MEDITERRANEAN POSIDONIA

The Mediterranean Posidonia, contrary to what you might think, is a marine plant, not an algae. In fact it consists of a root, a stem and leaves that are concerned with the process of photosynthesis.

Its stem, called rhizome, can develop both in horizontal and vertical direction. Nevertheless the leaves develop only from the vertical rhizome. The continuous accumulation of Posidonia forms a network of dead rhizomes called “matte”. These “matte” create a barrier that filters the carbon footprint in the environment thus reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the planet. The growth of “matte” is very slow, that’s why you must avoid destroying them, since it is a phenomenon not replicable on a human scale. In the Mediterranean Sea you can see the phenomenon of the beaching of the Mediterranean posidonia. This natural process, that is not harmful to environmental ecology, damages the tourist economy of the place.  For this reason  the particular composition of posidonia has been exploited either for removing it from beaches or for using it for economical purposes. Because of this, a particular type of compost ,acting as soil conditioner, has been created.The advantages of the compost are as follows:

• Increase in the porosity of the soil
• Increase in the bioavailability of soil microflora
•  

SAVING WATER

6 ways to save water at home...

SANTA NINFA NATURE RESERVE & LEGAMBIENTE (SICILY): ONE OF OUR LOCAL PARTNERS

The Santa Ninfa Grotta nature reserve was instituted by the Sicilian Region in 1995 and  its management was entrusted to Legambiente Sicilia, which deals with the tutelage and valorisation of the site, scientific research and  enjoyment of nature, and environmental education. The territory of the reserve, which is located  2.5 km from the village of Santa Ninfa, has been divided into two areas with different peculiarities:

§Zone A, comprising the hypogean parts of the Grotta;

§Zone B, comprising the Biviere Valley corresponding to the basin feeding the cave. 

The Santa Ninfa nature reserve lies within the bigger Site of Importance to the Community called the “Complex of the Santa Ninfa and Gibellina Mountains and Santa Ninfa Grotta”, set up in 1998 for the presence of various natural habitats and species, in accordance with the EEC 92/43 Habitat directive. The protected area, which has a surface area of about 140 hectares, lies in the territory of Santa Ninfa and neighbouring Gibellina (both places are in Trapani province). At first sight the territory does not seem to contain any spectacular beauties. However, a closer look reveals an incredible number of beauty spots. In the course of time this area has not been greatly threatened by commercial or industrial settlement, and so it has particular integrity. Consequently there are micro-habitats of rare beauty and major scientific interest. The natural landscape is particularly variegated and sinuous for the presence of numerous “dolines”. These depressions in the territory, which are more or less circular in shape, are indeed the most evident geomorphological element: these natural concavities are very close to one another, and trace out scenarios that evoke fascinating beehive structures. The dolines are a sign of the presence of karst phenomena, linked to a set of physical-chemical dissolution processes caused by rainwater in soluble rocks, like chalks and limestones: the rainwater shapes the rock, giving rise to a fascinating visible landscape, and through cracks and pores infiltrates the subsoil, contributing to the formation of subterranean cavities. Among the many caves, the one that gives the name to the reserve is undoubtedly the most spectacular: getting into the hole in the rock leading into the cavity is a truly exciting experience. You can visit the cave with the necessary speleological equipment and accompanied by the local guides.

 

PLEASE; GO ON READING ABOUT ONE OF OUR LOCAL PARTNERS…..

PLACES OF INTEREST IN SICILY

LET'S GO......

ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS

HAVE A LOOK AT GIULIA'S INTERESTING WORK!

 

CASE STUDY: VILLA MARGHERITA

Castelvetrano is an Italian town of about 31,761 inhabitants. It is situated on the South-Western coast of  Sicily, in the province of Trapani.

BIO-GEOGRAPHICAL STUDY OF THE TERRITORY

The territory of Castelvetrano, geologically young, is made up of a monocline that gradually plunges towards the sea.  Its morphology is quite hilly with small slopes,  reaching a maximum of 290 metres above sea level  to the north of the inhabited area. The territory has plenty of water. The main streams ,that are typically torrential , are Belice, that gives its name to the Valley, Modione and Delia. Since the territory is an agricultural  area ,  the outskirts of the town are intensively cultivated . For this reason it is quite difficult to find natural sites with flora and fauna typical of the Mediterranean insular area. The most common cultivation is the olive tree  in its variety called  "Nocellara del Belice" used either as table olive or oil. The latter product  is recognized   as a PDO product and is well-appreciated both in Italy and abroad. Other agricultural products  are vineyards, vegetables and wheat. 

CASE STUDY: VILLA MARGHERITA

The site we have chosen as a case study for urban recovery is a small garden that overlooks Regina Margherita Square (37°67' North ,12°79' East) from which it takes its name, in the city centre and on the edge of the first historical nucleus.

