E - Dissemination
After-LIFE: LIFE Lagoon Refresh meets the citizens of San Giorgio delle Pertiche (PD) at the "Green Wednesdays"
Not only conferences and scientific workshops, but also meetings with citizens, are an opportunity, even in the After LIFE period, to disseminate the results of the LIFE Lagoon Refresh. During one of the "Green Wednesdays" meetings organized by the Environmental Group of the Municipality of San Giorgio delle Pertiche (PD), on March the 20th, the activities carried out by the Project were presented to the citizens. The water was the main topic of the meetings and, in this context, transitional waters, with their peculiar characteristics and problems, as well as the importance of implementing ecological restoration interventions, such as the LIFE Lagoon Refresh, were topics really appreciated by all citizens. Indeed, soon a trip on field will be organized in September by the Group to see the Venice Lagoon and the Project Area.
After-LIFE: new life for LIFE Lagoon Refresh information panels
The information panels describing the project, the habitats and species living in the area have resumed satisfying the curiosity of the bikers and walkers of the path that runs near the LIFE Lagoon Refresh project area. They were installed for the first time in June 2020, at the beginning of the cycle path and immediately after the hydraulic work, to illustrate the objectives and expected results of the project and the characteristics of the habitats and species involved from the project. Due to particularly intense weather events at the end of summer 2022, the noticeboards were removed leaving visitors unanswered questions. Finally, since February 2024, the new noticeboards have been replaced and they could perform their function for the coming years
After-LIFE: LIFE Lagoon Refresh at the international conference on “Conservation and management of wetlands to tackle climate change
The international conference on "Conservation and management of wetlands in the face of climate change" was held in Valencia (Spain) from 14 to 16 February 2024, and it was such a new opportunity to disseminate the LIFE Lagoon Refresh project. The Veneto Region, one of the Project’s partner, illustrated the experience of LIFE Lagoon Refresh, as well as the objectives, actions and results, in the section on "Governance and social management". The conference ended with a visit to the Natural Park in Albufera, whose lagoon was selected by the call for interest as one of the European sites for the transferability and replicability of the project
After-LIFE: LIFE Lagoon Refresh as a case study at the 5th BioClim 2023 and for ENCA Recommendations 2023 about Restoring Riverine and Coastal Wetlands in Europe
As expected by the After-LIFE Conservation Plan , participations in national and international conferences, workshops and seminars have continued. Indeed, the LIFE Lagoon Refresh project was presented as a case study to the "5th European conference on biodiversity and climate change: riverine and coastal wetlands" (5th BioClim) held from 26 to 28 September 2023 in Bonn, Germany. The conference has organized since 2011 by BfN (German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation) in cooperation with the Network of European National Conservation Agencies (ENCA Network) and Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. The priority topics of 2023 were about conservation and restoration of riverine and coastal wetlands, and they were discussed and further developed with European experts from science, politics and practise during interactive workshops. In this context, conservation actions for restoring coastal lagoon habitats of the LIFE Lagoon Refresh were presented giving several experiences and a good background for ENCA Recommendations 2023 titled “Restoring Riverine and Coastal Wetlands in Europe, Scaling Up Action for Biodiversity and Climate”.
After-LIFE: European Night of Researchers 2023
The European Night of Researchers took place on Saturday 30th September and the LIFE Lagoon Refresh project could not be missed. Hundreds and hundreds of people of all ages came to the event, hosted by the University of Padua, at their prestigious headquarters at Palazzo Grassi in Chioggia. All the visitors were involved with great interest in the games and activities: microscopic observations of macrozoobenthos organisms, filtration experiments of water samples, and much more. The ecological restoration interventions carried out in the Venice lagoon, such as the LIFE Lagoon Refresh, were the protagonists of the evening. In the After-LIFE period of the project, the opportunities to talk about the objectives, activities and obtained results continue, to keep attention alive on the restoration activities of the Venetian lagoon.
