Biodiversity encompasses the variety of all living organisms that together form ecosystems and maintain the delicate balance of life on our planet. It can be considered as the fundamental system that enables all life on Earth, providing food, clean water, medicine, and protection from floods and other extreme weather events.
Natural ecosystems offer countless benefits which, unfortunately, we often take for granted. Our modern lifestyle, driven by short-term economic gain, is rapidly destroying key natural resources. Ignoring the value of biodiversity endangers not only nature but the future of humanity. What can we do to repair the damage done to nature?
One concrete solution, which we are developing in cooperation with five other partners within the Interreg ASPEH project, is the establishment of conservation plans for specific species and habitats. Our focus is on species and habitats that contribute to biodiversity in the coastal areas of the Adriatic. What we have done so far and how we can continue working on these issues was discussed on March 27 in Split, at a cross-border workshop on biodiversity conservation plans, organized by Sunce as a project partner.
Protecting 30% of European seas – is ASPEH part of the solution?
The workshop brought together 50 participants, including stakeholders and experts from various fields, as well as representatives of project partners: Management Consortium of Torre Guaceto, Municipality of Fano, Po Delta Veneto Regional Park, Public Institution for the Management of Protected Areas in Split-Dalmatia County “Sea and Karst”, and Public Institution for the Management of Protected Natural Areas of Dubrovnik-Neretva County.
Vida Zrnčić, Senior Associate in the Nature Conservation Department at Sunce, marked the beginning of the workshop by greeting the attendees and welcoming them to Hotel Ambasador Split.
Opening remarks were also given by Francesco de Franco, a representative of the lead partner, Management Consortium of Torre Guaceto, and Matea Špika, Senior Associate in the Nature Conservation Department at Sunce. They were joined by Dr. Mitja Bricelj, coordinator of TSG 3 EUSAIR, and Mag. Iztok Škerlič, Director of JZP IZOLA and project partner at the EUSAIR Facility Point. EUSAIR refers to the EU Strategy for the Adriatic-Ionian Region, adopted by the European Commission and confirmed by the European Council in 2014.
– The EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 calls for the protection of 30% of European sea area by 2030, including placing one-third of that area under strict protection. Establishing effective management in these protected marine areas is also crucial, with an emphasis on regulating human activities. ASPEH is an excellent example of what needs to be done to achieve that 30%. A bottom-up approach, I am convinced, will achieve much more than the opposite. And although it may seem to us that nature has infinite resources, the reality is different – we must urgently find effective ways to protect ecosystem services for future generations, – emphasized Dr. Mitja Bricelj.
Conservation plans are written generically
Before the actual start of the workshop, project partners presented conservation plans for three target species and three target habitats, with an emphasis on current threats and possible solutions.
Along with the presentations of the conservation plans, participants worked together in group sessions to analyze and improve the proposed activities. To the satisfaction of all attendees, the key objectives of the workshop were achieved at the end of the group discussions: evaluating the feasibility of the plans, identifying obstacles, and seeking solutions for their effective implementation.
The Ferruginous duck is classified as “Near Threatened” according to the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List. Although it was once widespread, this smallest duck species in Europe has experienced a significant decline since the 1980s, and urgent efforts are needed to preserve it before it becomes extinct. Our partner from the marine protected area of Torre Guaceto is working on its conservation. This region includes wetland habitats that are particularly important for the Ferruginous duck during their post-breeding migration period.
– Globally speaking, together with the natural loss of wetland habitats, habitat degradation caused by humans is probably the most significant factor in the population decline of the Ferruginous duck. However, it should be noted that overprotecting this species can be just as problematic as doing nothing, because if, for example, a wetland area is left untouched and develops dense vegetation, it would not suit this species and they would soon abandon it. What we need to do is return to traditional practices, such as grazing and controlled burning, – explained Giacomo Marzano.
Davide Frulla from the Municipality of Fano highlighted, using the example of his target species – the Kentish Plover – how important it is to think locally and write specifically when strengthening and improving the conservation of a particular animal. In fact, the European Commission recently pointed out that Italian conservation plans are too generic. Protection must not be just words on paper!
