Italy Marine Protected Areas in the Mediterranean ITIS

Italy: Marine Protected Areas in the Mediterranean ITIS PININFARINA Tourism. APE & –coastal development (1) Powerpoint Templates Page 1

The Mediterranean Sea is as beautiful as it is fragile. Today it is under threat. Marine Protected Areas are effective tools to provide lasting protection, enabling restoration and the careful use of this natural heritage. WWF works towards strengthening and expanding the network of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in the Mediterranean. Powerpoint Templates Page 2

We prize the Mediterranean Sea for food, recreation, beauty, traditions… It is also one of the world's biodiversity hotspots. Representing less than 1% of world oceans, the Mediterranean counts over 10% of all known species including many endemic species. It has a remarkable diversity of life and is a vital reproduction zone for key pelagic species. Yet we have put this life support system in danger. Human pressure has intensified in the last decades through overfishing, pollution, coastal development, increased and unsustainable tourism, increased sea traffic. Biodiversity and ecosystems are changing, while these changes are magnified by climate change. This may have huge consequences on our well being. Human threats need to be reduced if we want to stop biodiversity loss and start recovering. Powerpoint Templates Page 3

Most Mediterranean countries have committed to protect the Mediterranean biodiversity. One of the effective ways to contribute to stopping this loss is to regulate human activities within the areas that are called Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and include marine reserves, fully protected marine areas, no-take zones, marine sanctuaries, ocean sanctuaries, marine parks, locally managed marine areas. Their purpose is to actively manage how humans interact with them to protect sensitive environments and threatened species. Overtime MPAs also have direct human benefits and help generate sustainable livelihoods through fishing and tourism while allowing ecosystems to recover. Powerpoint Templates Page 4

The benefits offered by MPAs include: • Maintaining biodiversity and providing refuges for species • Protecting important habitats from damage by destructive fishing practices and other human activities and allowing damaged areas to recover • Providing areas where fish are able to spawn and grow to their adult size • Helping to maintain local cultures, economies, and livelihoods which are intricately linked to the marine environment • Serving as benchmarks for undisturbed, natural ecosystems, that can be used to measure the effects of human activities in other areas, and thereby help to improve resource management Powerpoint Templates Page 5

Problems: Tourism & Coastal Development Humans may live in almost every corner of the globe, but our favourite place is the sea. As coastlines around the world are steadily turned into new housing, holiday homes, and tourist developments, this intense human presence is taking a huge toll on marine ecosystems and species. Coastal areas are some of the most productive and biologically diverse on the planet. They're also the most densely populated: according to the UN, 60% of the world's population - more people than inhabited the entire planet in 1960 - live within 60 km of the coast. On top of this, 80% of all tourism takes place in coastal areas, with beaches and coral reefs amongst the most popular destinations. Powerpoint Templates Page 6

Some of the most pressing tourism and coastal development problems are caused by large coastal cities, dykes and dams, and other developments, an example is that 8 of the world's 10 biggest cities are located on the coast: Tokyo, Mumbai, New York City, Shanghai, Lagos, Los Angeles, Calcutta, and Buenos Aires. While people have lived in these areas for thousands years, the enormous cities and megacities that have grown over the past 100 years have quickly destroyed natural marine and coastal habitats. The construction of general infrastructure such as roads, homes, shops, factories, airports, and ports completely replaces natural habitats. In addition, estuaries, deltas, and their rivers are often enlarged and deepened to cope with increased shipping. All these aspects lead to habitat loss and put increased pressure on marine species. Los Angeles Powerpoint Templates Page 7

Tourism infrastructure and activities Massive influxes of tourists, often to a relatively small area, have a huge impact. They add to the pollution, waste, and water needs of the local population, putting local infrastructure and habitats under enormous pressure. In many areas, massive new tourist developments have been built - including airports, marinas, resorts, and golf courses. Overdevelopment for tourism has the same problems as other coastal developments, but often has a greater impact as the tourist developments are located at or near fragile marine ecosystems. In addition, in many cases local people do not benefit from tourism. Mass tourism often destroys local culture without contributing significantly to local income - most of the profits flow to foreign tour operators and investors. Powerpoint Templates Page 8

