Preprint volume - SIBM

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