Regina Margherita Villa occupies a triangular space between two churches, St. Dominic Church (the oldest of the town ,XVth century)  and St John Church ( XVIth  century ) . In 1871 trees, palms, rubber plants were planted. In 1885 it was embellished with an iron railing and in 1887  a sculptor from Palermo, Mario Rutelli, added a marble group in the centre of a fountain. Unfortunately, during the Second World War the original , iron railing was partially damaged in order to make some cannons , and during  the 1968 earthquake that  destroyed the Belice Valley, the garden was used as a shantytown for the homeless  . Rutelli sculpture was restored by Professor Benedetto Risalvato  and it was put at the entrance to the Selinus Theatre while a copy of it was located in its original place, these days vandalized and degraded. Our recovery project includes a botanical study to identify any problems with the trees ; an intervention on them to remove molds and other infections; cleaning of flower beds and restoration of the sculpture called  "Bambocciata". 

Images referring to the first site visit to Margherita Villa  that took place on 26th February, 2016  with the whole staff and with the expert in Forestry and Environmental Sciences, Doctor  Cirabisi.

February,  2016

Today’s sculpture

 

A history and art lesson about the origins of the Villa and subsequent vicissitudes by Professor Calcara.

A lesson about the different tree species and flowers.

 

 

Benjamin rubber plant, , Pitosforo, birdhouse

Date-palm and weed.

MENFI SPINY ARTICHOKE

Artichokes are grown in Sicily in the provinces of Palermo, Catania and Agrigento, but the countryside around Menfi is the best suited to the crop. In particular, the Spiny Artichoke grows in Menfi. It is known since 1800 and it is a medium-sized artichoke. Certainly thorns are an obstacle for the commerce, but it has also very good qualities. For example it is aromatic, crunchy and delicate; it is very sturdy to the preservation in oil and it also resists to the brazier’s fire. It grows with not much water and it is rarely fertilized with manure. Menfi Spiny Artichoke has also the Slow Food recognition to protect, enhance and encourage this product that is disappearing from the market for many reasons. In 2011 the agronomist Calogero Romano founded the «Spiny Artichoke’s productors Association» to promote the fresh product and its derivatives. Some young farmers continued to take care of a good and clean cultivation that is resisting illnesses. Yet the Association wants to encourage the sale of this vegetable all around Italy. On february 21 2014 the Spiny Artichoke was the protagonist of one of the episodes of Geo&Geo, a famous tv programme that talks about nature and environment. The anchorwoman Sveva Sagramola with Calogero Romano increased this vegetable’s world talking about recipes, comments and analysis about the Spiny Artychoke and Sicily, a valid storefront that uncased, once again, the local agricultural excellences.

DEFORESTATION

Deforestation is the removal of a forest or stand of trees where the land is thereafter converted to a non-forest use.

Deforestation occurs for many reasons: trees are cut down to be used or sold as fuel or timber, while cleared land is used as pasture for livestock, plantations of commodities and settlements.             

The removal of trees without sufficient reforestation has resulted in damage to habitat, biodiversity loss and aridity. Deforestation causes extinction, changes to climatic conditions, desertification, and displacement of populations as observed by current conditions and in the past through the fossil record.

An estimated 18 million acres (7.3 million hectares) of forest, which is roughly the size of the country of Panama, are lost each year.       NASA predicts that if current deforestation levels proceed, the world's rainforests may be completely in as little as 100 years.

Countries with significant deforestation include Brazil, Indonesia, Thailand, the Democratic Republic of Congo and other parts of Africa, and Europe. Between 2000 and 2007, the Brazilian Amazon, called lungs of the earth, has been deforested at an average rate of 19.368 square kilometers for each year.

Deforestation is a man's choice.

One of the many wrong choices he makes.

You can choose to stop it. You can choose to do some little steps to save our world, our animals and ourselves.

Greenpeace

WWF

Us

We have chosen to say NO TO DEFORESTATION.

POLLUTION

TIPS TO SAVE THE ENVIRONMENT

1.Don’t use plastic bags: use reusable bags for your shopping.

500 years! Do you believe it? A plastic bag takes such a long time to decompose.

2.  Reduce the temperature of your central heating.

The high emission of heat raises the planet temperature. Adjust the temperature to no more than 19°.

3.Make a better use of your appliances.

It’s frustrating that technology seems to have a short life. When your computer, television or mobile phone is broken, recycle it before replacing it.

4.Don’t waste water.

Remember. Two billion people in the world do not have access to running water. When you brush your teeth or shave, don’t let water run if it’s not necessary.

