Posts in category: Eventi

RAGUSA – Venerdì 2 dicembre si svolgerà presso la sala conferenze del Libero Consorzio Comunale di Ragusa, ente partner del progetto “Fast – Fight Alien Species Transborder”, il workshop su “Interventi di contenimento e eradicazione”. 

Il workshop fa parte delle tante iniziative del programma di cooperazione “Interreg Italia-Malta” e del progetto “Fast” finanziato per contrastare la diffusione delle specie aliene invasive (IAS) che arrecano danni alla biodiversità della Sicilia e dell’arcipelago maltese. Il focus sarà proiettato sugli interventi di ripristino effettuati nelle aree protette individuate nel progetto Fast. Durante il workshop si parlerà anche dell’uso del drone per il monitoraggio ambientale e verrà fornita una panoramica del database delle specie aliene in fase di compilazione come risultato finale del progetto.

A partire dalle ore 9,30, sarà Oscar Lisi (UniCt) a moderare gli interventi di Giorgio Sabella, Sandra Biondolillo e Pietro Minissale (Università di Catania, Dipartimento Scienze Biologiche, Geologiche e Ambientali), David Mifsud e Arthur Lamoliere (Università di Malta), Immanuel Grima (Government of Malta), Gaetano Torrisi e Umberto Troja (Città Metropolitana di Catania), Maria Carolina Di Maio, Roberto Cundari, Giuseppe Alessandro e Rosario Mineo (Libero Consorzio Comunale di Ragusa). 

Il progetto FAST vuole contribuire ad arrestare la perdita di biodiversità mantenendo e ripristinando gli ecosistemi e le aree protette. In piena coerenza con la strategia europea per la tutela della biodiversità 2020 e 2030, il progetto si propone di contrastare l’introduzione, la naturalizzazione e la diffusione delle specie aliene invasive (IAS) che arrecano danno agli ambienti naturali e seminaturali della Sicilia e dell’arcipelago maltese tramite: 1) il loro riconoscimento e la loro classificazione in scale di priorità; 2) il loro contenimento e/o eradicazione all’interno di alcuni sti delle Rete Natura 2000; 3) l’individuazione e la gestione dei pathways e dei veicoli di introduzione e diffusione; 4) l’elaborazione di linee guida e adozione di buone pratiche, basandosi anche su 5) l’educazione e la comunicazione ambientale.

An updated database on invasive plant and animal species and the use of the drone to
promote the restoration of areas at risk in Sicily and Malta.
A database of the invasive plant and animal species present in the Mediterranean area is being
developed to counteract the loss of biodiversity and the degradation of ecosystem services
and, at the same time, promote the restoration of sites.
The technological innovations supported by the actions of the researchers of the “FAST – Fight
Alien Species Transborder” project within the Interreg V-A Italy-Malta 2014-2020 have recently
been illustrated during an event at the University of Malta.
The Department of Biology, Geology, and Environmental Sciences of the University of Catania
is the Leading Partner in the Sicilian-Maltese partnership. “The database of alien plant species
of Sicily and Malta, still being updated, already includes about 700 species, more than one to
be considered invasive, and over 900 alien animal species, of which 150 invasive” explained
Prof. Pietro Minissale of the University of Catania and Mr.Thomas Cassar of the University of
Malta.
A project that also provides an innovative character in the process of eradication of alien
species scrub thanks to the use of drones in the pre and post-intervention phases that will
allow the effectiveness of the interventions to be monitored over time. The theme of the control
of exotic species in Malta was addressed by dr. Darrin Stevens, Deputy Director of the Maltese
Authority for the Environment and its Resources.
«Once again international collaboration is of fundamental importance to concretely address“
global ”problems such as those of invasive alien species» explained prof. Joseph Cacciatolo,
Vice-Rector of the University of Malta, Prof. Giorgio Sabella, scientific coordinator of the FAST
project, and Prof. David Mifsud, project manager for the University of Malta, before the
interventions of the representatives of the partnership: Sharlo Camilleri (permanent secretary of
the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Rights of Malta), Gaetano Torrisi (director of
the Natural Reserves management office of the Metropolitan City of Catania) and Maria Di
Maio (councilor for the Territorial Planning and Local Development office of the Nature
Reserves of the Free Municipal Consortium of Ragusa)
On the interventions of containment/eradication of alien species in protected areas, Mr. Arthur
Lamoliere of the University of Malta and Immanuel Grima of the Ministry of Agriculture,
Fisheries and Animal Rights of Malta illustrated the actions already carried out or underway in
the Maltese archipelago on Carpobrotus acinaciformis, Ricinus communis, Pennisetum
setaceum, and some monitoring carried out with the drone to verify intervention effectiveness.