After-LIFE: training activities for high school students continuing
On Thursday, March 30th 2023, the training activity began for students of the Scientific High School "Veronese-Marconi" of Chioggia (Venice), winners of the ISPRA Call for PCTO 2021-2023. After a series of classroom lessons dealing with transitional waters, monitoring of lagoon environment, as well as the objectives and actions of LIFE Lagoon Refresh, and the field survey in the project area, carried out during the school year 2021-2022, the students attended the activity of macrozoobenthos sorting and recognition. During the field survey, they collected organisms by samplings, and then they learnt how to recognize them by stereomicroscope, to discover who lives in the soft bottoms of the lagoon, starting to know something about biology and ecology of some species. In addition to the macrozoobenthos laboratory, the students could also map a part of the reedbed of the LIFE Lagoon Refresh, by using data gathered by themselves on the field trip. Next lessons will involve them in the amazing world of the processing of salinity data in waters collected in field by a multiparameter probe.
Transferability and replicability of the project: life lagoon refresh's staff visited Italian and European winner sites
After workshops and surveys of the project site by Italian and European winners of the Call for Interest , the LIFE Lagoon Refresh’s staff visited the selected sites to acquire information needed to share possible intervention strategies. Visits were held in the Italian sites (Sacca of Scardovari in the Delta Po river of Veneto, some lagoons near Ravenna, and the Apulian Acquatina di Frigole) in autumn 2021, while European sites (the Spanish lagoon of l’Albufera de Valencia, the French salt marshes of Hyeres, the Greek Nestos Delta lagoons and Porto Lagos) were visited in summer of 2022. All surveys were excellent opportunities for deepening common themes and sharing experiences and different points of view. Now, we are looking forward to seeing LIFE Lagoon Refresh’s strategies, actions and methods been transferred and replicated to the selected sites.
Layman's report: project results in a nutshell
As the LIFE Lagoon Refresh project ended, a Layman's report was published. This bilingual (IT and ENG) report is for a "non-expert" audience and allows to know the project's objectives, actions and results in just a very few pages. It is easy to read, and has plenty of figures and illustrations depicting all the achievements of five years of project. The report starts with a very short description of the project, its objectives and conservative actions. Then it moves on to the main steps, such as the construction of hydraulic and morphological works, and finally it ends with a description of obtained results, such a saline gradient restoring, reedbed and submerged vegetation development, as well as avifauna and fish species repopulation. The Layman's report also concludes with a description of the several phases of the project’s replicability and transferability actions to other Italian and European sites, and it also includes an overview of actions aimed at the communication and dissemination of results to the public.
Please, download the Layman's report here or check it out the Download section of this website.
NEWSLETTER n.8 LIFE LAGOON REFRESH
The eighth and last Newsletter is now available on the web site in the section Download-newsletter (Italian Language only). As the previous Newsletters, this last one provides several sections concerning planning of works and their realization, monitoring and dissemination activities, and networking with updates after the Newsletter no. 7 (published in June 2022) until the end of the project.
This issue is dedicated to the results of habitat 1150* monitoring activities, and there are also two sections dedicated 1) to the After LIFE Conservation Plan and 2) to the environmental education activities for students, families and teachers.
In the final part of each Newsletter, you can find also a detailed sectiondescribing different issues related to the project. Previous newsletters dealt with Habitat 1150*- Coastal Lagoon, reedbed, historical diversion of rivers from the Venice lagoon, aquatic phanerogams, project’s target bird species, target species of reedbed, and fish fauna species. This brand new issue depicts the Natura 2000 Network and the LIFE funding program, both born 30 years ago.
The Final Conference: Five years of Project, Up to One thousand liters per second of freshwater in Venice Lagoon and first positive effects in the lagoon environment
The LIFE Lagoon Refresh project, which provides the return of a freshwater input from the Sile River to the Venice Lagoon, is going to be finished. After five years, on 7th July 2022, the Final Conference was held at University Ca’ Foscari of Venice. During the conference, the project’s staff presented the conservative actions and results from monitoring actions. It was also an opportunity to talk about environmental quality and lagoon restoring with stakeholders , Water managers, Authorities and Institutions, which work in transitional waters.
Thanks to the hydraulic work, the Sile River is again flowing with its freshwater into the lagoon with an inflow of 1000 l/s, while the morphological structures of biodegradable materials ensure the maintenance of the salinity gradient created in the project area. Before interventions the area had values of more than 30 of salinity, while today values are lower than 5 in 5 ha, below 15 in 25 ha and below 25 in 70 ha.
Despite of several difficulties during the project, such as the “Acqua Granda” (high water in Venetian dialect) of November 2019 and COVID-19 pandemic since 2020, waters from Sile Rivers started to flow into the lagoon with their maximum flow since February 2021. Monitoring activities detected first signals and changes in all the biologic communities as responses to variation of salinity in the area.
