Transnational Training Workshop in Lokrum Reserve Program for Monitoring the Habitat Type 1120 Posidonia Meadows (Posidonion oceanicae)

As part of the international Interreg Italy – Croatia HABI project, organized by the Public Institution Lokrum Reserve, a cross-border workshop titled "Training Program for Monitoring the Habitat Type 1120 Posidonia Meadows (Posidonion oceanicae)" was held. The workshop, aimed at the general public and divers from the Dubrovnik area as well as project partners, took place at the Lokrum Reserve conference hall on Lokrum Island on July 8, 2024. Participants acquired the necessary knowledge and skills for monitoring the seagrass meadows (Posidonia).

Fedra Dokoza from the Association for Nature, Environment, and Sustainable Development Sunce delivered four presentations to introduce participants to P. oceanica as a key species of habitat type 1120 Posidonia Meadows (Posidonion oceanicae), the ecosystem services it provides, and the pressures threatening its survival, to highlight the importance of its protection. Participants were also informed about the distribution of P. oceanica meadows in the Adriatic Sea and the methods used for creating maps to understand the area coverage of these meadows, as well as the ways to collect information about their coverage and density, and monitoring status over the years. The protocol for monitoring this species was also presented to help participants acquire theoretical knowledge about the field methodology.

The training program enabled divers from the Diving Club Dubrovnik (as well as the general public, including project partner representatives) to gain knowledge and skills useful for future research in the Lokrum Reserve area. The program educates non-professional researchers and falls under the category of educational programs within citizen science, which involves public participation or non-professional researchers in research and data collection, thus enhancing the capacities of the scientific and professional community.

Since Posidonia meadows (P. oceanica) are recognized as a priority habitat type for conservation under the Habitats Directive (Dir 92/43/EEC), the conservation of this habitat type is of great importance for Lokrum Island.

The Public Institution Lokrum Reserve is a partner in the international project "Interreg HABI" (Awareness Raising, Training, and Scientific Research Activities on Species and Habitats of Community Interest), valued at €226,602.60, which started on August 1, 2023, and will last until December 31, 2024. This project, co-financed by the European Union at 80%, represents a collaboration of the lead partner Commune di Conversano, along with project partners Commune di Mola di Bari, Dubrovnik Development Agency DURA, and the Public Institution Lokrum Reserve, whose share is €60,600.19.

The goal of the HABI project is to improve the ecological and cultural aspects of the cross-border area, with a special focus on the NATURA 2000 ecological network areas. The project aims to establish a balance between humans and the natural environment through strategies, workshops, and awareness-raising campaigns. The objectives of the project include biodiversity conservation, education, research, and the promotion of sustainable tourism, ultimately resulting in an improved quality of life in the local community.

The Interreg HABI project represents an exceptional opportunity for further enhancement of the conservation of natural values on Lokrum Island. Through this collaboration, biodiversity conservation will be improved, public awareness of the importance of nature conservation will be raised, and the beauty of Lokrum will be preserved for future generations.

More about the project: https://www.italy-croatia.eu/web/habi