Our team is engaged in civic monitoring of the MAPA – Marine Adriatic Parks project, funded by the Interreg Italy–Croatia Programme 2021–2027, with the aim of strengthening marine biodiversity protection and the sustainable management of Adriatic Sea resources.

In particular, the team focuses on the role of ARPA Molise, the Italian partner of the project, and on the Foce Trigno Marine Protected Area, which represents the project’s main monitoring area. Through the analysis of environmental data, dialogue with the institutions involved, and direct engagement with the local community, the team contributes to ensuring transparency and assessing the project’s impact on water quality, marine biodiversity, and the sustainability of sea-related economic activities.

The team’s work is based on a participatory and multidisciplinary approach, involving institutions, universities, artisanal fishermen, tourism operators, environmental and tourist guides, and citizens, while promoting cross-border cooperation and environmental awareness. Research activities include interviews, surveys, field monitoring, and participatory coastal mapping, supported by a communication strategy that relies on social media, reports, audiovisual content, and a final video documentary.

Through civic monitoring, the team creates value for the community by making ARPA Molise’s environmental data accessible to citizens, supporting sustainable fishing and tourism, and empowering people to become active ambassadors for the protection of the Adriatic Sea, in a context where only a small percentage of the sea is currently protected.