On the same topic, Dr. Gaetano Torrisi and Umberto Troja of the Metropolitan City of Catania
presented the interventions that will be carried out with non-invasive techniques in the natural
reserves “Oasi del Simeto” and “Fiume Fiumefreddo” and which will concern in particular the
invasive alien species Agave americana, Carpobrotus acinaciformis, Opuntia ficus indica,
Acacia saligna, Yucca elephantiphes, Wasghingtonia filifera, Nicotiana glauca, Pennisetum
setaceum, Ricinus communis and Phyllostachis aurea. The areas will be restored with plants
typical of the affected habitats such as Juniperus oxycedrus, Tamarix gallica, T. africana,
Populus alba, and Salix alba obtained in the nursery from local germplasm.
Drs. Maria Di Maio and Roberto Cundari of the Libero Municipal Consortium of Ragusa
showed interventions similar to the previous ones carried out always with non-invasive
techniques, in the natural reserves “Macchia Foresta del Fiume Irminio” and “Pineta di Vittoria”
on invasive species: Agave americana and Saccharum aegyptiacum aegyptiacum. Also in this
case it is foreseen the planting of the areas subject to intervention with plants typical of the
Mediterranean scrub obtained in the nursery from local germplasm. The professor. Oscar Lisi
from the University of Catania, responsible for the communication of the project, illustrated the
numerous and articulated activities for the dissemination of results and environmental
education carried out in Malta and Sicily where, next October, a new workshop will be held.

An updated database on invasive plant and animal species and the use of the drone to
promote the restoration of areas at risk in Sicily and Malta.
A database of the invasive plant and animal species present in the Mediterranean area is being
developed to counteract the loss of biodiversity and the degradation of ecosystem services
and, at the same time, promote the restoration of sites.
The technological innovations supported by the actions of the researchers of the “FAST – Fight
Alien Species Transborder” project within the Interreg V-A Italy-Malta 2014-2020 have recently
been illustrated during an event at the University of Malta.
The Department of Biology, Geology, and Environmental Sciences of the University of Catania
is the Leading Partner in the Sicilian-Maltese partnership. “The database of alien plant species
of Sicily and Malta, still being updated, already includes about 700 species, more than one to
be considered invasive, and over 900 alien animal species, of which 150 invasive” explained
Prof. Pietro Minissale of the University of Catania and Mr.Thomas Cassar of the University of
Malta.
A project that also provides an innovative character in the process of eradication of alien
species scrub thanks to the use of drones in the pre and post-intervention phases that will
allow the effectiveness of the interventions to be monitored over time. The theme of the control
of exotic species in Malta was addressed by dr. Darrin Stevens, Deputy Director of the Maltese
Authority for the Environment and its Resources.
«Once again international collaboration is of fundamental importance to concretely address“
global ”problems such as those of invasive alien species» explained prof. Joseph Cacciatolo,
Vice-Rector of the University of Malta, Prof. Giorgio Sabella, scientific coordinator of the FAST
project, and Prof. David Mifsud, project manager for the University of Malta, before the
interventions of the representatives of the partnership: Sharlo Camilleri (permanent secretary of
the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Rights of Malta), Gaetano Torrisi (director of
the Natural Reserves management office of the Metropolitan City of Catania) and Maria Di
Maio (councilor for the Territorial Planning and Local Development office of the Nature
Reserves of the Free Municipal Consortium of Ragusa)
On the interventions of containment/eradication of alien species in protected areas, Mr. Arthur
Lamoliere of the University of Malta and Immanuel Grima of the Ministry of Agriculture,
Fisheries and Animal Rights of Malta illustrated the actions already carried out or underway in
the Maltese archipelago on Carpobrotus acinaciformis, Ricinus communis, Pennisetum
setaceum, and some monitoring carried out with the drone to verify intervention effectiveness.