– Since 2018, we have been recording a decreasing number of Kentish Plover pairs in Italy. I believe this news doesn’t affect people outside the city of Fano as much as, for example, a decline in turtle populations would. We understand that the Kentish Plover is not as charismatic an animal as the turtle, but that doesn’t mean it is any less valuable. It, too, contributes to the biodiversity of nature. The efforts we are making today to increase the protection of this species would not exist if there hadn’t been an association in Fano advocating for it. So, this local element is extremely important, and everything we do within ASPEH must be aligned with conservation interventions at the local level. Our conservation plan for the Kentish Plover cannot simply be copied to other areas, but will serve as a guideline for them.
‘I don’t want to live in a world without turtles’
Local values must be promoted through informing and educating the public, as ignorance is often the cause of irresponsible behavior towards nature. For this reason, the project, in addition to developing conservation plans, is conducting a cross-border communication campaign called “Adriatic Treasures.” Under the slogan “Every species counts, every habitat matters,” the campaign aims to raise awareness about three habitats and three species found in the Adriatic.
– It’s important to create a connection between citizens and the species. We will clean beaches for as long as the world exists, but that’s treating the symptom – why not go to the root and change people’s mentality? – asked Frulla. Dr. Guido Pietroluongo from the Po Delta Veneto Regional Park, whose target species is the Loggerhead Sea Turtle agreed with him.
– Humans are the cause of habitat degradation, poaching, waste, abandoned fishing gear, climate change… We find over 150 stranded Loggerhead Sea Turtles each year in the northern Adriatic. People are creating the problems, so it’s only right that they find concrete solutions. Monitoring the species is great, but we need concrete actions because we don’t want to just track how a species disappears – at this rate, there will be no turtles left in 20 years. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to live in a world without turtles, – concluded Pietroluongo.
The survival of species also depends on habitat conservation
When talking about species conservation, habitat conservation is often neglected. It is equally important, and just as there are conservation plans for species, there are conservation plans for habitats. For coastal biodiversity, Posidonia oceanica habitats and muddy and sandy seabeds that are not covered by the sea at low tide are extremely important.
Ana Tutavac from Public Institution for the Management of Protected Natural Areas of Dubrovnik-Neretva County explained the threats these habitats face.
– Posidonia is threatened by mechanical damage from anchoring and fishing, coastal development, pollution, and invasive species. On the other hand, muddy and sandy seabeds suffer from sediment loss due to erosion, unsustainable construction, pollution, and disruptions in water flows. Climate change further worsens the situation. Solutions include regulating anchoring by establishing no-anchoring zones and eco friendly moorings, restoring coastal habitats, improving wastewater management, and integrating protection into spatial plans.
Additionally, as Tutavac emphasized, raising awareness and promoting sustainable tourism is key to ensuring the long-term stability of these sensitive ecosystems.
Tourism is also the main threat to the wildlife in submerged and partially submerged caves – the third target habitat in ASPEH. An additional challenge lies in the fact that local communities generate significant income from these caves, which often leads to a conservation approach focused on tourism and visitation. As a result, the economic perspective tends to dominate conservation efforts.
– The Blue Cave hosts two biocenoses and 119 species of organisms, five of which are strictly protected by law. Medvedina Cave has three cave community habitat types, 123 taxa, and four strictly protected species. The Green Cave contains a total of 116 species and four strictly protected species, with seven types of communities. Nova Pošta on Vis has recorded 99 species, two strictly protected, and three community types. Unfortunately, uncontrolled visitation during the summer threatens these ecosystems. In 2019, the Blue Cave recorded 179,657 visitors, so you can just imagine the negative human impact! Better control of coastal habitats must be established, and tourism revenue should not take precedence over the survival of living species. – emphasized Jelena Kurtović Mrčelić from the Public Institution “Sea and Karst”.
This workshop confirmed what we anticipated: joint and coordinated action is essential when it comes to preserving the biodiversity of the Adriatic. Conservation plans — that is, protection — must not remain merely words on paper; their success depends on the collaboration of all stakeholders, regardless of administrative boundaries or institutional differences. To follow how we will continue this work within the framework of the project, stay tuned to our social media channels and the project’s Facebook page, where we are running the “Adriatic Treasures” campaign.
