Short description of the best practice

The best practice was the ecological restoration of natural habitats from rainfed croplands in the protected area of the mud volcanos of Macalube d'Aragona (Sicily).  The practice consisted of the plantation of authoctonous plant species that are very relevant for local biodiversity such as Lygeum spartum and the protection of the primary grassland consortia (Bromo-Oryzopsion miliaceae, Moricandio-Lygeion sparti, Frankenion pulverulentae, ecc.). Wheat monocropping was threatening the natural habitats surrounding the volcanos, through wetlands drainage and soil manipulation. The institution of the Protected Area generated new conflicts between farmers, environmentalists and the regional government, which envisaged the opportunities to develop the tourist attraction potential .
The case study is particularly relevant in relation to the social learning process that transformed a conflict of interests into a concerted action.
Farmers were involved by environmentalists in a learning process that led to the conversion of wheat monocropping into diversified cropping systems based on legumes and cereals outside the protected area.  
The process was triggered by the Macalife project (www.macalife.it), that opened new opportunities to create a learning platform in which scientific and local knowledge were integrated. Mud volcanos played the role of "mediating object" around which environmentalists were able to deconstruct and rebuild a new deal with farmers, that shift from intensive farming to environmental restoration. A new cooperative enterprise was created, which is responsible of the maintenance of the habitats while generating income from the thousands of visitors of the site, thus contributing to the rural development of the whole area.|

Location

Sicily

If the location has well defined boundaries, specify its extension in hectares:

256.0

Estimated population living in the location:

1000.0

Brief description of the natural environment within the specified location.

The climate of southern Sicily is semi-arid and dry sub-humid (WMO-UNEP Aridity Index). IN the nearest weather station (Agrigento, 313 msl) annual maximum temperatures range between 14 and 30°C, minimum temperatures 7.7 and 21.4 °C. Average annual rainfall is 497 mm. At regional level, in the period 1921-2002  temperature increased by 1.5 °C and average annual rainfall declined by 158 mm.
Hilly with slopes ranging from 5% to 40%. Arable land includes steep slope and soil erosion by water is frequent in the area.
Soil of cropped areas are eutric fluviosols developed on clay hills.
In the protected area of Macalube soils are heavy clay generated by sedimentary volcanism

Prevailing socio-economic conditions of those living in the location and/or nearby

According to the National Institute of Statistics data (2006) the main economic activities and their share of the regional GDP is:
Agriculture, fishing 3,52 %
Industry 9,30%
Construction 5,52%
Commerce, tourism 18,28%
Services 28,28%
Finance, real estate 21,29%|
The average per capita GDP in the province of Agrigento  (14.790 Euro) is below both the average country value ( 30.680 Euro)  and the Sicily average ( 17.533 Euro) (year 2008).
Land ownership or rent is the dominant land tenure in these rural areas. The cropped area surronding the mud volcanos was sold by private owners to the Regional Government following the participatory actions implemented by the local Environmental NGO, with the scientific support of researchers of the University of Palermo.|

On the basis of which criteria and/or indicator(s) (not related to The Strategy) the proposed practice and corresponding technology has been considered as 'best'?

The practice was considered as 'best' on the basis of the analysis of the efficacy, efficiency, effectiveness of the practice.
- The paradigm shift of farmers was considered as an indicator of efficacy of the actions of the environmentalist NGO and the University researchers leading the informal facilitation platform
- The relatively low investements put in place through the Macalife project was considered as an indicator of efficiency.
- The non-coercive shift of farmers that became managers of the protected area through the cooperative enterprise and the willingness to carry on with a self-organized adaptive management of the protected area were considered as indicators of effectiveness. |

Main problems addressed by the best practice

Threats to endangered priority habitats for the EU|Conflicts of interests between the agricultural activity and the environmental conservation. |Land degradation and loss of biodiversity related to farming practices in drylands

Outline specific land degradation problems addressed by the best practice

Soil erosion on slopes caused by intensive arable cropping systems in drylands
Soil sealing and organic matter depletion caused by burning crop residuals
Drainage of temporary wetlands in high valuable habitats.

Brief description of main activities, by objective

Collection, multiplication and plantation of local germplasm of authoctonous species such as Lygeum spartum involving farmers.|Restoration of temporary wetlands in collaboration with farmers|Limitations to farming practices in the areas closer to the mud volcanos and participatory planning of habitat maintenance
Institution of the cooperative by the farmers with the role of maintaining the restored habitats and to guide visitors in the protected area.
|Investments in capacity building courses for farmers to develop sustainable farming practices in the croplands surronding the protected area.|Participatory design of new cropping systems around the priority habitat integrating local (i.e. farmers)
Analysis of the vegetation and of its level of conservation|Participatory monitoring of the ecological vegetation dynamics determined by the interventions of environmental restoration.|Assessment of different restoration ecology techniques.