Bibliography: • http: //wwf. panda. org/what_we_do/where_we_work/mediterranean/about/ marine/marine_protected_areas/ Pictures: • http: //commons. wikimedia. org/wiki/ (free) • personal picture 4 BI – Itis Pininfarina Powerpoint Templates Page 9

Italy: Marine Protected Areas in the Mediterranean APE – ITIS PININFARINA Miramare Reserve (2) Powerpoint Templates Page 10

The Mediterranean region is the world's leading tourist destination and mass tourism is one of the main causes for ecological loss in the region. Of the 220 million tourists to the region every year, over 100 million flock to the beaches. In less than 20 years, the annual number of tourists visiting the area is expected to increase to 350 million. The huge tourism infrastructure developments have dramatically altered the natural dynamics of Mediterranean coastal ecosystems. For example, more than half of the 46, 000 km coastline is now urbanized, mainly along the European shores. Powerpoint Templates Page 11

Sicily – Etna volcano Sardinia The boot-shaped peninsula of ITALY, extending into the central Mediterranean Sea, is an area of diverse landscapes: from the rugged, mountainous alpine region of the north to the fertile plains of the Po River Valley; from the Apennine Mountains cutting through the centre of the country to the popular island destinations of Sardinia and Elba to the west, and Capri and Sicily off the southern coast. Powerpoint Templates Page 12

Many fish species, marine turtles and dolphins are found off of Italy’s long coastline on the Adriatic and Mediterranean seas but they are threatened by overfishing and marine pollution. Other environmental problems facing the country include air and water pollution from industrial and agricultural waste. MIRAMARE has been one of the first Italian MPAs to be officially established and it is entrusted to the Italian Association for WWF for Nature. It is also a UNESCOMAB Biosphere Reserve. Miramare MPA is located in the Gulf of Trieste (Northern Adriatic, Italy), around a natural promontory that commands Grignano bay, on Miramare Castle which the Castle of Miramare is placed. Powerpoint Templates Page 13

In comparison to other Mediterranean Reserves, much more isolated, the level of human presence at Miramare is extremely high since the promontory is placed between the touristic port of Grignano and Barcola seashore used as a beach by the inhabitants of Trieste. The reasons for the protection of the promontory are found in the peculiar geomorphologic characteristics of flora and fauna that make Miramare a unique environment. Some of the major ecological characteristics include: - tidal flats with significant tidal range (about 2 m) - high temperature variation in the water column - fresh water flows from rain and several watershed systems (Isonzo, Timavo and Tagliamento rivers) - coastal currents influenced by strong winds - both soft and hard bottoms represented along the coast - input of new oxygenated water into Mediterranean Sea (in winter). Powerpoint Templates Page 14

The Reserve reaches a maximum depth of 18 meters and presents a series of various types of seabeds found near the coast and further away from it. They go from the rocky habitat to the sandy and the muddy ones. The different habitats are characterised by high levels of biodiversity and populated by a variety of animal and plant species of high conservation value, that represents most of the features and characteristics of the Gulf of Trieste. Powerpoint Templates Page 15

Despite being one of the smallest MPAs in the Mediterranean Sea, Miramare has always been a model for effective and up-to-date management, the Reserve collaborates with national and international institutions and it is part of WWF-Italy Oases and Protected Areas network. It can therefore be considered as a first-rate cultural, educational and scientific entity, dealing with three major issues: conservation of the marine and coastal zones, environmental education and popularisation, monitoring and investigation of the marine ecosystems. Powerpoint Templates Page 16

Trieste Even though the Gulf of Trieste is in the Mediterranean it is difficult to find here the typical elements of this sea. The depth never exceeds 25 meters compared to 2500 meters of the Tyrrhenian Sea or 250 meters in the middle of the Adriatic Sea. Water temperature can range from 7°C in February to 26°C in August while in the Mediterranean Sea the temperature is rarely below 13°C or above 24°C. Powerpoint Templates Page 17

