The Summer School on Ecosystem Restoration and Ocean Literacy aims to provide theoretical and practical knowledge for the study and monitoring of coastal marine habitats and their importance for management purposes within the Mediterranean Sea, having the Tremiti Islands Marine Protected Area as case study, as well as to provide basic techniques for the restoration of priority habitats such as Posidonia oceanica seagrass beds found in the Marine Protected Area. Through a preponderance of hands-on activities, the participant will acquire manual skills and methodologies for monitoring and restoring marine seagrass (P. oceanica), studying invertebrate-structured marine habitats and monitoring associated fauna.

Location

Tremiti Islands, Foggia, Italy.

Learning outcomes

At the end of this training, learners should:

• Have acquired critical skills on the state of marine habitats, with a focus on P. oceanica meadows.
• Be able to recognise the main Mediterranean benthic biocoenosis, with focus on P. oceanica meadows.
• Have knowledge of hands-on capabilities and skills for in-field operations to collect data, and choose the most suitable sampling methodologies.
• Understand Posidonia oceanica restoration and replanting techniques.
• Have the tools to effectively collaborate on the development of ocean-related projects.
• Have improved communication and storytelling to communicate the main features and value of Mediterranean habitats to a non-expert audience.
• Know how to collaborate and advance ocean literacy for nature-based solutions in the Mediterranean Sea.
• Know how to deal with local hot-topics and how to engage with local institutions and stakeholders.
• Be familiar with the objectives and actions of the IOC/UNESCO under the framework of the UN Ocean Decade.

This course is co-organized by UNESCO-IOC, Ocean Literacy team, based at the Venice Regional Bureau for Science and Culture, University of Bari, and E.ON Energia Italia.

• UN Ocean Decade and UNESCO-IOC overview
• Theoretical lectures about Tremiti MPA’s underwater habitats and biodiversity, ecology of Posidonia and regeneration techniques
• Hard skills: underwater restoration and monitoring activities (diving), data analysis
• Soft skills: scientific storytelling and public speaking for marine conservation and public awareness

• Francesca Santoro, Senior Programme Officer (Ocean Literacy), UNESCO-IOC
• Valentina Lovat, Associate Programme Specialists of UNESCO-IOC, focal point for youth
• Gaia Maria Sole Intonti, Associate Programme Specialists of UNESCO-IOC, focal point for educational resources
• Giovanni Chimienti, Ecology Associated Professor at University of Bari, Marine Biologist and National Geographic Explorer
• Andrea Tursi, marine biologist, University of Bari
• Emma Ventura, marine biologist, University of Bari
• Antonio Scannavino, marine biologist and focal point of “Save the Wave” in Mondello (PA), Italy.