LIFE GO PARK. Project summary. Project LIFE12 INF/IT/000571

Transcription

1 LIFE GO PARK Project summary Project LIFE12 INF/IT/ /10

2 INDEX Background and rationale Pag. 3 Objectives of the project Pag. 7 Phases of the project Pag. 9 2/10

3 Background and rationale of the project At present, Latium Region comprehends 77 Natural Protected Areas (AA.NN.PP.), established as a result of various regional or national legislative and / or administrative decisions. In particular there are: - 3 national parks; - 16 regional parks; - 4 state nature reserves; - 30 regional nature reserves; - 22 natural monuments; - 2 marine protected areas. In the Region there are also two separate park authorities, which manage separately more protected areas, as follows: - The regional body RomaNatura (regional body for the management of protected natural areas of Rome) operates 15 AA.NN.PP.; - The institutional park Riviera di Ulisse, which manages 3 AA.NN.PP. The total area of protected areas in the Latium Region amounts to about 226,305 hectares, more than 13% of the region land. If it takes also into account the 200 Natura 2000 sites, existing within the boundaries of the Region, total protected areas amount to 441,634 hectares, about for 25.7% of the entire region; some of the Natura 2000 sites are however included in the AA.NN.PP. However this great natural heritage is not very well known by local inhabitants. In fact, from the data processed by the European Commission and reported in the Eurobarometer report "Attitudes of Europeans towards the issue of biodiversity" (published in March 2010), it appears that: - 92% of Italians surveyed had never heard of the Natura 2000 network; - 3% have heard of it but do not know what it is; - 1.6% have heard of it and know what it is. These percentages place Italy in a very low position (third from the bottom) in the EU, as far as the level of knowledge of Natura2000 network is concerned. These data are also confirmed by further studies carried out by the Latium among its own inhabitants. In essence, more than 90% of the citizens of Latium do not know the natural characteristics of more than 25% of the territory where they live. 3/10

4 Yet, the AA.NN.PP. of Latium usually promote initiatives aimed at the protection of biodiversity and sustainable development, trough different activities, such as: conservation of species and ecosystems, restoration and enhancement of the natural environment and historical - cultural wealth; environmental education; promotion of naturalistic and educational tourism. Nevertheless, despite the implementation of numerous projects and the development of informative websites created in the past by the Latium Region, by ARP (Regional Agency of Protected Areas in Latium) and individual AA.NN.PP., environmental information is still scattered and not always easily accessible by the average user. In addition, tour operators in the Latium very seldom are capable to provide comprehensive information about accommodation structures which can offer adequate environmental services to the tourist. This notwithstanding a growing interest in green tourism. The project LIFE GO PARK ( intends therefore to focus on the need to make local inhabitants more aware of the importance of the collaboration between man and nature. The experience in contact with nature is the best way to increase the level of attention and interest to the collective protection of biodiversity and environmental conservation. The process of increased awareness of citizens is not only based on information and dissemination, but also and above all, through direct experience, the vision and the frequency of visits to the places to protect, with the aim that reduce the distance and increase the level of sensitivity and attention to the naturalistic problems The LIFE GO PARK project is financed by the LIFE Programme of European Commission jointly with the Latium Region and is implemented under the coordination of the Latium Region The other partners involved in the project LIFE GO PARK are: -NovaConsulting - Metafora. 4/10

5 Figure A: Dislocation of Natural Protected Areas in the Latium Region

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7 Objectives of the project The project involves several stakeholders, auch as: operators of Natural Protected Areas in the Latium Region; ARP; teachers and students of Latium schools; citizens, tourists and tour operators active in the region. Each one of this figure is taken into account as will be required to activate a virtuous cycle that places at the center of the attention all the AA.NN.PP. and all their natural heritage. All individuals must realize that improving the quality of life, does not mean to cause damage to the ecosystem, but rather to find costeffective solutions and environmentally friendly at the same time. In particular, improve the sustainable development and management of tourism in the protected areas means taking into account the needs of the environment, local residents, local businesses and visitors. To do this it is necessary to provide, create and implement a plan for the management of visitors, so as to adjust the flow and the possible access to particularly vulnerable areas. Only in this way it will be possible to developed strategies that do not arise in conflict with the objectives of conservation and preservation of biodiversity of the surrounding area. The basic idea of the LIFE GO PARK is to enable a synergy among all stakeholders in order to achieve the following objectives: - Increase the knowledge of Natural Protected Areas and Natura 2000 sites of the Latium Region and the awareness of the human impact on biodiversity; - Increase the visits to AA.NN.PP. and Natura 2000 sites of the Latium Region in an eco-responsible manner; - Improve and optimize the communication of the regional AA.NN.PP. - Encourage a responsible eco-tourism, through the involvement of tour operators and companies in the region; - Encourage the inclusion in school curricula of issues related to AA.NN.PP. and Natura 2000 sites, as well as human impact on biodiversity. The project thus responds to the general principle that a greater involvement and a stronger public awareness towards environmental problems leads to a better preservation of the natural heritage. 7/10

8 Figure B Scheme of the involvement of stakeholders in the project LIFE GO PARK 8/10

9 Phases of the project The project's approach is based on the belief that individuals are an integral part of nature and that is the collaboration between man and nature that obtains the best results. Concern for the environment is key to the improvement of the quality of life of citizens, and to help sectors of the economy such as forestry and tourism. To achieve the objectives of the project are 4 types of actions are foreseen with the involvement of the various stakeholders: - Preparatory actions: in order to perform an adequate benchmark on how environmental communication may be activated in other local contexts by AA.NN.PP. (national and Community) as well as its relevant strengths and weaknesses and engage the AA.NN.PP. of Latium Region in the main actions of the project, 3 preparatory actions will be carried out, as follows: confrontation analysis on environmental communication; interviews and Focus Group; selection of a significant sample of AA.NN.PP. - Communication actions: in order to ensure the maximum diffusion of the communication campaign directed to the various stakeholders, and ensure the increase of the knowledge of AA.NN.PP. and Natura 2000 sites, 7 actions will be carrie out, as follows: Development of information material on AA.NN.PP. and Natura 2000 sites; creation of an APP for smartphones where the user can find general information about events organized in the various AA.NN.PP. Lazio but also on the type of activities to be carried inside these areas; organization of info days for the general public and various stakeholders; essay contest in the schools and organization of fairs and exhibitions in previously selected AA.NN.PP.; 9/10

10 organization of event "Parks in Fair"; visits to previously selected AA.NN.PP. sample; research of environmentally sustainable excellences - Training activities: in order to improve and optimize the means of environmental communication by the Latium Region and of the relevant AA.NN.PP., training courses for operators AA.NN.PP. will be organized as a project action. Moreover, in order to ensure the increase of the knowledge of AA.NN.PP. and Natura 2000 sites by teachers and students in primary and secondary schools in the region Lazio (AA.NN.PP. gravitating in the basin of the sample), the project foresees the subministration of training sessions for both teachers and students. 10/10