Short description and technical specifications of the technology

The researchers of the University of Palermo developed a protocol for the collection, multiplication, nursery installation and plantation of the main endangered native species
typical of the habitats surrounding the mud volcanos. This protocol was implemented using low-cost technologies based on conventional farming practices. The job requirements were recruited within the local farmers. FArmers were also involved in the restoration of some degradad habitats where the soil was manipulated and drainage implemented for farming purposes.|

Name and address of the institution developing the technology

Dr. Tommaso La Mantia |University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, Edificio 4, Ingresso H, 90128 Palermo

Was the technology developed in partnership?

Yes

List the partners:

Environmental NGO|Cooperative of local farmers

Specify the framework within which the technology was promoted

• Local initiative
• Programme/project-based initiative

Was the participation of local stakeholders, including CSOs, fostered in the development of the technology?

Yes

List local stakeholders involved:

Cooperative of local farmers|Environmental CSO

For the stakeholders listed above, specify their role in the design, introduction, use and maintenance of the technology, if any.

Environmental CSO: preparation and management of the EU project MacaLife, within the .
Cooperative of local farmers: responsible for ordinary and extraordinary maintaing of ecological restauration, environmental presidium territory and the organization of guided tours within the reserve|

Was the population living in the location and/or nearby involved in the development of the technology?

Yes

By means of what?

• Participatory approaches

Describe on-site impacts (the major two impacts by category)

Macalube d'Aragona case study is emblematic of the potential benefits related to the shift in perceiving the same natural habitat from a constraint to productivity to a source of income from integrated management.
The rehabilitation of the degraded habitats and the institution of the cooperative significantly increased the tourist flow in the area.
Crop productivity was not substantially affected by the intervention
The learning system that was developed around the ecological restoration of the mud volcanos habitat is a guarantee of effectiveness of the action in the long term.
Restoration of endangered natural priority habitats sourrounding the mud volcanos according to the EU Habitat Directive

Describe the major two off-site (i.e. not occurring in the location but in the surrounding areas) impacts

Development of tourist activities related to the mud volcanos habitat restoration led to economical benefits to the sourrounding area.

Impact on biodiversity and climate change

Explain the reasons:

Restoration of habitats and multiplication of authoctonous germplasm of endangered plant species was the main task of the intervention. The monitoring of natural habitats indicates on one side the efficacy of the intervention, on the other side the need of contonuous management  (e.g. through grazing) of some of the priority habitats (e.g. grasslands) in order to maintain the ideal conditions for in-situ germplasm conservation.|
Farming systems in the area are vulnerable to climate change for the risks associated to envisaged changes in rainfall and temperature. The learning process triggered by the intervention provided new options of multifunctionality and adaptive managing to farmers
The area is too small to provide significant impact on climate change mitigation

Has a cost-benefit analysis been carried out?

Has a cost-benefit analysis been carried out?

No

Was the technology disseminated/introduced to other locations?

Was the technology disseminated/introduced to other locations?

Yes

Where?

Island of Lampedusa, Sicily|

Were incentives to facilitate the take up of the technology provided?

Were incentives to facilitate the take up of the technology provided?

Yes

Can you identify the three main conditions that led to the success of the presented best practice/technology?

The conflict between farmers and environmentalists was effectively approached through the integration of scientific and local knowledge, facilitated by the attitude to dialogue of the NGO's operators (whose regional leader is a farmer)|
The availability of funds (project Macalife) triggered the intervention through NGO's and scientists, supported the purchase of private land in the procteted area and the capacity building programme for farmers. |
The (EU and regional) policy framework provided spaces for involvement of local stakeholder in the management of priority habitats.

Replicability

In your opinion, the best practice/technology you have proposed can be replicated, although with some level of adaptation, elsewhere?

Yes

At which level?

• Local
• Sub-national
• National
• Subregional
• Regional
• International

Related to human resources

The role of farmers in managing protected areas was enhanced by the participatory and open approach of the NGO's operators and by the scientists. Even if the practices were not informed by a purposeful framework, they provided a new effective learning space|Farmers learned how to shift from monocropping to a diversified set of activities in a context of multifunctionality|NGO operators learned that dialogue with farmers can lead to mutual collaboration towards integrated management

Related to financial aspects

External funding (i.e. EU) were essential to trigger the process. However, comparing with similar situations in the same region, in this case the cost of the intervention was well repaid by its effectiveness|We don't have precise figures of the cost of the entire intervention, also because the current management is integrated in agricultural practices: further data should be collected to make a comparative balance.

Related to technical aspects

The technology used is relatively simple (described above), even if specific knowledge on the biology of enmdangered plant species were essential for the establishment success.|