Events and News

The Forest City

The Carabinieri is organizing the international conference "The Forest City" in Rome on 29 and 30 May 2024, at the Auditorium of the National Library, with the aim of highlighting the important role of forests in the city, intended as a new approach method to promote urban and human regeneration.

Final conference project LIFE WolfAlps EU

The three-day event dedicated to the activities carried out in recent years by the staff of the LIFE WolfAlps Project and future prospects will be held in Trento.

May 17th and 18th will be dedicated to communicating the main results obtained during the project, but not only that: we will talk about lynx and golden jackal, management on a European scale, and coexistence with fauna in general.

The event will also be available on the Project's social channels.

Are the nature conservation actions developed in recent decades effective in halting the decline of biodiversity?

In a study published in Science, an analysis is carried out on nature conservation measures, highlighting how effective they have been in counteracting the loss of biodiversity.

How effective have the measures implemented in recent decades to combat the loss of biodiversity really been?

Canoe excursion in the Tevere river: where to find molluscs

As part of the City Nature Challenge 2024, the Italian Canoe Association (AICAN) proposes a canoe excursion in the stretch of the Tiber river between Monterotondo and Settebagni.
The initiative is aimed at monitoring molluscs in the Tiber river and is part of the activities of the participatory science project #teveremolluschifantastici...and where to find them coordinated by ISPRA.

Citizen science in the Aniene Valley Nature Reserve

As part of the City Nature Challenge, the international Citizen Science initiative which since 2016 allows citizens from all over the world to compete with each other to report the greatest number of data on biodiversity, the National Biodiversity Network is promoting a day of meeting between ISPRA experts and citizens at the Aniene Valley Nature Reserve.

City Nature Challenge 2024 – Take part in reporting the flora and fauna around you!

The City Nature Challenge (CNC) returns from 26 to 29 April 2024, the international citizen science initiative which since 2016 has allowed citizens from all over the world to compete amicably with each other to report the greatest number of data on biodiversity

Effects of climate change in the Po Delta Park area

Climate change is progressively accentuating its effects with phenomena that are increasingly significant and impacting on our lives and the environment. The rise in air and sea water temperatures, the increasingly pronounced drought and the recent devastating flood phenomena have affected the inland areas and the coast, decisively affecting the economy and biodiversity in the Po Delta Park area.

The activities of ISPRA and the Presidential Estate of Castelporziano

The Castelporziano Presidential Estate is a natural area that extends for 6000 hectares and is just a few kilometers from the center of Rome. It is a unique territory, one third covered by one of the few remaining examples of mixed lowland forest. The area is home to many animal species, representing a stopping point for many species of birds. There is also a complex community of wild ungulates: roe deer, wild boar, fallow deer and deer.

II European Raccoon Meeting

The second European Raccoon Meeting will be held from 18 to 20 April 2024 in Pratovecchio Stia. EURORACCOON is a project that aims to bring together researchers and managers working on raccoons on a European scale, covering all aspects of raccoon ecology (general ecology, parasitology and infectious diseases, genetics and genomics, spatial ecology, management tools and strategies) .

ISPRA at the Rome Science Festival

From 16 to 21 April 2024 the Rome Science Festival returns to the Auditorium Parco della Musica Ennio Morricone with its 19th edition.

Mistakes and wonders is the theme of this edition, dedicated to the wonder that accompanies every discovery, the engine that pushes scientists to explore, ask questions and question consolidated knowledge, always going further. Wondering, even in the face of crises and problems, is the first step in seeking new answers and solutions, on a path not without missteps, failures and denials, errors.

ISPRA is the scientific partner of the event and promotes a series of initiatives.

Program

16 - 21 april 15:00 - 21:00

Mostra "Relitti, rifiuti e biodiversità nelle profondità del Mediterraneo"

16 - 21 april  15:00 - 21:00

Mostra "Meravigliosa natura, umani errori"

19 april  18:30

Che tempo farà? Incertezze nelle previsioni metereologiche

20 - 21 april 8:45 e 9:15

Le attività di ISPRA e la Tenuta Presidenziale di Castelporziano
Evento gratuito con prenotazione obbligatoria

20 - 21 april 11:00 - 15:30

Laboratorio "Mostra "Meravigliosa natura, umani errori"

21 april ore 11:00

Sottoterra nessuno può sentirti urlare

Posidonia Friend

The municipality of San Vincenzo (LI) is also promoting a project this year on the theme of environment and sustainability which has Posidonia as its protagonist, a marine plant that is very present along the Tuscan coasts and of fundamental importance for the marine ecosystem.
The events will start on Friday 12 April with researchers from the ISPRA headquarters in Livorno who will hold a lesson dedicated to middle school students, and will end on 21 June with an evening open to all: the protagonist will always be Posidonia, a plant to get to know and protect

Between the beach and the seas: stories of birds from the Mare Nostrum

The Science Museum of Trento is organizing the meeting "Between the beach and the seas: stories of birds of the Mare Nostrum" on April 10th.