During the four years of monitoring surveys, more than 32,637 birds were censed in the project area. One hundred and twenty-eight species were detected, and among these sixty-two were waterfowl. Ornithologists have observed changes in composition and abundances of several bird species since 2018. That is a clear signal of biological response to changes in salinity of waters.
Regarding fish fauna, with the freshwater inflow, researchers observed a quality change, mostly at sites closer to the Sile river input, such as the presence of typical species of brackish environments. We are now looking at a significant increase of Pomatoschistus canestrinii and Knipowitschia panizzae, which are species of Community interest, as well as an increase of juveniles of the commercial species Chelon ramada and C. auratus. These last two species usually enter the lagoon in late autumn and/or early spring, using brackish waters as a nursery area. Generally, the Ecological quality status of fish fauna has improved.
Transplant activities of reedbed and phanerogams occurred in the area, thanks to the involvement of stakeholders, such as fishermen, which were previously properly trained to became transplanters.
In the area next to freshwater input, vegetation has changed progressively in the saltmarshes, with advantages for reedbed. It is now slowly growing thanks both to transplantations and to seedling from plants themselves. Despite it is too early to assess well-developed populations, reedbed is growing quite well where salinity is suitable for it.
Halophytic vegetation showed a clear change on September-October 2021 with an extraordinary bloom of Aster tripolium. More recently on June 2022, Inula crithmoides increased colouring in yellow the edge of saltmarshes, where salinity is lowering. Other variations regarded an increase of Juncus and Spartina.
In addition, aquatic phanerogams (Zostera marina, Z. noltei, Ruppia cirrhosa) also showed very good results, with creation of areas of several meters of diameter as results of several clumps transplantations.
However, to assess quantitatively results, we need more time. Indeed, as observed in LIFE Seresto biological times are longer than 3-4 years from transplants to show evidences.
All beneficiary partners were involved in Transferability and Dissemination actions. By the former, 6 sites were involved through meetings and visits on field, with the aim of replicate what we have done in Venice lagoon to other transitional waters. We also organized two training courses to recognize avifauna and to take naturalistic pictures; we involved 1000 students from primary to high school, as well as students from universities of Padua and Venice, by seminars, webinars, field trips, and practical activities.
Actions of LIFE Lagoon Refresh are not at the end! Partners will hold activities also during the “After LIFE” period, managing the discharge of the fresh water input and continuing the monitoring of the area for the assessment of the good project effects.
At this link, enjoy the brand-new video: “LIFE Lagoon Refresh: a documentary of the project”.
The Documentary of the project is On line
The Life Lagoon Refresh project is almost finished and, during these five years, the Videogallery has been enriched of several videos telling about each one of the most relevant steps of the project.
The launching video has been on-line since November 2018, since July 2020, the video showing the activities for the hydraulic and morphological works has been online, since May 2021, it has been available that one about stakeholders involvement, and since February 2022 that one depicting monitoring activities to assess the impact of the interventions on the lagoon environment.
With the conclusion of the project, we realized the two final videos of the series, a short and a full documentary respectively. This last video reports the shoots and interviews of the entire project history, starting from the background focusing on issues in the Venice Lagoon, the realized conservation actions and results that the project has obtained up today, such as the first positive ecological responses of vegetation and fauna in the Lagoon.
The full playlist is available on the videogallery, following this link: http://www.lifelagoonrefresh.eu/media-1/videogallery?set_language=en
Transferring and replication of the project to other places: the European winners of Call for Interest visited the LIFE Lagoon Refresh site
Among the activities planned to promote the transferability and replicability of the project, the LIFE Lagoon Refresh promoted a Call for Interest to select six sites where to transfer and replicate strategy, actions and methods of the Project, through a tight program of visits, preparations of scenarios and activities to follow in the After-LIFE of the LIFE Lagoon Refresh. The activity is specifically directed to Water Managers, Researchers, professional and technicians dealing with monitoring, assessment and conservation of EU lagoon and estuarine sites.
The Call for interest closed on 15th February 2020, and several application forms were sent, coming from all over Italy, as well as from Lithuania, Poland, Greece, Netherlands, France and Spain.
European sites who won the selections are the Spanish lagoon of Albufera, the French salt marshes of Hyeres, and the Greek Nestos Delta and Porto Lagos lagoon.
