SPIN4LIFE (01/09/2013 – 30/11/2016)
Background
Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean. The geographic isolation, the proximity to Africa and the geomorphologic diversity of mountains, planes, rivers, as well as dunes, estuaries and islands, have created an enormous heritage of biodiversity with few equals in Europe. Sicily includes 238 Natura 2000 sites, with an area equal to 25% of its surface.
Sicily is part of the Mediterranean biogeographical region: the most threatened by climate change. One of the challenges of the project and one of its long-term goals is the conservation of nature through adaptation to climate change, creating one of the actions of the White Paper of the European Commission, which stresses the need for the EU to adopt an integrated action of mitigation and adaptation to climate change. In addition, the EU biodiversity strategy emphasizes the importance of addressing climate change in the EU. Natura 2000 sites are a vital resource to protect biodiversity and the economic and social interests.
Project description
The main objective of the SPIN project is to produce a program for the long-term management and restoration of sites, habitats and species in a favourable conservation status, taking into account all potential sources of EU, national and regional funding and establishing a list of priority actions to be carried out in the next decade.
The improvement of the quality and condition of the sites through the activities of management or restoration and the creation of buffer zones are examples of measures that are essential for the management of the Natura 2000 network. Conservation measures will not only require the involvement of the nature conservation community, but other stakeholders including agriculture, fisheries, forestry as well as private landowners and wider society.
The management strategy will be planned taking into consideration the estimate effects of climatic changes in the Natura 2000 sites, in order to limit the negative effects of climate change and to enhance its positive effects. The resilience of sites and their capacity to cope with environmental change can be improved by applying a range of practical measures within and around sites, so as to increase its coherence. Also, priorities of conservation will be identified taking into consideration the future scenario including climate change.
Specific project objectives are to:
- Significant contribution to achieving the goals set by the EU 2020 Biodiversity strategy and reaching the EU 2020 headline target of “halting the loss of biodiversity and the degradation of ecosystem services in the EU by 2020, and restoring them in so far as feasible, while stepping up the EU contribution to averting global biodiversity loss”.
- A realistic overview of the value of the Natura 2000 network in Sicily, not only from a nature conservation point of view and in terms of ecosystem services but also from a socio-economic perspective.
- Rationale, multisectoral management of the regional Natura 2000 network.
- Contribution to the mitigation and adaptation to climate change at regional level.
- Increased public awareness of the benefits of Natura 2000 and ecosystem services, as a result of the production of a strategic communication plan for the next decade.
- Increase of opportunities in the green jobs market.
This will be achieved through:
- Establishment of an mutlidisciplinary N2000 group, including members of various regional directorates.
- Collection and study of all documents related to managing N2000 sites in Sicily.
- Analysis of the green jobs connected with the regional N2000 and identification of a proposal to create new incentives.
- Production of an estimate of the socio-economic value of the regional N2000 network.
- Estimate of the costs associated with the conservation measures for the N2000 network and analysis of available funds at EU and national level.
- Production of management measures for N2000 sites that do not have a management plan, for marine sites and for the connection of the regional sites.
- Development of a financial plan for the management of the Sicilian N2000 network for 2016-2020.
- Production of a programming document for the management of the regional N2000 network.
- Revision and update of the regional PAF.
- Production of a scientific monitoring plan related to all the habitats and species of EU interest existing in the regional N2000 sites.
- Production of a strategic communication plan for the next decade.
- Stakeholder survey (territorial fora) to promote a shared regional strategy for the management of N2000 network.
- Regional communication campaign (video, web/social networks campaign, information material) on N2000 network and its importance for biodiversity and quality of life.
- Other dissemination activities, e.g.: web site, information boards, final conference, layman’s report.
Go to the project file in the European Commission database.
Partners
Dipartimento dell’Ambiente della Regione Siciliana – Assessorato del Territorio e dell’Ambiente
Dipartimento Regionale degli Interventi Strutturali per l’Agricoltura della Regione Siciliana – Assessorato delle Risorse Agricole e Alimentari,
Comunità Ambiente
Centro Turistico Studentesco e giovanile (CTS)