Decisive in situ and ex situ conservation strategies to secure the critically endangered Sicilian fir, Abies nebrodensis
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).
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.
Roberto Danti, coordinator of the LIFE4FIR project, was a guest of Story Time, a program of the Radio Italia 5 schedule.
During the interview Roberto presented the LIFE4FIR project and its objectives, underlining the enormous importance of protecting biodiversity and Abies Nebrodensis.
Il programma LIFE festeggia 30 anni! LIFE4FIR ha organizzato due eventi per festeggiare il programma e promuovere le iniziative a tutela dell’ambiente.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The team of CNR-IPSP presented the LIFE4FIR project during the 116th Congress of the Italian Botanical Society, held online from 8 to 10 September 2021.
CNR prepared an abstract titled “Identification and removal of exotic fir trees for in situ preservation of Abies nebrodensis – Rosario Schicchi, Filippo Amato, Giuseppe Di Noto, Anna Geraci, Gaetano La Placa, Stefano Secci, Roberto Danti” and presented a video for disseminating the contents of the LIFE4FIR project to the scientific audience of the event.
The team of CNR-IPSP presented the LIFE4FIR project during the XIII Italian Conference on Biodiversity, held online from 7 to 9 September 2021.
This event represented an important opportunity to disseminate to a specialised audience the objectives, activities and expected results of the LIFE4FIR project: LIFE4FIR could represent a virtuous model to be replicated for the protection of other endangered species.
Below are the recordings of the two speeches held by Dr. Roberto Danti and Dr. Waed Tarraf, who presented the LIFE4FIR project and related activities.
On Sunday 6 June 2021, as part of the Giornate FAI di primavera, an event dedicated to the Madonie Fir entitled ’Abies nebrodensis, un albero prezioso’ (Abies nebrodensis, a precious tree) was organized.
An excursion to the natural population was led by Prof. Rosario Schicchi of UNIPA and by Dr. Peppuccio Bonomo, executive of the Madonie Park Authority who illustrated the activities and objectives of the Life4fir project to the numerous participants.
The day allowed the exchange of experiences and information between the Life4fir project and the European Network of Geoparks of which the Madonie Regional Park is part.
On May 25 2021, the Life4fir project delegates met the Mayor of Polizzi Generosa, Gandolfo Librizzi, to define the matter related to the management of the cryobank under construction at the premises of the Abies Nebrodensis Museum, located in the Town Hall.
In the photo from the left: Prof.sa Maria Antonietta Germanà; Dr. Maurizio Lambardi; the Mayor Dr. Gandolfo Librizzi; Dr. Roberto Danti (Life4fir coordinator) and Dr. Peppuccio Bonomo in front of the dewar supplied for storing samples of seeds, pollen, isolated embryos and embryogenic callus lines of Abies nebodensis in liquid nitrogen.
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