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LIFE4FIR at the 31st International Horticultural Congress – Angers (France), 14-22 August 2022

Researchers from the LIFE4FIR team presented the project, objectives, and ongoing activities at the 31st edition of the IHC, which took place in August in Angers.

During the event, an oral presentation titled ‘Strategies for the conservation by biotechnological approaches of Abies nebrodensis, a relict conifer of Sicily‘ (Wead et al.) was held.

At the same time, the e-poster ‘In vitro germination of mature embryos from Abies nebrodensis, an endangered species in Sicily‘ (Jouini et al.) was also presented.

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LIFE4FIR at the I International Plant Translocation Conference IPTC 2022 – Rome, 20-24 June 2022

Roma Tre University hosted the first International Plant Translocation Conference in June 2022 (here is the program). The conference provided a unique opportunity for biologists from around the world to share their experiences, successes, and challenges in the recovery of threatened botanical species.

For the occasion, the abstract “Translocation of species for conservation: the case of Abies nebrodensis in Sicily – Schicchi et al.” was prepared, followed by an oral presentation of the same.

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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.

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Workshop LIFE4FIR “Abies nebrodensis: perché salvaguardare la biodiversità” – Castelbuono (Italy), 17 November 2021

The workshop organized by the LIFE4FIR project was held on November 17, 2021 at the Minà Palumbo Museum in Castelbuono (the poster is available here).

The event was also attended by the authorities of the Sicily Region, the mayors of the Madonite municipalities and the leaders of the State Forestry Corps.

During the event, the work carried during the LIFE4FIR project was presented and the deriving positive impacts for the environment and for the population of the Abies Nebrodensis were highlighted.

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Monitoring meeting for the 24 months of the LIFE4FIR project – 15-16 November 2021

The LIFE4FIR project consortium met again in Sicily in November 2021 for the periodic monitoring meeting (agenda available here). A two day full of activities!

During the first day, the beneficiaries and the external monitor met in the beautiful headquarters of the municipality of Polizzi Generosa to discuss the results obtained and the activities planned for the coming months.

 

In the afternoon, after the meeting, the participants moved for a visit to the Seed Bank set up inside the Abies Nebrodensis Museum, in the municipality of Polizzi Generosa.

During the visit it was possible to observe the first samples of seeds stored for conservation: this activity is of fundamental importance for the maintenance of the germplasm of the species.

 

The second day was dedicated to an excursion to the original settlement of Abies nebrodensis. The walk along the path of the Abies was organized to show to the monitor the interventions carried out, with particular attention to the installation of the new fencing system around the trees and the video surveillance system.