the most appropriate management solutions and defining suitable measures for the conservation of sensitive habitats or species, in coordination with national and international administrations. But that is not all. It will also be easier to promote participatory and shared processes to expand the Natura 2000 Network—an extraordinary tool for biodiversity protection and a driver of the Blue Economy. Protected areas, in fact, stabilize ecosystems, ensuring natural resources for sustainable activities and fostering innovation, circular economy practices, and integrated territorial management.

ISPRA–Nebrodi Park Agreement for Biodiversity Monitoring

ISPRA and the Nebrodi Park Authority have signed a three-year agreement for the development of joint activities focused on monitoring, studying, and conserving biodiversity within the territory of the Nebrodi Park.

The collaboration combines ISPRA’s scientific expertise with the institutional and management role of the Park Authority and focuses on two key components of the Park’s ecosystems: mycological diversity, with particular reference to macrofungi, and the faunal component, especially avifauna of conservation interest.

Activities related to mycological biodiversity are carried out within a dedicated Network coordinated by ISPRA and include field surveys, the collection of ecological data using standardized protocols, validation of information through the Fungi Information System (SIF), and the preservation of specimens in the ISPRA database. The results will contribute to expanding and making more consistent the knowledge of the Park’s fungal diversity.

Final event LIFE SEA.NET project

The final conference of the Life Sea.Net Project, of which ISPRA is the main scientific partner, will be held on Wednesday, December 17, at Palazzo Falletti, Via Panisperna 207, in the Throne Room.

Project partners, institutional actors, and stakeholders will discuss the role of the Natura 2000 Network in protecting biodiversity and developing a sustainable blue economy.

The conference is divided into two sessions: the first will present the project's actions, the main results achieved, and the operational tools developed to support the management of Natura 2000 sites; the second will illustrate the management methods of the Natura 2000 Network and its role in achieving EU objectives.

The two sessions will conclude with a roundtable discussion on future prospects for marine protected areas.

Program

Project web site 

Presented Global Environment Outlook 7: A future we choose

The Executive Summary of the seventh edition of UNEP's Global Environment Outlook (GEO-7) was presented today in Nairobi, where the seventh United Nations General Assembly for the Environment (UNEA-7) is underway.

GEO-7, UNEP's flagship document, assesses the state of the environment at the global, regional, and national levels, highlighting interconnected crises such as climate change, biodiversity loss, land degradation, pollution, and waste. The report integrates scientific data, forecasting scenarios, and socioeconomic analyses, proposing solutions based on the circular economy, energy transition, and sustainable food systems.

287 scientists from various disciplines from 82 countries participated in the drafting process, supported by over 800 reviewers to ensure scientific accuracy. Twelve Italian authors are among the authors, including three young scientists who participated in GEO-7 as fellows.

ISPRA partner of the SEALIFE Project

Strengthening cooperation to develop joint solutions for the protection of the Mediterranean monk seal in the program area

As part of the European Territorial Cooperation Programme Interreg Greece-Italy 2021/2027, SEALIFE, a cross-border project dedicated to the protection of the Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus), one of the world's most endangered mammal species, is launched. The initiative aims to develop innovative strategies for the conservation of the monk seal in the Ionian and Adriatic Seas.

Guidelines for the Rescue and Rehabilitation of Bats published

The guidelines serve as a technical and methodological reference tool for all wildlife rescue centers and provide updated and standardized guidance on the proper procedures for handling bats during the rescue and rehabilitation of individuals found in distress. The document includes a general introductory section, admission criteria, housing and husbandry methods, a medical handbook, examples of surgical procedures, and protocols for managing the most common diseases, as well as criteria for assessing suitability for release into the wild and the procedures for release.

It also includes a section dedicated to the management of exotic species

“The right place for the right tree.”

The central theme of the meeting will be an analysis of the challenges previously posed by EU regulations on arboriculture and, more recently, by the Climate Decree and the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP). Even more importantly, it will address the challenges that will soon arise from the implementation of the Nature Restoration Law, the increasing occurrence of natural disturbances, and the growing awareness of the importance of trees and woodlands in Urban and Peri-urban Forests (as defined by the National Public Green Strategy, 2018).

These are proposals and activities already anticipated and clearly outlined in the National Forest Strategy and the Biodiversity Strategy, which the national nursery sector—both public and private—must take on in order to be prepared, in an innovative and sustainable way, for the massive future demand for young plants belonging to woody flora (particularly tree and shrub species, but also herbaceous species), both native and non-native. This is especially relevant given the past dismantling of public nurseries which, however, have survived locally through excellent initiatives that can serve as a starting point, as demonstrated by the recent success of the FOR.TREE NURSERY project, carried out by Fondazione Alberitaia ETS at the proposal of the CNR within the framework of the National Future Biodiversity Centre.

Smart management of green spaces for resilient, sustainable, and livable cities

Green areas provide numerous ecosystem services that are essential for the quality of the urban environment and for the well-being of city residents, including the reduction of the urban heat island effect, the absorption of greenhouse gases and air pollutants, and the creation of opportunities for social interaction and physical activity.
The European Union, with Regulation 2024/1991 on nature restoration, has introduced specific measures for the restoration of urban green areas, requiring Member States to achieve zero net loss of urban green spaces at the national level between 2024 and 2030, and to progressively increase their extent from 2031 onwards, including through integration into buildings and infrastructure.
Technical and management solutions can help improve the maintenance and use of urban green spaces, reducing costs for public administrations, generating environmental benefits such as water savings, and supporting the active involvement of citizens in caring for their local areas.

Final conference LIFE SeaForest project

ISPRA is hosting the final meeting of the European LIFE SeaForest project, dedicated to the conservation and restoration of the priority marine habitat H1120*: Posidonia oceanica meadows.
The event will be an important opportunity for international discussion and dissemination of the results achieved.
The conference can also be followed online, with simultaneous Italian-English translation available.

The project, coordinated by D.R.E.Am. Italia together with ISPRA, CNR, University of Tuscia, Carbonsink, Paragon Europe, and three National Parks (Asinara, La Maddalena Archipelago and Cilento, Vallo di Diano, and Alburni), has implemented and tested concrete actions to reduce the degradation of Posidonia oceanica meadows.

Cathedrals of Nature

First day dedicated to the “care of creation” through the promotion of “monumental trees” as part of the “National Tree Day”

On the occasion of the National Tree Day, the Committee for the Development of Public Green Spaces of the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security (MASE) and the Ministry of Agriculture are organizing a meeting dedicated to “monumental trees”, which stand as true “Cathedrals of Nature.” In fact, the Cultural Heritage and Landscape Code (Legislative Decree 42/2004) defines these trees, under Article 136, as “among the immovable things possessing outstanding characteristics of natural beauty.”

Urban Ecology: A Journal for Nature in the City

The issue of the magazine Ecologia Urbana is available online, which takes up and delves into the experience of two ISPRA researchers who, as part of the Path for Transversal Skills and Orientation (PCTO) promoted by the National Biodiversity Network, detected the presence of a rare mushroom, Rhodotus palmatus, within the Natural Monument of the "Fosso della Cecchignola" managed by the RomaNatura Agency.