Benxi
This project is co-funded by the LIFE programme of the European Union

                               Life       Natura2000
Network - Life Samfix

LIFE is the EU’s financial instrument supporting environmental, nature conservation and climate action projects throughout the EU. Since 1992, LIFE has co-financed more than 4500 projects. For the 2014-2020 funding period, LIFE will contribute approximately €3.4 billion to the protection of the environment and climate.

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The EU has strong nature protection legislation. It revolves around the Natura 2000 network – 26 000 protected sites that make up one fifth of the EU's land area. It is the largest such network in the world, and it offers vital protection for Europe’s most endangered species and habitats.

SAMFIX activities are important for the conservation of the Natura 2000 network insofar as it aims to develop means to contain Xylosandrus diffusion in Mediterranean  forests, to counter their decline.  Many of these forests at risk are part of the network and their decline would imply a significant loss of protected habitats.

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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).

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The goal of the project LIFE ARTEMIS is to contribute to the reduction of the harmful impacts of invasive alien species on biodiversity by increasing public awareness and by setting up an effective early warning and rapid response framework for invasive alien species in forests.

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Cost Action FP1406 PINESTRENGTH
Gibberella circinata is a highly virulent pathogen damaging pines, causing damping-off in nurseries and pitch canker in forests. It was first detected in North America, since when the pathogen has spread into Central and South America, South Africa, Asia and, more recently, Europe. G. circinata is now considered the most important pathogen affecting Pinus seedlings and mature trees in many countries globally; asymptomatic seedlings may be planted out, resulting in very serious losses in forests. Nevertheless, there has been little research on G. circinata in Europe to date and little information is available overall on host range in Europe, pathogen spread and disease control. The main aim of this Action is to establish a European-focused network to increase knowledge of the biology, ecology and pathways of spread of G. circinata, to examine the potential for the development of effective and environmentally-friendly prevention and mitigation strategies and to deliver these outcomes to stakeholders and policy makers. To that end, a multidisciplinary approach will be taken, including researchers, forest managers and policy makers from 34 countries focused on the common problem of pitch canker, making PINESTRENGTH highly innovative.

SAMFIX was presented to the project partners to spread the awareness on its activities and engage stakeholders involved in forest pathogens.

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LIFE PonDerat
This project aims to improve the conservation status of species and habitats of the Italian Ponziane Islands.

In particular, it aims to protect some seabird species, such as the Scopoli's shearwater and the Yelkouan shearwater, severely threatened by rat predation on chicks, and the native habitats of the Ponziane archipelago, threatened by the presence of alien animal and plant species.

Due to a collaboration with LIFE PonDerat, SAMFIX could establish a monitoring network at the Ventotene Island, to assess if determined symptoms of tree branches and damage were caused by Xylosandrus spp. This fortunately was not the case, but partners continue to collaborate in understanding what else is causing the similar symptoms.

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INTERREG ALIEM
ALIEM
Action pour Limiter les risques de diffusion des espèces Introduites Envahissantes en Méditerranée

Le projet a les objectifs suivants:

► Créer un réseau interinstitutionnel et scientifique transfrontalier pour la prévention et la gestion intégrée des risques liés à la diffusion des espèces exotiques envahissantes menaçant la biodiversité.

► Améliorer les connaissances.

► Organiser un système d’information transfrontalier en partageant les initiatives et les données pour concourir à un dispositif d’alerte et d’éducation, en utilisant une plateforme transfrontalière permettant également le signalement des observations d’EEE dans la zone du programme (citizen science).

► Agir efficacement pour contrôler au mieux les menaces et contribuer à la restauration des écosystèmes dégradés.
Dans ce contexte, les activités et les résultats de SAMFIX ont été présentés au réseau des parties prenantes de l’ALIEM pour assurer la plus large diffusion parmi les organismes publics qui peuvent utiliser les résultats.

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