INVOLVING PEOPLE TO PROTECT WILD BEES AND OTHER POLLINATORS IN THE MEDITERRANEAN (LIFE 4 POLLINATORS) (REF: LIFE18 GIE/IT/000755)

 

Abstract: The aim of the project is to gain environmental benefits by improving pollinator conservation, by creating a virtuous circuit that leads to a progressive change in practices across the Mediterranean region. In order to achieve this ambitious goal, the project has set a number of more specific objectives that foster education and dissemination, the implementation of citizen science approaches, and improved environmental governance. The specific objectives of LIFE 4 BEES are:

- Raise citizens and stakeholders awareness on the decline of wild pollinators and the

importance of pollination services for the functioning and health of ecosystems and agroecosystems.

- Promote attitudes and behaviours in favour of native wild pollinators.

- Enhance citizens’ participation in data collection and greening actions to increase their

contribution to biodiversity knowledge and ecosystem conservation/restoration.

- Improve the general knowledge of 1) native Mediterranean wild pollinators and

entomophilous plants; 2) their interactions, and 3) alien invasive species, by citizen science monitoring activities.

- Improve the use of greening infrastructures, promote free-pesticides agriculture and

pollinator-friendly practices in rural and urban environments, involving farmers, farmers consultants and other stakeholders concerned in the management of urban green public spaces.

- Promote better environmental governance transferring data to concerned

authorities and stimulating the development of pollinator strategies or action

plans in the MS (= Member States) where they are missing (IT, GR, ES, MT)

- Create a participatory and interactive database on wild pollinators, improving environmental information availability and sharing in the Mediterranean zone. This information regards the interactions between pollinators and plants, which represent highly informative data for practical conservation purposes.

- Improve biodiversity knowledge on the Mediterranean area: the information gathered will partially contribute to go beyond the gap of knowledge on pollinator diversity and status that characterises the Mediterranean area.