The Mediterranean Sea is transparent while those that arrive in Trieste almost always find cloudy water due to the sequence of rivers that flow into the small gulf such as Isonzo and Timavo on the first place. In this peculiar sea there are organisms used to living in extremely variable conditions, resistant to the sudden changes of salinity due to the presence of rivers (sometimes even trouts were seen and fished) and able to resist high or low temperatures. Powerpoint Templates Page 18

Bibliography: • http: //www. riservamarinamiramare. it/golfo_eng/index. htm • http: //wwf. panda. org/what_we_do/where_we_work/mediterranean/abo ut/marine_protected_areas/ Pictures: • http: //it. wikipedia. org/wiki/ (free) • Personal pictures • 4 CM – Itis Pininfarina Powerpoint Templates Page 19

Italy: Marine Protected Areas in the Mediterranean APE – ITIS PININFARINA Marano Lagoon (3) Powerpoint Templates Page 20

The natural reserve “Foci dello Stella” (mouths of river Stella) includes the river Stella’s delta and the nearby lagoon area; it is a very extended and luxurious reed thicket with a dense water network which gradually flows into the lagoon. As a matter of fact, the reed thicket is a very common expression of the reservation’s life. Powerpoint Templates Page 21

The Natural Reserve is located in the north-east of Italy, near Venice, in the Friuli Venezia Giulia region and this area was also previously known as the Marano Lagunare Avifaunistic Oasis. Powerpoint Templates Page 22

The Stella River , towards the end of its course, flows slowly and calmly through wings of reed thickets. The stunning landscape is an extended thicket crossed by a huge water network. The thicket, a biotype once extensively diffused in the upper Adriatic coastal areas, today rare and precious, is the most common expression of life of the Oasis. It is a unique environment for its nature and expansion. Powerpoint Templates Page 23

A reason of remarkable naturalistic value is the exceptional presence of avifauna. Numerous are, for both species and quantity, the birds which populate and animate the swampy environment during the year. Many stop by during migrations, others spend here the winter, others find here the perfect place to nest. The importance and the international relevance of the Foci dello Stella have been officially stated in 1979, declaring the entire area “humid area of international relevance” as habitat for aquatic birds. This Reservation is accessible only via water. The visit therefore takes place in boats. Powerpoint Templates Page 24

Area enclosed between land sea, Marano’s lagoon represents, along with Grado’s one, the most Northern lagoon formation of the Mediterranean. Formed in post-glacial era thanks to marine transgression and river deposits phenomena, this incredible and delicate ecosystem is one of the most popular natural environments of the Italian peninsula. Powerpoint Templates Page 25

Within the various species populating the lagoon, the most popular are those of the aquatic species or of water-related species. The most represented family, abundant and outstanding, is the one of the Anatidi, whose easiest observing species are: Royal swan, Wild swan, Grey goose (also known as Wild Goose), Shelduck, Teal, Mallard, Pintail, Garganey, Shoveler, Pochard, Tufted Duck. However, if lucky, you could have the chance to observe the quite rare White-eyed Pochard Powerpoint Templates Page 26

Whereas the Ducks and the Coots are mainly vegetarian, other species of birds are carnivores, feeding on fishes, crustacean like for instance the Little Egret and Grey Heron. The most easily observing predator is the Marsh Harrier, feeding of amphibia, mice or birds that catches when grounded or on the water. Powerpoint Templates Page 27

Within the research and experimentation activities, a specific relevance is given to the projects for Ornithological reintroduction. For instance the reintroduction of a colony of Savage Goose, with the collaboration from the Regional Faunistic Observatory and the University of Trieste, following the experiments of Konrad Lorenz, reintroducing a kind of Goose considered to be extinct in Italy since the last century. Powerpoint Templates Page 28

Bibliography: courtesy of http: //www. riservenaturali. maranolagunare. com/eng/default. asp? lg=EN (“con la presente siamo ad autorizzarvi ad utilizzare, per scopi didattici, il materiale presente sul nostro sito web www. riservenaturali. maranolagunare. com”) Pictures: • www. riservenaturali. maranolagunare. com • personal pictures 4 CM – ITIS PININFARINA Powerpoint Templates Page 29