The aim of the project is to gain environmental benefits by improving pollinator conservation, by creating a virtuous circuit that leads to a progressive change in practices across the Mediterranean region. In order to achieve this ambitious goal, the project has set a number of more specific objectives that foster education and dissemination, the implementation of citizen science approaches, and improved environmental governance.
ACTIONS & ACTIVITIES:
- Development of Common Protocols (A.1): field guide; Plant/Insect ID cards; Handbooks and code of conducts for each target audience/stakeholders
- General Public Involvement (B.1): EU web campaign through social networking (development of social network profiles); Expert-assisted citizen science activities in NATURA2000 sites; Creating a pollinator-garden and native bee-plants nursery in strategic places; Developing/distributing animation videos
- Stakeholders Involvement (B.2): Park officers and local administrators training; Training on pollinator-garden creation and to gardeners; Information events for farmers on CAP greening measures, non-chemical farming, pollinator- friendly management; Involvement of young agronomists
- Environmental education programme (B.3): Citizen science project for schools
- Creating a pollinator-gardens (B.1)
- Data collection from citizen participation (B.1, B.5 & D.1)
- Pilot project in Emilia Romagna (B.4)
ACHIEVEMENTS & RESULTS last update June 2022
B.1 GENERAL PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT
Expert-assisted citizen science activities in NATURA2000 sites
We are organizing BIOBLITZ events to involve people in monitoring and to increase their awareness and knowledge on wild pollinators. Currently we have done the following:
| Partner | date | location | region | country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNIBO | 6/13/2021 | Le Bine | Lombardia | Italy |
| IMEDEA-CSIC | 16/05/21 | Ses Covetes Es Trenc Natural Park- Mallorca | Balearic Islands | Spain |
| IMEDEA-CSIC | 05/06/21 | Albufereta Natural Protected Area- Mallorca | Balearic Islands | Spain |
| IMEDEA-CSIC | 12/06/21 | Albufera Natural Park- Mallorca | Balearic Islands | Spain |
| IMEDEA-CSIC | 19/06/21 | Ariant Tramuntana Protected Area- Mallorca | Balearic Islands | Spain |
| IMEDEA-CSIC | 4/30/2022 | Llevant Natural Park | Balearic Islands | Spain |
| IMEDEA-CSIC | 5/1/2022 | Mondragò Natural Park | Balearic Islands | Spain |
| IMEDEA-CSIC | 5/21/2022 | Ses Salines Natural Park- Ibiza | Balearic Islands | Spain |
| UAEGEAN | 6/4/2022 | Petrified Forest- Lesvos | Lesvos | Greece |
| UNIBO | 6/26/2022 | Parco dei Gessi Bolognesi e del BelPoggio | Emilia Romagna | Italy |
If you want to join other Bioblitz please follow our News section or Facebook channel.
One video has been developed through the project and it is available here.
B.2 STAKEHOLDERS INVOLVEMENT
Protected areas & Natura 2000 sites managers
Three trainings have been implemented based on the Handbook for managers of Natural Parks and Protected Areas (available here):
- One in Greece on 14th May 22 for technicians and managers of the Management Unit of Olympus National Park- N.E.C.C.A. at Litochoro, Pieria.
- One in Greece on 11th May 22 for Natural Park managers and employees of the Management Unit of Protected Areas of Central Macedonia - N.E.C.C.A. at Kerkini, Serres
- One in Spain - Balearic Island on 24th May 22 for technicians and managers of Ibanat Institut Balear de la Natura, the institution of the Balearic Islands that is in charge of protected area management
Urban green area managers & Gardeners
One training based on the handbook for Urban Green Areas (available here) and to disseminate the application of the Pollinator Friendly Declaration for local authorities (available here) has been held in Italy at the Botanical Garden of Bologna University on 24th March 2022 and it involves 32 Managers and Gardeners.
Farmers
- One in Greece on 13th May 2022 at Litochoro, Pieria.
- One in Greece on 10th May 2022 at Kerkini, Serres
Young agronomists and Floriculturists
One training has been already implemented in Italy – Bologna University on 7th May 2022
B.3 ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PROGRAMME <
Students 4 Pollinators explained in the handbook for Citizen Science (available here), has involved until June 2022 more than 500 students of primary and secondary schools in Italy (Emilia Romagna) and Spain (Balearic Islands), first results available below
STUDENTS SELF-PERCEPTION ON KNOWLEDGE AND BEHAVIOURS (PRELIMINARY)
Two training to teachers have been already implemented:
- one in Italy at Botanical Garden of University of Bologna on 24th February 2022
- one in Greece at the Lifelong Learning Centre for the Environment and Sustainability (LLCES) of Arnaia, Halkidiki on 6th-8th May 2022
B.4 PILOT PROJECT IN EMILIA ROMAGNA
The identification of a new biodiversity indicator based on bees for Rural Development Plan evaluation is still in progress.
A Pollinator Friendly label for public authorities and farmers has been created, the official registration is in progress.
D.1 PUBLIC AWARENESS AND DISSEMINATION OF RESULTS
More than 200 records have been collected through our web-platform, the ones validated from our team of taxonomists are shown on an interactive map here.
D.2 EVENTS
The project has been disseminated in more than 70 events (scientific or not) in Europe