5. Catch the sun energy.

We waste energy in our homes that could be saved thanks to clever devices. It would be wise to install solar panels or photovoltaic plants.

6. Eat fruit and vegetables.

The production of meat is one of the main causes of gas emission. Moreover giant livestock farms need wide open spaces that are created through the deforestation of green areas.

7. Use low energy light bulbs.

Switch off lights you are not using and buy halogen bulbs of low consumption. When possible, take advantage of sun light through the windows.

 8. Reuse old stuff.

 

CARETTA CARETTA TURTLE

WINTER SEA

Despite the rough sea and the strong wind we were able to interview Mr. Napoli ,a WWF operator.

The cct  turtle makes one of the most amazing travels  in the natural world. It goes around the ocean , owing to its extraordinary direction sense, but it always goes back  to the place where it was born. Menfi coast is  the ideal place for eggs hatching. We are along   the coast of Menfi  where turtles spawned 128 eggs in 2014.  

We're interviewing Mr. Napoli :

S : Can you tell us something about this event?

Mr Napoli:  Of course! Cct  turtles spawned in 2012 and 2014.  When they find the right place, they  start making their  nests. In this place about 112 little turtles were born.  Other turtles’  eggs didn’t hatch. When eggs  hatched they made a cone shaped in the sand. The turtles ‘ eggs are perfectly white and round and they fall and accumulate in the nest one after the other. On the first night 22 turtles were born. When they went out of the eggs ,they went  immediately to the sea following  the moonlight.

S: Which coasts  do turtles prefer to spawn?

Mr Napoli: They prefer sandy coasts because they can dig. They also choose  uncrowded  coasts, without any bathing facilities ,houses and urbanization.

S. The cct turtle is an endangered species. What can we do to safeguard it?

Mr. Napoli: . WWF has been supporting a campaign for the protection of cct turtles for a long time. It consists of giving  information to people. The first advice is not to pollute the beach. Plastic bags, for example, are very dangerous. They reach  the sea with the wind . There  they eat jellyfish and die. The second idea is to realize maritime oasis where turtles can live peacefully. We have the Belice Nature Reserve , near the Belice river , where people can't build any  houses and bathing facilities.

  

WE MUST BE MORE RESPECTFUL OF THE SEA LIFE. 

THE ZINGARO NATURE RESERVE

 The Zingaro Reserve extends in an area of 1650 hectares, with a coast zone of about 7 Kilometers, formed of a rocky coast Mesozoic limestone with numerous creeks and characterized by overhanging cliffs that from a maximum height of 913 meters (Monte Speziale) go swiftly down to the sea.The geo-pedology structure is represented by calcareous Quaternary formations and most of all by Mesozoic reliefs of calcareous dolomitic nature. The morphology of the landscape shows sharp and irregular shapes. The lands which constitute the reserve are the result of both the human activity and the evolution of nature; in fact up to a short time ago every area, even small, was cultivated for agricultural aims. Important for the vegetation is the general climate, determined by an annual average temperature of 19 c° and by a rainfall of 645mm. even if it does not rain, there often are beneficent fog banks on the mountains, coming from the sea and bringing humid local microclimates. Around the northern slopes of M. Passo del Lupo, among others, it is possible to see a beautiful wall of centuries-old plant of ivy-clad and where there are relicts of Holm-oak wood. At the Western limit of the Reserve there also are fragments of Cork-plantation, interesting witness of that Cork forestall formation once widely extended and nowadays almost disappearing in the Western Sicily. Altogether the Reserve hosts almost six hundred species of vascular plants, over a hundred of macro mycetes, briofite, ferns and lichens in full bloomed in Spring. The Board Director is authorized to “orientate” the evolution of the vegetable consortiums.  The Reserve is proud of the Eagle of Bonelli that reproduces regularly by laying one or two eggs; the swift peregrine, the Greek partridge of Sicily that stands here permanently , the buzzard with white coffee wide wings, the kestrel, a dark brown small hawk, the barn owl, the tawny owl, the owlet close the outline of predators. The circling of the seagulls over the water surface, the blue titmouse among the bushes, the cute crest of the hoopoe, the song of the very small wren, that of the bunting and the river nightingale are part of the over 40 permanent birds. Closer encounters are those with the rabbit, the weasel, a small predator, the hedgehog, and at dusk the fox, and only in the night the porcupine, signing its presence with black and white aculeus everywhere. Among reptiles very common is the shining black and the elegant coluber, the horned snake, and the shy viper. Inside the Reserve there is the Naturalistic Museum, the Museum of the Marine Activities, the Museum of the Rural Civilization, where the complete cycle of the wheat is reproduced, and the Centre of the Environmental Education, also two equipped areas and some old rural houses as bivouac.