News from the Italian Parks

The Authority of the Pantelleria Island National Park, on the World Bee Day, is promoting the first major international meeting dedicated to pollinators. The Pantelleria Island is, once again, a laboratory of biodiversity and thus organises a scientific initiative that, from 16 to 20 May, will bring together scientists and researchers from around the world, who share their interest in free-living colonies of Apis mellifera.

The study programme, defined by a specific Scientific Committee, aims to deepen the observation and monitoring of the interaction dynamics between managed and wild bees, in order to identify the correct measures to be adopted for the conservation and protection of western honey bee subspecies and wild pollinators. There will also be opportunities for excursions and knowledge of the most evocative area of historical and natural interest in the Pantelleria Island National Park, through visits to organic farms. On each day, eminent speakers will present the most interesting studies related to wild pollinators. All these activities will create the basis of the contents to define the "Pantelleria Declaration", a collegial document that will be signed on 20 May, the date celebrating bees, to outline practical measures for the protection of free-living colonies of Apis mellifera and wild pollinators.

With this first official meeting dedicated to bees, promoted in Italy, the Pantelleria Island National Park intends to launch a research and dissemination project – articulated and in-depth – which will see future work and discussion initiatives, experimentation with the placement of beehives for the bees' repopulation, communication with the publication of a Park Notebook dedicated to pollinators, and updated with data and photos from samplings carried out in Pantelleria. These initiatives will be launched in collaboration to the University of Palermo - Department of Agricultural, Food and Forest Sciences, and the Edmund Mach Foundation – Technology Transfer Centre – Operating Unit: Plant Protection and Agroforestry Biodiversity.

The updated information and the detailed programme can be visited on the institutional website of the Pantelleria National Park "Pantelleria Park" at the following links:

ITA - www.parconazionalepantelleria.it/convegno_internazionale_apis_silvatica.php
ENG - www.parconazionalepantelleria.it/international_meeting_apis_silvatica.php

Link to fill in the meeting registration form: www.parks.it/registrazioni/index.php?id_evento=79

Contact email for further information: apis_silvatica@parconazionalepantelleria.it