Cara-Dune – Urgent conservation of Charadriiform birds and dune halo-psammophilous flora along the Ladispoli coastline
Staff
15/12/2025
Project sheet
Cara-Dune is an innovative project that enhances coastal areas through ecological protection actions and community engagement. The Municipal Ordinance of Ladispoli protects dunes and Posidonia banquettes, while targeted interventions on umbrella species improve habitats and biodiversity. Participatory monitoring by citizens and schools, combined with 3R practices and collaboration among stakeholders, increases species reproductive success, vegetation cover, and the reduction of anthropogenic pressures, making the model replicable along other coastlines.
Keywords
Conservation
Project name
Cara-Dune – Urgent conservation of Charadriiform birds and dune halo-psammophilous flora along the coastline of the Municipality of Ladispoli, with particular reference to the protected areas “Palude di Torre Flavia” and “Bosco di Palo.”Duration
19 months
Location
Natural Monument “Palude di Torre Flavia” – SPA IT6030020 “Bosco di Palo Laziale” – SAC IT6030022
Responsible organisation
NBFC
Budget
€264,000 (€182,000 NBFC contribution, €82,000 beneficiary co-financing)
Goals
The project integrates scientific research, conservation, and citizen science to protect sensitive species and habitats along the Ladispoli coastline and within Natura 2000 sites, through participatory and measurable actions:
- Target species (umbrella species)
Improve the breeding success of nesting Charadriiform birds, in particular the Kentish Plover (Charadrius alexandrinus) and the Little Ringed Plover (Charadrius dubius), through the protection of nests and chicks and community engagement, with the aim of achieving a 50% increase in fledging success by August 2025. - Target habitat
Strengthen the conservation status of embryonic dunes and halo-psammophilous flora by increasing plant cover and structural diversity by 40% in the fenced areas, through trampling mitigation and shared actions across the two involved Natura 2000 sites. - Mitigation of pressures
Significantly reduce anthropogenic and natural pressures through:
– 90% decrease in trampling within nesting areas;
– 70% reduction of entangling marine litter (hooks, fishing lines, and plastics) on beaches;
– 90% reduction in predation on eggs and chicks.Participatory monitoring activities, carried out by associations, schools, citizens, and beach operators with the support of experts, will ensure the identification, delineation, surveillance, and protection of nesting sites and dune formations.
Stakeholders involved
The active participation of stakeholders is a key element of the project. The local community, together with public authorities and local associations, contributes to protection, monitoring, and awareness-raising activities, fostering shared management of coastal areas.
A fundamental role is also played by schools, which through educational pathways and field activities engage students and teachers, strengthening awareness, skills, and responsibility toward ecosystem conservation.
Main expected results
Cara-Dune is a highly ambitious project, from which measurable improvements in the conservation status of species and habitats are expected. In particular, it is anticipated that:
1. An increase in the breeding success of nesting Charadriiform birds, measurable through before–after indicators related to the density of individuals, pairs, and active nests.
2. An increase in vegetation cover and floristic diversity, as an indicator of greater ecological resilience.
Protection actions will also lead to a significant reduction in pressures, with lower amounts of entangling marine litter and improved management of the fenced areas, where disturbance levels caused by beach users and free-roaming dogs will be monitored.
Finally, the project aims to consolidate participatory monitoring: citizens, associations, and schools will contribute to surveillance, the creation of educational panels, the delineation of nesting sites, and manual beach clean-ups, strengthening awareness and active engagement in conservation.
Dissemination results
The Cara-Dune project shows high replicability thanks to the robustness of its scientific, operational, and participatory methodologies. The approaches adopted for the conservation of target species and the protection of dune habitats can be applied along the entire national sandy coastline, offering an effective model for similar interventions in other areas.
Likewise, the practices for engaging the community, associations, and citizen managers are transferable to different contexts, promoting the dissemination of best practices in monitoring, awareness-raising, and shared management of coastal ecosystems.
