NEWSLETTER N. 1 by Katia Gioscio and Andrea Pietrini Welcome to this first newsletter of the LIFE+ RI.CO.PR.I. project! We are pleased to share with you the steps of this initiative. In this issue you can find: LIFE+ RI.CO.PR.I Project: an overview...p. 2 The disseminating activities of the Project...p. 3 The plan for environmental education in schools...p. 8 The contest Ideas for an image about LIFE+ RI.CO.PR.I...p. 9 Responsible for Communications: Donato Vincenzo Pafundi Coordinator of Communication: Anna Maria Calabrese LIFE09 NAT/IT/000118
LIFE+ RI.CO.PR.I. project: an overview The LIFE+ RI.CO.PR.I Project is funded by the Directorate General Environment of the European Commission, under the LIFE+ Nature & Biodiversity Program. LIFE has been an EU funding instrument for the environment since 1992, and reached its fourth edition; RI.CO.PR.I is the acronym of the project, indicating the Restoration and Conservation of arid grasslands in Central and Southern Italy. The project aims to the recovery and conservation of arid grassland habitats as priorities by the European Union and it s coordinated by the Province of Rome. The Province of Potenza, the Park of Gallipoli Cognato, the University of Rome Tor Vergata and the Italian Confederation of Farmers of Basilicata are associated beneficiaries. The first habitat, the grasslands of Festuco-Brometalia, is among endangered European plant communities with the greatest biodiversity and high number of rare species. The second habitat, the pseudo-steppes of Thero-Brachipodietea, with a typical Mediterranean distribution, is particularly associated with two species of butterfly, Eriogaster catax and Melanargia arge, whose conservation is also considered a priority by the European Union. These habitats, reportedly as semi-natural ones (because of a result of human actions related to the pasture), are very common in central and southern Italy, and are in progressive regression after abandonment and poor management of grassland farming. The various activities of the project take place on three Sites of Community Importance (SCI), including two in the province of Rome: the SCI Monte Ruffi, in the municipality of Cerreto Laziale, and SCI Monte Guadagnolo mainly in the territory of Capranica Prenestina; and one in the province of Potenza, the SCI-SPA Dolomiti di Pietrapertosa, which is located in the municipalities of Pietrapertosa and Castelmezzano. LIFE09 NAT/IT/000118 NEWSLETTER N. 1 by Katia Gioscio and Andrea Pietrini 2
The project started in January 2011 and will end in June 2014. The activities, carried out by different project partners, permitted to know, through a careful investigation, the real condition of the two habitats, the butterflies associated, and to draft guidelines for all actions that will be implemented. In addition, great importance has been given to communication, not only through a dedicated website (www.lifericopri.it) but also with meetings gathering local communities and schools involved with the actions of the project. The disseminating of activities of the Project Rome, October 28 th, 2010 A press conference for the presentation of the LIFE+ RI.CO.PR.I. project, was held in Palazzo Valentini, seat of the Province of Rome, by the Agriculture Provincial Councillor dr. Aurelio Lo Fazio, and two project partners: the University of Rome Tor Vergata, and the CIA of Basilicata, plus the participation of representatives of Regione Lazio. The meeting was coordinated by the Head of Service arch. Rosanna Cazzella. LIFE09 NAT/IT/000118 NEWSLETTER N. 1 by Katia Gioscio and Andrea Pietrini 3
Rome, March 8 th, 2011 It was the first visit of the headquarters of the Environment Service of the Province of Rome by dr. Tiziana Nadalutti (project monitor, appointed by the European Commission). The meeting took place during the first meeting of both Steering Committee and Executive Committee (established by the Province of Rome as coordinating beneficiary). Meeting was attended by representatives of all partners. The next day the surveys were conducted at SCI Monti Ruffi and at SCI Monte Guadagnolo in the province of Rome, to visit the habitats involved in the project and the sites of planned interventions. Capranica Prenestina, June 11 th, 2011 A meeting was held in the territory of the SCI Monte Guadagnolo in the city of Capranica Prenestina. The meeting took place at the Pro Loco of the Municipality in the presence of Mayor Francesco Colagrossi and the Director of the Natural Museum, Rosaria Olevano. The objectives were presented to participants by project manager dr. Maria Vinci and the other partners, professor Alessandro Travaglini (University of Rome Tor Vergata ) and ing. Nicola Stolfi (CIA Basilicata). LIFE09 NAT/IT/000118 NEWSLETTER N. 1 by Katia Gioscio and Andrea Pietrini 4
Pietrapertosa, June 27 th, 2011 In the Main Hall of the municipality of Pietrapertosa the first meeting with the farmers was held. A poster illustrating the initiative was proposed, and about fifty brochures were distributed to participants. Among speakers: Michele Stasi (Mayor of Pietrapertosa), Nicola Stolfi (CIA Basilicata), Marco De Lorenzo (Parco Gallipoli Cognato), Paolo Carbone (CIA Basilicata-Steering Committee); Vincenzo Follino (President of the Regional Council of Basilicata). The meeting was attended by about 40 farmers. Capranica Prenestina, July 6 th, 2011 A meeting with farmers took place in the area of the SCI Monte Guadagnolo in the city of Capranica Prenestina. The project objectives were outlined by the project manager, technicians from the Province of Rome, and a representative of the CIA Basilicata in the presence of the mayor. LIFE09 NAT/IT/000118 NEWSLETTER N. 1 by Katia Gioscio and Andrea Pietrini 5
