Life ASAP

The Life ASAP project (LIFE15 GIE/IT/001039) is a project co-financed by the European Union that has as objective the reduction of the introduction rate of invasive alien species (IAS) in the Italian territory and the mitigation of its impacts. In particular, Life ASAP aims to increase the awareness and the active participation of citizens regarding the problem of IAS and to promote the correct and efficient management of IAS by public entities in charge thanks to the full implementation of the European regulations in the field of invasive alien species (EU 1143/2014).

To get this the following activities are provided:

1. Training of multipliers, that is the personnel of national parks, of protected areas, of zoo, of botanical gardens and of scientific museums regarding the field of IAS in order to, in their daily work in contact with the public, spread their knowledge of correct behaviours to adopt to limit the problem of biological invasions.

2. Communication campaign for citizens with targeted actions for schools, visitors of the parks and the travellers passing in the airport, through citizen science events, he development and the diffusion of an edu-game and of a Smart App, the organization of events and photographical contests, the setting up of info-point in the airport, the utilization of social media.

3. Training of personnel of all the public subject involved in the fulfilment of the European Regulations on the opposition against IAS (EU 1143/2014): ministries, regions and autonomous provinces, border inspection points and so on.

4. Training of the scientific community and its direct involvement in the preparation of a black list of priority invasive alien species for Italy and of a set of recommendations to undergo to the Italian Government in view of the implementation of the EU Regulations 1143/2014.

5. Diffusion of voluntary instruments such as codes of conduct, guidelines for the management of IAS and technical handbooks in the many economical and recreational subjects involved: florists, animal traders, freelancers, recreational fishermen and hunters.

The expected results from the project are: the appropriate fulfilment of the European Regulations (EU 1134/2014) in Italy, thanks to the activity of training of the personnel of public entities aimed to its fulfilment; the adoption of guidelines for the correct management of the invasive alien species at least by four national parks and seven within botanical gardens, zoo and aquarium; the adoption of voluntary codes of conduct from the many economical and recreational subjects involved (florists, animal traders, freelancers, recreational fishermen and hunters); the proposal of a black list of the main invasive alien species for Italy and of a set of recommendations to undergo to the Italian Government as a contribution from the national scientific community; the increase of the knowledge on the problem of IAS from the public opinion.