On the same topic, Dr. Gaetano Torrisi and Umberto Troja of the Metropolitan City of Catania
presented the interventions that will be carried out with non-invasive techniques in the natural
reserves “Oasi del Simeto” and “Fiume Fiumefreddo” and which will concern in particular the
invasive alien species Agave americana, Carpobrotus acinaciformis, Opuntia ficus indica,
Acacia saligna, Yucca elephantiphes, Wasghingtonia filifera, Nicotiana glauca, Pennisetum
setaceum, Ricinus communis and Phyllostachis aurea. The areas will be restored with plants
typical of the affected habitats such as Juniperus oxycedrus, Tamarix gallica, T. africana,
Populus alba, and Salix alba obtained in the nursery from local germplasm.
Drs. Maria Di Maio and Roberto Cundari of the Libero Municipal Consortium of Ragusa
showed interventions similar to the previous ones carried out always with non-invasive
techniques, in the natural reserves “Macchia Foresta del Fiume Irminio” and “Pineta di Vittoria”
on invasive species: Agave americana and Saccharum aegyptiacum aegyptiacum. Also in this
case it is foreseen the planting of the areas subject to intervention with plants typical of the
Mediterranean scrub obtained in the nursery from local germplasm. The professor. Oscar Lisi
from the University of Catania, responsible for the communication of the project, illustrated the
numerous and articulated activities for the dissemination of results and environmental
education carried out in Malta and Sicily where, next October, a new workshop will be held.

Here are some photos of the various presenters who took part in our illuminating Site-manager Workshop last Friday! 🌳🐇🐝
Several entities were present at the event, including our colleagues from @Ambjent Malta, @ERA – Environment & Resources Authority, and Nature Trust – FEE Malta! 🤝
The program was varied and interesting and included talks on visual identification of alien species, the use of drones for monitoring, effective citizen science and updates from the site owners themselves!

See you all at the next edition in July! 👊👊
Find out more about the FAST project from the links below 👇👇
-> Website [http://fast.unict.it/]
-> Youtube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_ReIb1qtHT49UInH4eagYQ]
-> Previous interview with Science in the City! [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQJL-sIpA8w]See you all at the next edition in July! 👊👊
Find out more about the FAST project from the links below 👇👇
-> Website [http://fast.unict.it/]
-> Youtube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_ReIb1qtHT49UInH4eagYQ]
-> Previous interview with Science in the City! [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQJL-sIpA8w]

Great interest and great success with the public had the event organized by the Maltese researchers of the FAST Project during the European event “the researchers’ night” which took place in Malta (“Science in the City”) and was repeated four times
between Friday evening (24/10) and Saturday (25/10) in the St Gorg Preca Valletta Primary School in Valletta.
The very curious and attentive audience consisted mainly of families with children (6-12 years).
In the photographs in the photo gallery you can see the Professors and researchers of the FAST Project Prof. David Mifsud (with glasses), and Thomas Cassar (with the lab shirt) showing some species of alien invertebrates of Longhorn beetle and some specimen of red weevil Rhynchophorus ferrugineus. Arthur Lamoliere (in the black t-shirt) instead entertained the visitors by talking about invasive plant species and showing live Louisiana crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) by projecting them onto a large screen with the camera.