Cerreto Laziale, July 15 th, 2011 On July 15 th, 2011 a meeting with farmers was held in the area of the SCI Monti Ruffi in the city of Cerreto Laziale, in order to explain the project and their essential contribution. The speakers were the project manager, the engineers of the Province of Rome and the representative of the CIA Basilicata ing. Nicola Stolfi, in front of Mayor Piero Mastrecchia, and several municipal technicians. Castel San Pietro Romano, December 12 th, 2011 A meeting was held at the primary school Jacopone da Todi in Castel San Pietro Romano, with the presentation of the project activities in front of 35 pupils of primary school from Castel San Pietro Romano and Capranica Prenestina, in whose territories is the SCI Monte Guadagnolo. Maria Vinci and Vincenzo Buonfiglio, both from Provincia di Roma, explained the aims of the project, while Francesca Paolella and Alessandro Murgante (Department of Biology, University Tor Vergata ), entertained the kids telling stories from the field through slides with photos and drawings, dealing about floristic surveys and populations of moths in the habitats. Boys and teachers were explained procedures for participation in the competition Ideas for creating a representative image of the LIFE + RI.CO.PR.I by the Province of Potenza. LIFE09 NAT/IT/000118 NEWSLETTER N. 1 by Katia Gioscio and Andrea Pietrini 6
Rome, December 14 th -17 th, 2011 The objectives were outlined in the LIFE Poster presented at the XXXVII Congress of the Italian Society of Biogeography, held in Rome at the Italian Geographic Society, from 14 to 17 December 2011. The title of the conference was The spatial and temporal changes in biodiversity: valutations and assessments according to italians biogeographics. Cerreto Laziale, December 21 th, 2011 In this day, teachers and students of primary and middle school of Cerreto Laziale, (comprised in the territory of the SCI Monti Ruffi-southwest ) were informed about the aims and activities of the LIFE+ project, in a meeting held in the large gymnasium of the Institute. The presentation was held with the presence of Maria Vinci and Vincenzo Buonfiglio (Province of Roma) and Francesca Paolella and Alessandro Murgante (Department of Biology, University Tor Vergata ). During the presentation, many interesting questions were asked by pupils, especially about butterflies and habitats related to the project. Teachers and pupils was also informed about the contest Ideas for creating a representative image of the LIFE+ RI.CO.PR.I by the Province of Potenza. Potenza, January 13 th, 2012 On January 13 th, 2012 teachers and students of the Art Institute of Potenza, (in which territory is comprised the SCI-SPA Dolomiti Pietrapertosa ), attended the meeting organized by the Province of Potenza. The meeting was held in the multimedia lab of the Institute. Many students of different classes, mainly committed to the announcement of the contest Ideas for creating a representative image of the LIFE+ RI.CO.PR.I, shown interest and sensitivity about the themes. LIFE09 NAT/IT/000118 NEWSLETTER N. 1 by Katia Gioscio and Andrea Pietrini 7
The presentation of the project, by Pasquale Salerno and the two Coordinators Donato Sileo and Anna Maria Calabrese, stimulated many questions and curiosities. The speakers, other than illustrating the objectives and activities of the project, focused on the importance of environmental issues, paying attention to the balance of natural habitats, by means of numerous photographs, in order to stimulate the creative essay of the students. Finally, the logo and the website of the project was shown to the audience. The plan for environmental education in schools The issue of sustainability is part of the activities of environmental education in schools included in the Environmental Education Plan, created by the Province of Potenza and presented to the press on February 29, 2012. The meeting was attended by the President of the Province, Piero Lacorazza, the Director General, Donato Vincenzo Pafundi, the representatives of the Park of Gallipoli-Cognato and of CIA Basilicata. The Plan includes the creation of five specific training packages (comics, theater, electronic quiz game, exhibition, workshops with lectures in the classroom), for two target students, according to their age and school grade. LIFE09 NAT/IT/000118 NEWSLETTER N. 1 by Katia Gioscio and Andrea Pietrini 8
The contest Ideas for creating a representative image of the LIFE+ RI.CO.PR.I. The Notice of a contest Ideas for creating a representative image of the LIFE+ RI.CO.PR.I. was aimed to students of Art Schools in the province of Potenza and pupils of primary and secondary schools of the municipalities of Pietrapertosa, Castelmezzano, Campomaggiore, Trivigno and Albano di Lucania (province of Potenza), and the municipalities of Capranica Prenestina and Cerreto Laziale, in the province of Rome. It was attended by a total of 113 students and 15 different classes. The web site www.lifericopri.it and two images for use as a logo were selected, putting them to votes (one for the category Primary Schools and one for the category Secondary Art Schools ). The logo will be used on the promotional and advertising materials. Thanks for your attention and... we will meet in the next newsletter! LIFE09 NAT/IT/000118 NEWSLETTER N. 1 by Katia Gioscio and Andrea Pietrini 9