Project’s description:
The need to assess and address the growing presence of coexisting environmental threats that undermine coastal habitats in the Adriatic-Ionian area and beyond, and that propagate in space and time even across geographic and political boundaries, requires coordinated transactional action based on evidence-rooted common understanding. Over the past few decades, increased urbanization for tourism and recreational purposes has led to a global decline in coastal dune ecosystems. In particular, activities associated with tourism, such as dune reshaping or flattening, beach cleaning, motor vehicle traffic, and trampling are threats that cause serious environmental degradation. Additionally, the state of wellness of these ecosystems is significantly impacted by pollution and climate change. In an analogous way the inflow of fertilizers and other nutrients through runoff can change the chemical profile of coastal dunes and diminish their biodiversity.
The PREBIODUNES project (PREserving BIOdiversity in coastal DUNEs from tourism pressure) will contribute to the general protection of coastal dune environments of the whole Adriatic-Ionian area, focusing on the threats posed to several natural elements mostly by uncontrolled conventional tourism, whose consequences affect natural landscapes, habitat biodiversity and ecosystems. PREBIODUNES will implement advanced and experimentally tested planning tools and indices to monitor the vulnerability of coastal dune systems and Joint Action Plan (JAP) for dune restoration and biodiversity protection.
Specific objectives of the project:
- Providing a deep Cognitive Analysis (A cognitive analysis regarding the existing fauna and flora under Directive 92/43/EEC and individuation of the areas of most concern and Habitat mapping. Knowledge on risk’s condition through a detailed sedimentological and marine-coastal dynamics analysis);
- Implementing Pilot Actions (Testing different tools and different advanced solutions for dune restoration and dune biodiversity protection);
- Implementing the Joint Action Plan for cooperation area (Building a quadruple Helix network with stakeholders owning them management plans and Decision Support systems for conservation and restoration of coastal dunes ecosystems);
- Ensure the Transferability of project results (Building solid basis for transferability of the results, stimulating a continuous increase demand for preservation and restoration measures in the ADRION area).
Main expected results:
Improvement of short and long term effectiveness of joint strategies and action plans at ADRION level for dune protection and increase the number of organization taking up the advanced solutions proposed.
Specific results:
- Increase the capacity of authorities and the community to observe, assess, and address environmental risks;
- Foster access to and use of existing information and joint project products;
- Increase in the level of awareness of the local population and stakeholders of the importance of dune habitats, and their role in climate change adaptation;
- Enhance capacity building by training local actors in the planning and management of coastal sand dunes in the participating Countries;
- Capitalize the best practice ad EU level for assessing and addressing environmental risks of the Ionian and Adriatic dune habit.
Partners:
- Polytechnic University of Bari, DICATECh (IT)
- Municipality of Gallipoli (IT)
- Municipality of Preveza (EL)
- Institute of Computer Technology and Press “Diophantus”(EL)
- Organic Agriculture Association (AL)
- University of Rijeka, Department of Biotechnology (HR)
- Go Green Studio sh.p.k (AL)
- Public Institution University of Montenegro Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics (ME)
- Environmental Protection Agency (ME) and
- Hydro-Engineering Institute Sarajevo (BA)
Associated partners:
- Puglia Region – Department of Environment, Landscape and Urban Quality (IT)
- Ecological Scientific Association MAREAMICO (IT)
- University of Basilicata (IT)
- Industrial Systems Institute/Athena RC (EL)
- Municipality of Kavaja (AL)
- Municipality of Ulcinj (ME)
- Municipality of Neum (BA)
Contacts:
Dr Dalila Jabučar, Project Partner Manager
Dr Selma Čengić, Communication Partner Manager
E-mail: heis@heis.ba
phone/fax: +387 33 207 949
Project info box:
- Name of the project: PREBIODUNES – PREserving BIOdiversity in coastal DUNEs from tourism pressure
- Source of funding: Interreg IPA-Adrion
- Implementation period: from 01/09/2024 to 31/08/2027
- Total budget €: 1.698.300 € (85% Intereg Funds/EU contribution)
Statement on the Interreg support:
The PREBIODUNES project is co-funded by the European Union through the Interreg IPA ADRION Programme.