First, a workshop was held on 8th April 2022 to share conservation and monitoring actions, as well as the strategies for stakeholder involvements, which clearly characterized the LIFE Lagoon Refresh project. We also dealt about common issues that were also topics and key arguments during selection.
Then, on 31st May 2022, referents from European selected sites visited works and place of interventions of the LIFE Lagoon Refresh. During visit, it was very helpful to show the state of play, to improve knowledge about common issues, and to share different point of views.
NEWSLETTER n.7 LIFE LAGOON REFRESH
The seventh Newsletter is now available on the web site in the section Download-newsletter (Italian Language only). The Newsletters provides several sections concerning planning of works and their realization, monitoring and dissemination activities, and networking with updates after the Newsletter no. 6 (published in March 2022) until today.
This issue is dedicated to the first signals received by fish fauna, and there is also a section dedicated to the description of the European sites, winners of the Call for Interest for the transferability and replicability of the project.
All Newsletters contain also a detailed section in the final part, describing different issues related to the project. Previous newsletters dealt with Habitat 1150*- Coastal Lagoon, reedbed, historical diversion of rivers from the Venice lagoon, aquatic phanerogams, project target bird species and target bird species of reedbed. This brand new issue depicts fish fauna species, such as Black-spotted goby, European Flounder and Mullets.
Celebrations of the 30th birday of LIFE programme and Natura 2000 Network with High School Students from Chioggia (Venice)
Events of LIFE Lagoon Refresh continue to celebrate the 30th birthday of both LIFE programme and Natura 2000 Network. This time, LIFE Lagoon Refresh’s staff brought, in the project area, High School Students coming from Chioggia and winners of the ISPRA call for PCTO 2021-2023.
After a series of classroom lessons dealing with transitional waters, monitoring of lagoon environment, as well as objectives and actions of LIFE Lagoon Refresh, students could actually see hydraulic and morphological works, but also try to be scientists for a day. Indeed, they sampled macrozoobenthos, mapped reedbed and assessed the salinity of water.
We hope they enjoyed the day and we are looking forward to seeing them as partners of future LIFE projects.
The LIFE Lagoon Refresh celebrates the 30th anniversary of the European Natura 2000 Network and the LIFE programme
To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the European Natura 2000 Network and the LIFE programme (both born on 21st of May 1992), LIFE Lagoon Refresh was introduced during the event organized in collaboration with the University of Padua on 9th and 11th of May 2022. The activities included a seminar and a field trip with students of the Master’s Degree in Marine Biology coming from all around the world. Researchers form ISPRA explained the activities carried out for the restoration of the lagoon: hydraulic and morphological works, transplants of reedbed and aquatic phanerogams, as well as monitoring activities to assess the achievement of projects’ objectives
We would like to thank organizers and students for their considerable interest, really appreciation and positive feedbacks!
NEWSLETTER n.6 LIFE LAGOON REFRESH (Italian Language only)
The sixth Newsletter is now available on the web site in the section Download-newsletter (Italian Language only). The Newsletter provides several sections. This issue is dedicated to the first signals received by the reeds, after the restoration of the salinity gradient. There is also a section dedicated to the description of the Italian sites, winners of the Call for Interest for the transferability and replicability of the project, and to dissemination and networking events occurred, despite of restrictions due to COVID-19, with updates after the Newsletter no. 5 (published in September 2021).
Each Newsletter contains a general description of the project in the initial part and a detailed section in the final part, describing, each time, different issues related to the project. Previous newsletters dealt with Habitat 1150*-Coastal Lagoon, reedbed, historical diversion of rivers from the Venice lagoon, aquatic phanerogams and target bird species. This brand new issue depicts target bird species of reedbed, such as passerines.
Call for Interest: Italian winners visited the Life Lagoon Refresh site
Among the activities planned to promote the transferability and replicability of the project, the Life Lagoon Refresh promoted a Call for Interest to select six sites where to transfer and replicate strategy, actions and methods of the Project, through a busy program of visits, preparations of scenarios and activities to follow in the After-Life of the Life Lagoon Refresh. The activity is specifically directed at Water Managers, Researchers, professional and technicians dealing with monitoring, assessment and conservation of EU lagoon and estuarine sites.
Nationally, three selected Italian sites were: the Apulian Acquatina di Frigole, some lagoons of Delta Po River from the Veneto Region side, and Punta Alberete and Valle Mandriole in Emilia-Romagna.