The first protagonist of the evening is the Fratino, a small bird that nests on the beach.
For years, ISPRA has been carrying out a study project on the species: thanks to the individual marking activity with rings that can be read from a distance, it has been possible to study the dynamics of the pairs that form every spring-summer; while with the use of miniaturized GPS instruments it was possible to study their movements during nesting and winter, with quite a few surprises.

Biodiversity change in the Anthropocene: research priorities

An open and dynamic scientific discussion on one of the main problems of our era

The symposium, organized by the CNR, will be an active discussion, fueled by short presentations presented in a dynamic mode, which will favor interaction between participants and the exchange of experiences and visions on the topic in question.

INVISIBILIA – THE HIDDEN PLANET

A project of participatory science and immersion in nature

INVISIBILIA is a proposal for immersion in nature to promote knowledge of the Park's habitats. Thanks to the contribution of experts and the collaboration of some scientific research projects, the invisible worlds that make up the Sasso Simone and Simoncello Park will be explored with the aim of collecting useful data for the study and conservation of species of flora, fauna and fungi. The data will be collected through specific instrumentation and the use of the iNaturalist App will be encouraged through which participants will be able to send their reports in the "Biodiversity Project" of the National Biodiversity Network (NNB) of ISPRA.

Roma the city garden

As part of the Festival of the Green and Landscape Festival which will take place from 5 to 7 April at the Auditorium Parco della Musica "Ennio Morricone", the conference "Rome the garden city" will be held on Friday 5 April.

Rome has a usable ecological heritage of great importance, characterized by a complex system of habitats that includes a vast system of protected natural areas, parks and gardens and historic villas, river floodplains, agricultural areas and urban vegetable gardens.
Its territory is in fact characterized by 22 protected natural areas and 40 historic villas (around 5,000 hectares in total) located both in the central areas and in the more peripheral areas.

The use of dog units in the conservation of biodiversity

The use of dogs for wildlife conservation and management is taking on an increasingly important role, thanks to the abilities of these animals, for example the ability to recognize odors even very diluted in the environment and to investigate large surfaces in a short time. For these reasons, the LIFE Perdix project used dogs to ascertain the reproduction and distribution of Italian partridges released into the Mezzano Valley. The workshop intends to provide an overview of the different topics in which dogs can be efficiently used for the conservation of biodiversity and to propose specific guidelines for their use.

The Birds of the Countryside

Birds, especially the common nesting species, represent excellent ecological indicators, thanks to some of their peculiar characteristics: they are animals sensitive to environmental changes, they are easily contactable especially during the reproductive period (when they show evident territorial behaviours, including singing), they allow the monitoring of habitats on a large scale and, occupying high levels of the food chain, reflect the changes also undergone by other taxa that occupy lower trophic levels.

FAI spring days "ISPRA: protection of biodiversity at the garden estate of Ozzano dell'Emilia"

ISPRA of Ozzano dell'Emilia takes part in the FAI Spring Days which confirm, in their thirty-second edition, one of the most important events for learning about the Italian cultural and landscape heritage.

This year ISPRA opens the doors of an important headquarters, not only in terms of landscape heritage, but also from a scientific one. For visitors to the ISPRA estate in Ozzano nell'Emilia, an exclusive opportunity opens up to discover the organisation's research activities and projects.

International Day of Forests 2024

International Day of Forests is celebrated every 21 March and represents a fundamental moment to reflect on the importance of forests for our planet. Established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2012, the day aims to highlight the fundamental role that forests play not only in the supply of timber and non-timber products (berries, mushrooms, resins, etc.), but including in providing ecosystem services such as erosion control, biodiversity conservation, climate regulation and in providing livelihoods to hundreds of millions of people.
The theme of the 2024 Day is "Forests and Innovation" and places emphasis on the essential combination of forest conservation and technological progress.

