Moreover, on February 17, 2021, DEB submitted a full LIFE application titled “Using SEED banks to restore and reinFORCE the endangered native plants of Italy” (LIFE SEEDFORCE - LIFE20 NAT/IT/001468) in consortium with other 14 Italian and non-Italian research centres, universities, and botanical gardens of Europe.

The project aims at improving the conservation status of 27 Italian Annex II plant species that have an Unfavourable-Inadequate (18), Unfavourable-Bad (6) or Unknown (3) conservation status by addressing both habitat-related and intrinsic threats and adopting an integrated ex-situ/in-situ approach aiming at population reinforcement.

Should the proposal be approved, the project will provide a great opportunity for maximising visibility and transferring of good practices developed by Action C.6. Exchange with both national and international seed-banks (e.g. the RIBES, the Italian Network of Seed Banks) will strengthen the curation, characterisation, germination testing, and long-term conservation of the selected plant species with a replication programme as a safety back-up. The Action is complementary with Action C.2. Based on preliminary topographic, soil, and botanic analysis, an area of about 1,500 sqm was selected in Palo Laziale to create a new temporary pond where germinated quillworts will be introduced to reinforce the existing population. The bush vegetation covering the identified area was eliminated, and the topsoil excavated at a very shallow depth (about 10 cm) to meet the habitat configuration and the biological requirements of these target species.

 

 

We use Cookies to facilitate the use of this website. Click here for more information. Accept