Preprint volume - SIBM
Preprint volume - SIBM
Preprint volume - SIBM
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Pre-print Volume - Oral presentations<br />
Topic 1: BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION SCIENCE: CONTRIBUTING TO MANAGEMENT<br />
C. LOMBARDI, D. SAVINI 1 , A. OCCHIPINTI-AMBROGI 1 , G. PAROLO 2 , F. GIACOMAZZI 3<br />
Agenzia Internazionale per le Nuove Tecnologie, l’Energia e lo Sviluppo Sostenibile ENEA,<br />
Laboratorio di Ecologia del Benthos, Via Forte Santa Teresa, Pozzuolo di Lerici (SP), Italia.<br />
chiara.lombardi@unipv.it<br />
1 Dip. di Ecologia del Territorio, Sez. di Ecologia, Università di Pavia, Via S. Epifanio, 14 – 27100 Pavia, Italia.<br />
2 Dip. di Ecologia del Territorio, Sez. di Botanica, Università di Pavia, Via S. Epifanio, 14 – 27100 Pavia, Italia.<br />
3 Cooperativa Natour, Fortezza della Brunella - 54011 Aulla (MS), Italia.<br />
CITIZIENS SCIENCE EDUCATION:<br />
A CHALLENGING TOOL FOR MONITORING MPAS<br />
BIODIVERSITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY<br />
L’EDUCAZIONE DEL CITTADINO ALLA SCIENZA:<br />
UNO STRUMENTO INNOVATIVO PER MONITORARE BIODIVERSITÁ<br />
E QUALITÁ AMBIENTALE DELLE AREE MARINE PROTETTE<br />
Abstract – The employment of volunteer amateur naturalists in scientific data collection is becoming a<br />
necessity worldwide due to the unwise lack of investment of the Human Society in exploring Nature in<br />
traditional ways (e.g. Species identification and description in their “pristine” environment). In this paper<br />
we report preliminary results of two Academic-based pioneering projects of people’s science education<br />
aiming at scientific data collection in Marine Protected Areas: For-Mare, AMP Isole Pelagie (AG);<br />
Seawatching Volunteer Monitoring Programme, AMP ‘Cinque Terre’, (SP). These experiences had positive<br />
implications in conservation, supporting biodiversity knowledge and extending scientific interest to the<br />
public.<br />
Key-words: Marine Parks, Biodiversity, Conservation<br />
Introduction – Marine protected areas (MPAs) represent the first real engagement of<br />
public administration to preserve marine biodiversity. There are 23 established MPAs<br />
in Italy, 2 submerged parks and 1 mammal sanctuary willing to protect about<br />
200,431.53 10 3 he of sea and about 700 km of littoral. MPAs are recognised by the<br />
scientific community as important study sites: remaining of pre-industrial ecosystems,<br />
good reference condition areas for understanding and monitoring marine ecosystems<br />
quality. Legal boundaries are far from being effective both against conventional<br />
anthropogenic pollutants (Montefalcone et al., 2009) or the more insidious menace of<br />
biological pollution (Olenin et al., 2007). However, alternative systems to prevent<br />
marine biodiversity loss are lacking. A key issue for increasing conservation efficacy<br />
of a protected area is the development and wise management of sustainable tourism.<br />
The experience of Participatory Monitory Programme organizations operating in<br />
several European countries reports a successful combination of data-gathering<br />
activities and social experience. They empathise the enthusiasm as the most important<br />
driver for the expansion and sustainability of volunteer participation and participant’s<br />
motivation represents the starting point for obtaining trust, respect, recognition, value<br />
and enjoyment for the environment (Bell et al., 2008). Along the UK coasts,<br />
‘Seasearch’ project (http://seasearch.wisshost.net) is an example of how volunteer sport<br />
divers can contribute in protecting the marine environment. In a country where there<br />
are very few MPAs, Seasearch and its volunteer and academic divers allowed to map<br />
out the various types of sea bed found in the near-shore zone, to recognize what lives in<br />
each area, to establish the richest sites for marine life and the sites which need<br />
protection around the whole of the Britain and Ireland. In Italy similar programs have<br />
41 st S.I.B.M. CONGRESS Rapallo (GE), 7-11 June 2010<br />
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