After a workshop to study conservative and monitoring actions of our Project, on 15th September 2021 the Italian winners of the call came and visited the Project Area, both by land and by boat, seeing the hydraulic and morphological works, and attending the demonstration about transplanting techniques of reedbeds and seagrasses. University of Salento, Sagittaria, Municipality of Ravenna, Delta Po River Park from Emilia-Romagna, Genio Civile from Rovigo with Project Partners were present.
Next steps are visits to each site selected by Life Lagoon Refresh staffs to collect necessary information for sharing project strategy, actions and methods.
NEWSLETTER n.5 LIFE LAGOON REFRESH
The fifth Newsletter is now available on the web site in the section Download-newsletter (Italian Language only). The Newsletter is divided into sections. This issue is dedicated to the milestone achievement of recovering the salt gradient in the Lagoon, to the first signals coming from “Avifauna” world, and to dissemination and networking events occurred, despite of restrictions due to COVID-19, with updates after the fourth Newsletter (published in March 2021).
Each Newsletter contains a general description of the project in the initial part and a detailed section in the final part, describing, each time, different issues related to the project. Previous newsletters dealt with Habitat 1150*-Coastal Lagoon, reedbed, historical diversion of rivers from the Venice lagoon, and aquatic phanerogams. This brand new issue depicts target bird species, such as Pygmy Cormorant, Eurasian Bittern, Purple Heron and Little Bittern.
NEWSLETTER no. 4 LIFE LAGOON REFRESH
The fourth Newsletter is now available on the web site; section Download-newsletter (Italian Language only). The Newsletter is divided into sections. This issue is dedicated to the starting of freshwater flow from Sile River into the Venice Lagoon, the transplant activities of aquatic phanerogams and reeds, and the Call for Interest to select Italian and European sites where transfer and replicate the Project, with updates after the third Newsletter (published in April 2020).
Each Newsletter contains a general description of the project in the initial part and a detailed section in the final part, describing, each time, different issues related to the project. This issue explores the theme of aquatic phanerogams.
Call for interest: the results of selection
Among the activities planned to promote the transferability and replicability of the project, on 1st December 2019 the Life Lagoon Refresh Called for Interest to select six sites where transfer and replicate strategy, actions and methods of the Project, through a busy program of visits, preparations of scenarios and activities to follow in the After-Life of the Life Lagoon Refresh. The activity is specifically directed at Water Managers, Researchers, professional and technicians dealing with monitoring, assessment and conservation of EU lagoon and estuarine sites.
Fourteen applications responded to the call, closed on 15th February 2020. The proposals concern estuarine and lagoon sites, both Italian and European, and come from Universities, Local Authorities and environmental associations. The selection, managed by the Project Coordinator (ISPRA), was tough due to the quality applications. ISPRA provided positive feedback to all applicants. Three Italian sites were selected: the Apulian Acquatina di Frigole, some lagoons of Delta Po River from the Veneto Region side, and Punta Alberete and Valle Mandriole from Romagna. The European sites are the lagoon of Albufera in Spain, Hyeres salt marshes in France and the transitional waters of Nestos Delta and Porto Lagos in Greece. A specific initiative on transplantation of aquatic phanerogams will be organized for other participants to the call, specifically interested in the topic (e.g.: Lake Grevelingen - Netherlands, Curonian Lagoon - Lithuania, Berre Lagoon - France, Wolin and Uznam - Poland).
Networking activities have been activated with the Life projects (e.g.: Life Primed) that participated to the Call for Interest.
Congratulations to the winners with whom we have for now postponed visits to 2021, waiting for the health emergency to allow us a little more freedom of movement!
On line the second project video: the phases of the works
The Life Lagoon Refresh project has achieved an important goal: the connection between the Sile River and the Venice Lagoon was completed and modular biodegradables elements were installed in the lagoon in front of the hydraulic work. From May 20th, 2020 the fresh water is flowing from the Sile into the Lagoon. For the occasion, a new project video was published showing some images of the construction phase and the opening of the fresh water input in the lagoon. In the video gallery, the first video is also available, online since 19th November 2018.