How did mammals respond to changes in human activity during the pandemic?

The results of a study conducted on a global scale which analyzed the impact on the habits of wild mammals of changes in human activities induced by the COVID-19 pandemic between 2019 and 2021 have been published in the international scientific journal Nature Ecology and Evolution. 

Protected areas: virtuous experiences to combat the decline of pollinators

The Life 4 Pollinators project is organizing a meeting that brings together the world of conservation, research and institutions, united to protect the decline of pollinators.

"Virtuous experiences to combat the decline of pollinators" is an event organized in collaboration with Federparchi, LIFE PollinAction, Life BEEadapt which aims to give those who manage protected areas the opportunity to discuss and find shared strategies for the conservation of pollinating insects .

National project on the biology and conservation of skunks and weasels in Italy

MustelaWatch.it is the Italian portal dedicated to skunks and weasels designed and created by the Italian Mesocarnivore Research Group (GrIMeC) of the Italian Theriological Association (ATIt). It contains news on the species, insights, publications, as well as distribution maps updated in real time, with recent data and new acquisitions.

PNRR WED. The restoration of one of the most threatened marine environments in Europe: flat oyster habitats

In the "breeding parks" 300,000 larvae have already been obtained, the objective is to reach 1 million to be allocated to breeding

ISPRA's activities have begun for the restoration of one of the most threatened marine environments in Europe: the habitats of the flat oyster (Ostrea edulis), a native Adriatic species, in five Italian regions: Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Veneto, Emilia-Romagna, Marche and Abruzzo. An activity in line with the requests of the European Strategy for Biodiversity and the objectives of the recently approved "Nature Restoration Law". The operations involve the introduction of adult reproductive individuals - both collected with sustainable fishing techniques and bred - and the placing on the seabed of substrates favorable to the taking root of new generations of oysters and the formation of the reef. To support the interventions, instruments for measuring environmental parameters will be installed which will complement the data collected through specific monitoring programs.

Plastic and circular economy

The seminar, addressed to the local administrators of Villasimius, is dedicated to the topics of plastics, circular economy and the impacts that they can produce on the territory and sea.

It will be also presented the project LIFE CONCEPTU MARIS, which AMP Capo Carbonare is partner and aims to conservation of cetaceans and sea turtles in the Mediterranean.

From balconies to urban green: good practices for the management of invasive alien species

The aim of the conference is to illustrate the delicate topic of invasive alien species and suggest the most correct gardening and green design practices to limit their spread in the environment, encouraging the use of native species for the creation of more sustainable gardens.

The PNRR for National Parks and Marine Protected Areas

Activities to strengthen technological instrumentation to improve knowledge on biodiversity are underway

National Parks and Marine Protected Areas have consistently carried out important monitoring work for years which today allows the entire scientific community to have a significant knowledge base on biodiversity. However, monitoring activities, in particular those on species and habitats, present heterogeneous characteristics and do not allow the availability of uniform and integrated information in the medium-long term for the entire system of protected areas.

Migrations, colonizations and evolutionary adaptations in bird populations facing the environmental challenges of the Anthropocene

As part of the Darwin Day Ferrara 2024 initiatives, organized by the Natural History Museum of Ferrara, by the Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology of the University of Ferrara, in collaboration with the Didò Educational Association and with the patronage of the National Association Scientific Museums (ANMS) and the Italian Society of Evolutionary Biology (SIBE), the meeting "Migrations, colonizations and evolutionary adaptations in bird populations facing the environmental challenges of the Anthropocene" will be held in Ferrara on 7 March.
An ISPRA researcher will participate at the event.

Refining tools for cetacean conservation

Species Distribution Modeling (SDM) is a powerful tool employed by researchers to pinpoint critical areas essential for species survival. This tool holds particular significance when studying and conserving species like cetaceans, whose large-scale movements in the vaste marine environment pose challenges for continuous monitoring across its entire extention.

On-line the new environmental indicators data base ISPRA

An effective tool to understand the state of the environment in Italy
Developed with a view to improvement, to face increasingly pressing environmental challenges and to satisfy new knowledge needs, including future scenarios, the ISPRA environmental indicators database disseminates detailed statistical information in a dynamic and timely manner characterized by a high scientific solidity.

The microforest, an year later

Celebration after one year from the inauguration of the first Eco-Pedagogical Microforest of the Capital.

An ISPRA researcher will participate in the meeting with a speech on microfauna and soil.