Decisive in situ and ex situ conservation strategies to secure the critically endangered Sicilian fir, Abies nebrodensis
The Madonie Park Authority participated in the UNESCO Geoparks Conference held in Morocco in September 2023.
The Madonie Park has been recognized as a UNESCO Geopark since 2004.
The conference provided the ideal opportunity to present the LIFE4FIR project, its objectives, and activities for the conservation of Abies Nebrodensis.
In August 2023, a new phytosanitary survey was conducted. Ground inspections of the canopies of A. nebrodensis trees were accompanied by multispectral analysis with a drone to monitor any physiological and biochemical disturbances across the entire canopy.
Vegetation indices, calculated based on the reflectance of the canopies in the red, red edge, green, and NIR bands, showed a correlation with the phytosanitary conditions of the plants detected through close-up observations and are therefore a promising tool for monitoring the health status of the tree population.
Infrared image of a section of the main core of the A. nebrodensis population located in the Vallone Madonna degli Angeli, which includes trees numbered 18, 19, 20, and 29, situated within a beech forest.
On May 18, 2023, the replication event ‘Strategie di conservazione di Abies nebrodensis’ (here is the program) was held at the premises of the Cristallo cinema, organized by the partners of the LIFE4FIR project.
The day aimed to share experiences and best practices with stakeholders, managers of protected areas, administrators, schools, and local communities.
The technical meeting for the 3 years and 6 months since the beginning of the project was held on May 17, 2023, at the Municipality of Polizzi Generosa (Italy). The beneficiaries gathered to review the progress and challenges of the project, considering the extension of the project duration requested to complete the remaining activities and achieve all expected results.
On April 17-18, the “Innovative Woody Plant Cloning” conference was held as part of the COPYTREE project (COST Action CA21157 – European Network for Innovative Woody Plant Cloning).
LIFE4FIR was presented to researchers and practitioners through the poster “An innovative protocol to propagate and preserve the threatened Sicilian fir through somatic embryogenesis technique” (Jouini et al.).
The LIFE4FIR project consortium met on 7th November in Spain for the periodic monitoring meeting. The meeting was organized by the University of Seville at the Santo Domingo Convent in Ronda, Málaga.
During the first day, the beneficiaries and the external monitor met in the beautiful venue to discuss the technical results obtained, the dissemination activities carried out, and to monitor the financial aspects. The meeting was a precious opportunity to manage the critical aspects of the project and discuss the activities to be completed in the coming months.
Afterwards, two days of visits to the Abies Pinsapo populations in the “Pinsapar Sierra de Las Nieves” forest and the “Pinsapar de Junqueras” forest were organised, followed by a visit to the nursery where the seedlings of this species are propagated.
On 10 November 2022, the University of Seville organized an open day for students. During the meeting, the technical-scientific issues relating to the conservation of threatened Mediterranean fir trees were addressed, referring to the experience of the LIFE4FIR project.
The Italian and Spanish researchers involved in the project and some political authorities took part in the meeting (here the program of the event).
On 7 November 2022, a replication event was held in Ronda (Spain) to promote the LIFE4FIR project and the LIFE programme, in its thirtieth year.
During the event, issues relating to the conservation strategies implemented in the project were addressed, as well as possible solutions to be adopted and applied also to other species of conifers at risk of extinction (here the programme of the event).
The event hosted Roberto Danti, coordinator of the project, Montserrat Arista from the University of Seville (beneficiary of the project) and representatives of Spanish institutions involved in the conservation of biodiversity of Abies pinsapo and other species: Jose López Quintanilla, Regional Coordinator (Junta de Andalucía ) of the Abies pinsapo conservation project; Rafael Haro, Director of the Sierra de las Nieves National Park; Antonio Rivas, Director of the El Castillejo Botanical Garden.
Researchers from the LIFE4FIR team participated in the IV National Congress on Micropropagation held in Bari in October 2022. During the event, the oral presentation ‘Biotechnology for biodiversity conservation: an overview of its application for the conservation of the critically endangered Abies nebrodensis (Sicilian fir) in Sicily‘ (Izgu et al.) was delivered.
The activities of the LIFE4FIR project also include the implementation of a video surveillance system which, on the one hand, represents a deterrent for any illegal activities and, on the other, allows the monitoring of wild herbivores.
The plant consists of several video cameras (powered by solar panels and batteries) which have been positioned in ertain strategic points of the Abies nebrodensis trail.
The system was completed and activated in June 2022. Below are some photos taken during the installation of the cameras and the start-up of the system.
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