The Lagoon Refresh area is ready to next steps that involve the planting of reeds and aquatic phanerogams. The fresh water flow rate will be gradually increased up to a maximum average value of 1000 l/s and a second front of biodegradable structures, which slows down the fresh water flow, will be placed. Monitoring activities restarted in June 2020, will verify the efficiency of the works and the effects on animal and plant communities within the project area. The conservation actions of the Life Lagoon Refresh aim to counteract the saline gradient loss, mainly due to the diversion of rivers, and to increase the biodiversity of fishes, birds, animals of mobile bottom and plants.
Life Lagoon Refresh presented to the students and researchers of the IUAV of Venice (IT)
On 13th May 2020, the Life Lagoon Refresh was presented, together with the Life SERESTO and Life VIMINE projects, during the Online Conference “Laguna Scenari #3 - The Life projects in the Northern Lagoon”. Interreg Italy-Croatia CREW and the Venezia2021 Project organized the event, attended by about fifty researchers and students of the IUAV University of Venice. The occasion was an important and interesting opportunity to show the approach that all the three Life projects have in common: the restoration and conservation of the lagoon environment by means of small interventions and the integrated process of involvement of stakeholders like hunters, fishermen and enthusiastic visitors of the lagoon. The take-home message of the day was “Small interventions in a Big Plan”. We would like to thank the researchers of the “Cluster di ricerca City_Lab Laboratorio Laguna di Venezia” and, especially, Professor Maria Chiara Tosi and Dr. Marta De Marchi.
NEWSLETTER no. 3 LIFE LAGOON REFRESH
The third Newsletter is now available on the web site, section Download-newsletter (Italian Language only). The Newsletter is divided into sections. This issue is dedicated to updates on the state of progress of construction sites, salinity monitoring activities, training courses, communication and networking activities carried out until February 2020, with updates after the second Newsletter (published in October 2019).
Each Newsletter contains a general description of the project in the initial part and a detailed section in the final part, describing, each time, different issues related to the project. This issue explores the theme of the historical deviation of rivers flowing into the Lagoon of Venice and the consequences on the lagoon ecosystem.
Life Lagoon Refresh presented at Wetlands International Europe
Life Lagoon Refresh presented at Wetlands International Europe
On 9th December 2019, the Life Lagoon Refresh project was presented to members of Wetlands International Europe as an example of ecological restoration of wetlands in brackish environments.
On that occasion, the Call for Interest, which will expire on 31 January 2020, and which contains expressions of interest for anyone working on the assessment, conservation and restoration of Natura 2000 sites in transition environments, was also presented.
Thanks again to all the members of the partner associations of Wetlands International Europe for their great interest and hospitality!
Course of recognition and monitoring of aquatic birds
On October and November 2019, the avifauna experts from ISPRA held a basic course on the monitoring of water birds within the framework of the Life Lagoon Refresh project. The course was offered free of charge by the Project and guested by the Veneto Region in Ve-Mestre (Venice).
The course aimed to introduce the Life Lagoon Project and its objectives and to transfer the basic knowledge on the themes and methodologies of the census activity and on how to recognize the water species more easily contactable in the Northern Adriatic Sea. During three intense afternoons (18th, 25th October and 8th November), the 38 participants, hosted by the Veneto Region, received notions about: the institutional resources that govern the censuses of birdlife, both globally and locally; the importance of the role of human resources; techniques and methods of counting. In addition, the participants had the opportunity to learn especially about the aquatic birds, going to deepen the differences between the various, more common and easily contactable species. Each of them received a certificate of participation and the “Guide of the birds of Europe”, 4th version published by Ricca Ed..
We are very proud of our students, very passionate and curious people, of various extraction, age and training, eager to learn and increase their knowledge on the issues related to water birds. The course aroused much interest by highlighting the desire to learn and the passion of the participants who, since the first exchanges, have shown great fervour and attention throughout the course.
Considering the broad consensus of the participants and the suggestions received during and after the course, we do not exclude the possibility of replicating the initiative.
For all those who are interested in participating in this kind of activities, please visit our website and social pages to remain updated. Actually, other events on the subject of birdlife are coming, for example… a photo hunt!
NEWSLETTER no.2 LIFE LAGOON REFRESH
The second Newsletter is now available on the web site, section Download-newsletter (Italian Language only). The Newsletter is divided in macro arguments (sections). This issue is dedicated to the implementation of the interventions, the results of monitoring for the ante operam phase, the training courses and the communication and networking activities from where we presented with the first Newsletter (published on March 2019) until today (October 2019).
