CASCADE – Interreg Italia-Croazia – CORILA – Consorzio per il coordinamento delle ricerche inerenti al sistema lagunare di Venezia – Consortium for coordination of research activities concerning the Venice lagoon system

Published on 10-09-2021

Concerted and coordinated monitoring and management actions to improve knowledge of internal ecosystems

WEB SITE

CASCADE – Interreg Italia-Croazia

Programme or Providing body: Programma di Cooperazione Territoriale Italia-Croazia / Interreg Italy-Croatia
Project title: CoAStal and marine waters integrated monitoring systems for ecosystems proteCtion AnD managemEnt
Acronym: CASCADE
Duration: 01/01/2020-31/12/2022– Prolongation to
Project budget: 5.817.547,00 €
CORILA budget: 63.500,00 €
Progress:
Contact person in CORILA: dabala@corila.it
Keywords: biodiversity, environment, sea, protected areas, integrated management

Abstract

CASCADE will develop a set of concerted and coordinated actions including monitoring (observing and modelling) and management (Maritime Spatial Planning – MSP, Integrated Coastal Zone Management – ICZM, Land-Sea Interaction – LSI) to enhance the knowledge and to evaluate the quality and assess the vulnerability of inland, coastal and marine ecosystems in Italy and Croatia with the final objective to restore endangered species and to support integrated management.

The integrated modelling and observing systems will be developed to design and implement MSP/LSI/ICZM, management and restoration actions in 11 pilot areas. Pilot actions will assess and protect coastal and marine biodiversity in degraded areas, set up restoration actions, assess the impacts of extreme events on ecosystems and understand how to avoid conflicts and boost synergies in the areas.

The project will consolidate long-lasting research capabilities in the field through a concrete dialogue with stakeholders and the participation of Agencies, research centres and universities in order to enhance inland, coastal and marine knowledge. Such shared information and monitoring protocols are essential for supporting concrete actions dealing with environmental vulnerability, fragmentation and safeguarding of ecosystem services at cross-border level.

Overall objective

The overall objective of CASCADE project is to increase marine knowledge through the consolidation of inland and marine waters monitoring (observing and modelling) tools to address environmental vulnerability, fragmentation and the safeguarding of ecosystem services, to support the protection of marine ecosystems and to develop science-based restoration methodologies and actions to assess the impacts of extreme events on marine ecosystems. In particular, CASCADE will concretely contribute to biodiversity protection in several Natura 2000 sites, also providing monitoring tools, best practices for restoration of endangered species and integrated management plans.

Main results

implementation of pilots focusing on restoration actions and improvement of integrated management systems (e.g. MSP, ICZM, LSI) of marine and coastal areas.

Specific results to be achieved include:

development of integrated advanced monitoring tools based on existing capacity at national and GOOS (Global Ocean Observing System) level in the Mediterranean Sea-MONGOOS and EU Level-Copernicus consisting of hydrological, oceanographic and ecosystem observing (inc. bioindicators) and modelling systems to be tested and implemented to assess environment status also in support of pilot restoration actions and the implementation of MSFDIMAP/ EcAp strategies;
development of observing and modelling systems for specific environmental processes such as sediment transport and meteo-marine extreme events and their impacts on marine and coastal ecosystems and validation of the models with observations;
one data information system (inc. web GIS) to provide project results;
development of decision support systems, guidelines, best practices, restoration actions and integrated management of coastal and marine waters and environments;
stakeholders engagement and capacity building through dissemination/communication/training activities/guided tours and scuba diving.

Partnership

Partners di Progetto
Lead Partner: Regione Puglia (IT)
Project Partner 1: Fondazione Centro Euro-mediterraneo sui Cambiamenti Climatici (IT)
Project Partner 2: Institut Ruđer Bošković (HR)
Project Partner 3: Dubrovačko-neretvanska Županija (HR)
Project Partner 4: Agenzia Regionale per la Protezione dell’Ambiente del Friuli Venezia Giulia (ARPA FVG) (IT)
Project Partner 5: Università IUAV di Venezia (IT), subcontractor CORILA (IT)
Project Partner 6: Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna (IT)
Project Partner 7: Agenzia Regionale Prevenzione Ambiente Energia Emilia Romagna (ARPAE) (IT)
Project Partner 8: DELTA 2000 – Societa’ Consortile A R.L. (IT)
Project Partner 9: Università del Salento (IT)
Project Partner 10: Institut za Oceanografiju i Ribarstvo (HR)
Project Partner 11: Jadranski Edukativno-istraživački Centar za Reagiranja na Iznenadna Onečišćenja Mora – Atrac (HR)
Project Partner 12: Grad Nin (HR)
Project Partner 13: Università degli Studi del Molise (IT)
Project Partner 14: Regione Marche (IT)
Project Partner 15: Javna Ustanova za Upravljanje Zaštićenim Djelovima Prirode na Području Splitsko-dalmatinske Županije more i Krš (HR)
Project Partner 16: Consorzio di Gestione di Torre Guaceto (IT)
Project Partner 17: Istarska Zupanija (HR)
Project Partner 18: Regione Molise (IT)
Project Partner 19: AMP Torre del Cerrano (IT)