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Monitoring meeting for the 36 months of the LIFE4FIR project – 7 November 2022

The LIFE4FIR project consortium met on 7th November in Spain for the periodic monitoring meeting. The meeting was organized by the University of Seville at the Santo Domingo Convent in Ronda, Málaga.
During the first day, the beneficiaries and the external monitor met in the beautiful venue to discuss the technical results obtained, the dissemination activities carried out, and to monitor the financial aspects. The meeting was a precious opportunity to manage the critical aspects of the project and discuss the activities to be completed in the coming months.

 

Afterwards, two days of visits to the Abies Pinsapo populations in the “Pinsapar Sierra de Las Nieves” forest and the “Pinsapar de Junqueras” forest were organised, followed by a visit to the nursery where the seedlings of this species are propagated.

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Open day organized by the University of Seville – 10 November 2022

On 10 November 2022, the University of Seville organized an open day for students. During the meeting, the technical-scientific issues relating to the conservation of threatened Mediterranean fir trees were addressed, referring to the experience of the LIFE4FIR project.

The Italian and Spanish researchers involved in the project and some political authorities took part in the meeting (here the program of the event).

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Replication event in Ronda (Spain) – 7 November 2022

On 7 November 2022, a replication event was held in Ronda (Spain) to promote the LIFE4FIR project and the LIFE programme, in its thirtieth year.

During the event, issues relating to the conservation strategies implemented in the project were addressed, as well as possible solutions to be adopted and applied also to other species of conifers at risk of extinction (here the programme of the event).

The event hosted Roberto Danti, coordinator of the project, Montserrat Arista from the University of Seville (beneficiary of the project) and representatives of Spanish institutions involved in the conservation of biodiversity of Abies pinsapo and other species: Jose López Quintanilla, Regional Coordinator (Junta de Andalucía ) of the Abies pinsapo conservation project; Rafael Haro, Director of the Sierra de las Nieves National Park; Antonio Rivas, Director of the El Castillejo Botanical Garden.

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The video surveillance system of the Abies Nebrodensis trail is ready!

The activities of the LIFE4FIR project also include the implementation of a video surveillance system which, on the one hand, represents a deterrent for any illegal activities  and, on the other, allows the monitoring of wild herbivores.

The plant consists of several video cameras (powered by solar panels and batteries) which have been positioned in ertain strategic points of the Abies nebrodensis trail.

The system was completed and activated in June 2022. Below are some photos taken during the installation of the cameras and the start-up of the system.

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Progress meeting for the 30 months of the LIFE4FIR project – 17 May 2022

On 17 May 2022, the beneficiaries of LIFE4FIR met for the progress meeting of the 30 months of the project, which has entered its second half (2019-2023).

The meeting was organized in the Domenico Lanza Room of the Palermo Botanical Garden. The activities carried out were presented and the progress of the technical and dissemination activities discussed, as well as the monitoring of the financial aspects.

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Commissioning of the seed bank and cryobank

The room dedicated to the seedbank and the cryo-bank was set up at the MAN (Museum of Abies nebrodensis) in Polizzi Generosa.

Instrumentation and safety devices were installed and the seed bank went into operation at the beginning of 2022. Seeds batches are progressively added to the collection stored at -18 degrees Celsius. The cryobank is expected to be fully operational in Spring 2023.

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LIFE4FIR festeggia i 30 anni del programma LIFE!! Open day, workshop e visita agli Abies – 16-17 maggio 2022

Il programma LIFE festeggia 30 anni! LIFE4FIR ha organizzato due eventi per festeggiare il programma e promuovere le iniziative a tutela dell’ambiente.

Open day a Polizzi Generosa

Il 16 maggio 2022, è stato organizzato, presso la sala consiliare del Comune di Polizzi Generosa, un open day dedicato alla sensibilizzazione di giovani, studenti e comunità locali sulle tematiche ambientali e sulla conservazione dell’Abies nebrodensis (qui il programma della giornata).

Roberto Danti (IPSP-CNR), Rosario Schicchi (UNIPA-SAAF) e Puppuccio Bonomo (Ente Parco Madonie) hanno illustrato il progetto LIFE4FIR e le opportunità per l’ambiente offerte dal programma LIFE alle diverse scolaresche che hanno partecipato all’open day.

All’evento hanno preso parte anche alcuni rappresentanti delle istituzioni pubbliche locali: Gandolfo Librizzi (Sindaco di Polizzi Generosa), Angelo Merlino (Presidente Ente Parco delle Madonie) e Mario Candore (Dirigente Dipartimento Regionale Sviluppo Rurale e Territoriale della Regione Sicilia).

Al termine delle presentazioni presso la sala consiliare, il gruppo si è diretto verso il popolamento di Abies Nebrodensis curato dal progetto LIFE4FIR per conoscere dal vivo le attività in corso a tutela della specie a rischio estinzione. Più di 100 studenti hanno partecipato all’escursione!

La giornata si è conclusa con una visita al vivaio Piano di Noce ed un pranzo organizzato e servito dai ragazzi della Scuola Alberghiera di Bagheria.

Workshop all’orto botanico dell’Università di Palermo

Il 17 maggio 2022, presso la Sala Domenico Lanza dell’Orto Botanico dell’Università di Palermo, si è tenuto il Workshop ‘Strategie innovative per la conservazione ex situ di Abies nebrodensis’ (qui il programma dell’evento).

L’obiettivo dell’evento è stato coinvolgere ricercatori, amministratori di aree naturali, professionisti interessati alla biodiversità e studenti universitari, illustrando le procedure sviluppate per l’implementazione della biobanca (banca del seme e criobanca) e le attività a favore della conservazione dell’Abies nebrodensis, grazie a misure ex situ ed ad un approccio innovativo.

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The LIFE4FIR technical course “La propagazione vegetativa delle conifere: corso teorico e pratico di innesto dell’Abies nebrodensis” – Polizzi Generosa (Italy), 18 November 2021

The LIFE4FIR project consortium organized a technical course on the grafting of Abies Nebrodensis at the Piano Noce nursery on 18 November 2021, where the IBE-CNR experts gave a theoretical and practical lesson to the technicians and workers of the Region and the Madonie Park Authority.

The course was designed with the aim of providing brief basic notions on the vegetative propagation of conifers and the practice of grafting the Madonie fir, in order to promote the conservation of the species through the creation of a clonal arboretum.

Here are some photos taken during the event.