Each newsletter reports the Project general description as introduction, and a thematic detail sheet at the end, with the aim of addressing several issues strictly connected to the Project. The Newsletter no.2 delves into the Reedbed Habitat, that is one of the target habitats of the Project, whilst the Newsletter no.1 was about the Habitat 1150* - Coastal lagoons.
In this second year, many things have happened, among them the most important for the project: Conservation Actions have begun!
The First results of Bird Monitoring at the 20th Italian Ornithology Conference
From 26th to 29th of September 2019 the avifauna experts from ISPRA Ozzano presented the results of the ante operam monitoring phase of the project Life Lagoon Refresh to the XX CIO (Italian Ornithology Conference) held in Naples, at the National Society of Sciences, Letters and Arts, the Royal Mineralogical Museum, the Society of Naturalists and the beautiful monumental complex of Donnaregina.
The conference, organized by CISO, Centro Italiano Studi Ornitologici, and by Ardea onlus, saw the participation of 230 registered ornithologists, coming from all over Italy and foreigners, curious and professionals.The conference was characterized by 3 lectio magistralis of authoritative international researchers, numerous high-level talks, as many symposia and round tables on the world of ornithology at 360 degrees. LIFE Lagoon Refresh was present at all three intense days of activity, also presenting a scientific contribution (downloadable here) in which the mission of the project, the objectives and, as regards birds, the target species and the first analysis of the data collected during the initial year of the project (2018) were explained.
For the first year of ante operam monitoring, there are more than 6000 records registered in 12 exits, among which 5400 are aquatic birds. There are 79 contacted species, of which 40 species belonging to the aquatic group: 16 species in Annex I to the Birds Directive, contacted at least once during exits, 7 target species for the project for both water birds and reed sparrows.
EDU DAY 2019
LIFE Lagoon Refresh provides, among the dissemination activities, some update seminars for middle and high school teachers, through which knowledge and information will be transfer from teachers to their students.
On September 9th, 2019 in Ca' Rezzonico - Museo del '700 the EDU DAY was held, an event organized by the Venice Civic Museums Foundation to present the activities to teachers of elementary and middle schools in Veneto Region. With more than 500 registered teachers, the Life Lagoon Refresh and workshops, offered for free with availability limit by our Project, were presented.
For further information about the workshops and activities, download the extract of the program offered by MUVE.
NEWSLETTER n.1 LIFE LAGOON REFRESH
The first Newsletter is now available on the web site, section Download-newsletter (Italian Language only). The Newsletter is divided in macro arguments (sections) concerning planning of works and their realization, monitoring and dissemination activities, and networking from the beginning of the project until today.
Each newsletter will report the Project general description as introduction, and a thematic detail sheets at the end, with the aim of addressing several issues strictly connect to the Project.
The Newsletter no.1 delves into the Coastal Lagoon Habitat 1150*, that is one of the target habitat of the Project.
Life Lagoon Refresh presented at the LIFE CONVIVE Seminar
On 25-26 October 2018, the seminar “GESTIÓN Y MANEJO DE HUMEDALES COSTEROS EN EL MARCO DE PROYECTOS LIFE” organized by LIFE CONVIVE, was held in Soano (Arnuero, Cantabria, Spain). The organizers from SEO/Bird LIFE kindly invited our Project Leader (dr. Rossella Boscolo Brusà, ISPRA) to perform an oral presentation entitled “Coastal lagoon habitat and species recovery by restoring the salt gradient increasing fresh water input”, describing the LIFE LAGOON REFRESH aims, objectives and actions.
During the seminar, several LIFE projects regarding wetlands were depicted by delegates from LIFE PALUDICOLA, LIFE ANILLO VERDE, LIFE MIERALIFE EBRO-ADMICLIM,LIFE ALBUFERA and obviously LIFE CONVIVE, the masters of the house.
For the occasion, LIFE CONVIVE also presented the Management Plan for the coastal lagoons of Tinamenor, Joyel and Victoria.
Interesting insights emerged during the Round Table "Will coastal wetlands survive without management
measures?"
A field visit to Joyel Marshes and the Victoria Lagoon completed the seminar. Thank to that participants could observe the actions implemented by the LIFE CONVIVE project to improve the conservation of these Natura 2000 sites.
Gracias de nuevo por la invitación y la maravillosa oportunidad de Networking!