Our services:
field monitoring and data collection, statistical and geospatial analysis, designing, management and coordination, stakeholder engagement, dissemination and communication
- Study on trends and outlook of marine pollution from ships and activities of maritime traffic and offshore activities in the Mediterranean (ongoing)
Client: Regional Marine Pollution Emergency Response Center for the Mediterranean Sea (REMPEC)
The study provides an overview of trends, the current situation and the outlook of maritime traffic and offshore activities in the Mediterranean region and an analysis of oil and chemical accidental pollution, marine litter, air pollution, illicit discharges occurrences and their cumulative effects and impacts, accidental post-spill consequences on biota and ecosystems, including post-spill major socio-economic impacts, non-indigenous species invasions, underwater noise.
- Conservation and enhancement of the naturalistic and environmental heritage of the ‘Belvedere’ Wood of Meolo (VE) (ongoing)
Client: Piave Servizi S.p.A.
The project includes a 18-months program agreement between seven Institutions of the Eastern territory of the Veneto Region: Piave Servizi, Municipality of Meolo, the Sandonatese Naturalistic Association, Cattolica Agricola Soc. Agr. R.L., Bozzolo Verde Soc. Coop. Social, VeGAL and Veritas. The aim is the conservation and enhancement of the naturalistic and environmental heritage of a wood in the Municipality of Meolo (VE), whose presence is of particular importance, being inserted in a rather impacted territorial context, characterized by extensive agricultural fields. The project is intended to last three years and it is directed by a Scientific Committee, coordinated by Francesca Coccon. During the first year of the project, environmental monitoring (flora and vegetation, reptiles, amphibians and birds), meetings with experts and stakeholders, lectures in schools, guided visits in field and organization of public events have been conducted. The results have led to the definition of management indications for promoting a sustainable tourism in the area, and favouring biodiversity. The protocol developed can be easily exported to other sites, to create a network among the residual green spaces of the territory. A short documentary on the case study project can be seen here.
- Study of the effects of a new waste collection policy on the population of yellow-legged gulls, Larus michahellis, in the historic centre of Venice (Italy)
Client: Veritas S.p.A.
The Project was designed and managed by Francesca Coccon, under the coordination of CORILA. The aim was to investigate the effect of a new waste collection system on reducing yellow-legged gulls presence in the Municipality of Venice. In fact, in the past decades, this pest species has caused several problems of urban hygiene by feeding on the street waste and nesting on the roofs of buildings. Results from this study revealed a statistically significant positive correlation between urban waste and gulls and a significant effect of the new policy in lowering these two variables. It was also possible to highlight the areas with a greater density of gulls as well as the main attractors for them. Such information can be used by local authorities to plan specific interventions to control the urban population of this problematic species. The study included monitoring activity of urban gulls, meetings with experts and stakeholders, drafting of scientific reports on the research results and a brochure with informative and promotional purposes and the organization of public events. A short documentary on the case study project is also available. A paper with the results from the project has been recently published on European Journal of Wildlife research.
- Study of the effects of the MOSE construction yards on the Venice lagoon ecosystem
Client: CORILA, Consortium for coordination of research activities concerning the Venice lagoon system
The study is part of the monitoring plan of the effects of the mobile barrier system, known as MOSE, on the Venice lagoon ecosystem, coordinated by CORILA. In particular, Francesca Coccon collaborated with prof. N.E. Baldaccini of the University of Pisa to the monitoring of birds of the lagoon, both terrestrial and waterfowls, with the aim of detecting any changes and critical issues caused by the construction of the MOSE. The study has included the maintenance of correspondence and relationship with the working partners and scientific managers of the other environmental sectors, drafting of periodic scientific reports and papers, both in Italian and English and participation in technical and organizational meetings and national conferences. Results from the research are illustrated in the paper “Analisi delle variazioni temporali delle comunità ornitiche costiere e lagunari durante i lavori di costruzione del MOSE”.
- Wildlife strike risk assessment and wildlife monitoring at Venice Marco Polo (VCE) and Treviso Antonio Canova (TSF) airports
Client: SAVE S.p.A.
The project was aimed at analysing the risk of collisions between aircraft and wildlife, commonly known as wildilife strike phenomena, at the Venice and Treviso airports. This project, funded by the SAVE S.p.A. group, led to the development of an innovative math index to prevent and reduce the risk of impacts at the airports. Results are illustrated in the paper “A Land-Use Perspective for Birdstrike Risk Assessment: The Attraction Risk Index”.