1. General information
Location and description of the intervention
City or FUA
Genova
Region
Europe
Native title of the NBS intervention
LIFE+ NAT/IT/000413 P.A.R.C. “Petromyzon And River Continuity”
Short description of the intervention
In light of the LIFE P.A.R.C. project, the NBS here presented consisted in the restoration of the fluvial and ecological continuity of the Magra and Vara rivers in the Montemarcello-Magra Regional Natural Park. The intervention implemented the removal of artificial barriers blocking the water continuity currently affecting biodiversity conservation. In the meantime, several activities implemented focused on restoring the area along the stream with the creation of walking paths and the use of signs to spread environmental awareness about the key habitat provision services of the area (1).
Address

Montemarcello-Magra Regional Natural Park
La Spezia - Genova
Italy

Location
The NBS is situated in an area, with clear delineation of boundaries and a specific shape (polygon). The NBS project can also have more than one area location (more than one polygon, situated close by).
Area boundary
POINT (9.664276 44.279491)
POINT (9.890198 44.152805)
POINT (9.943596 44.088185)
POINT (9.977163 44.036727)
NBS area image
Source of NBS area image
http://www.parks.it/parco.montemarcello.magra/mapl.php
Type of area before implementation of the NBS
Natural Heritage Area/Untouched nature
Website of the intervention
https://ec.europa.eu/environment/life/project/Projects/index.cfm?fuseaction=sea…
Timeline of intervention
Start date of the intervention (planning process)
2007
Start date of intervention (implementation process)
2009
End date of the intervention
2012
Present stage of the intervention
Completed
Goals of the intervention
The main objective was the creation of nine fish passes to overcome significant obstructions to migrating fish reaching their natural reproduction areas, even those species attempting to swim upstream in low water flows (1 and 2).
Quantitative targets
"The beneficiary planned to extend suitable migratory fish reproduction areas by 59 ha and increase the area of habitat specifically suitable for the development of sea lamprey ammocoetes (the burrowing blind larval stage) by nearly 15 ha" (1).
Monitoring indicators defined
The monitoring indicators identified is the observation of the migration and reproduction behaviour of the local fish species (4 and 5).
Sustainability challenge(s) addressed
Water management (SDG 6)
Improvements to water quality
Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
Habitat and biodiversity restoration
Habitat and biodiversity conservation
Inclusive and effective governance (SDG 16)
Effective management
Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
Environmental and climate justice
Health and well-being (SDG 3)
Enabling opportunities for physical activity
Creation of opportunities for recreation
Habitats and biodiversity conservation: What types of conservation goals are / were defined for the NBS intervention?
Species-focused
Habitats and biodiversity conservation: What activities are implemented to realize the conservation goals and targets?
Protect and enhance urban habitats
Preserve and strengthen existing habitats and ecosystems
Promote environmentally-sound development in and around protected areas
Create new habitats
Reduce negative impacts and avoid the alteration/damage of ecosystem
Protect species
Undertake specific measures to protect species
Undertake specific measures to protect native species
Undertake specific measures to protect valued species
What types of restoration goals are / were defined for the NBS intervention?
Species-focused
What activities are implemented to realize the restoration goals and targets?
Rehabilitate and restore damaged or destroyed ecosystems
Restore species (native, endangered, or unspecified)
Restore native species
Restore valued species
Restore ecological connectivity
Implementation activities
Eight passages for fish were constructed on the dams. Four fish ramps were installed on the river Magra and another four along the river Vara. River continuity was established for about 50 km. Flood damage at one project site demolished a boulder dam, so boulders had to be replaced. Additional work also led to improved river quality through the placing of large boulders in the river bed and the constructing of breakwaters with boulders or vegetation, in order to diversify the banks and the current, and the planting of autochthonous plant species" (1). A detailed overview of the many actions is available on the official website and the final report (2 and 3).
Type of NBS project
Monitoring and maintenance of habitats and/or biodiversity
Management and improved protection of rivers and other blue areas
NBS domain and interventions
Ecological domain(s) where the NBS intervention(s) is/are implemented
Blue infrastructure
Rivers/streams/canals/estuaries
Other
Please specify "other blue area"
Man-made dams and paths used by visitors and people enjoying a walk along the stream; Eight passages for fish were constructed on the dams (1).
"placing of large boulders in the river bed and the constructing of breakwaters with boulders or vegetation, in order to diversify the banks and the current, and the planting of autochthonous plant species" (1).
Vegetation Type
Other
Please specify other amenities offered by the NBS
signs to spread environmental awareness about the key habitat provision services of the area (1).
Four observation areas along the Vara were restored by ground levelling and the installation of fences, informative panels, and huts in two cases. (1,3)
Amenities offered by the NBS
Benches and drinking water stations
Educational or biodiversity trails
Other
Services
Expected ecosystem services delivered
Provisioning services
Water (surface and ground water for drinking and non-drinking purposes)
Regulating services
Coastal protection
Flood regulation
Water purification / filtration
Habitat and supporting services
Habitats for species
Maintenance of genetic diversity
Cultural services
Recreation
Mental and physical health and wellbeing
Physical and experiential interactions with plants and animals
Scale
Spatial scale
Meso-scale: Regional, metropolitan and urban level
Beneficiaries
Primary Beneficiaries
Local government/Municipality
Researchers/University
Other
Please specify "other primary beneficiary"
fish (2 and 3) ;"riverine fish species" (1).; sea lamprey ammocoetes (the burrowing blind larval stage) (1)
Governance
Governance arrangements
Co-governance with government and non-government actors
Non-government actors
Researchers, university
Please specify the roles of the specific government and non-government actor groups involved in the initiative
"Ente Parco di Montemarcello-Magra was the coordinator of the project in cooperation with the regional government. Monitoring of target species and surveillance activities were carried out by the associated beneficiaries the University of Genova and La Spezia Province, with the collaboration of local fishermen’s associations and Legambiente...The project has also enjoyed the financial support of Tirreno Power S.p.A., a company that manages a hydroelectric power station on the Vara river and is interested in reducing the impact of artificial dams along the watercourse" (1 and 3).
The project is part of the EU LIFE+2007 project (1).
Key actors - initiating organization
Regional government
Land owners
Public space owned by the city
Key actors - Other stakeholders involved (besides initiating actors)
EU body
Regional government
Local government/municipality
Private sector/corporate actor/company
Researchers/university
Citizens or community group
District/neighbourhood association
Land owners
Public space owned by the city
Participatory methods/forms of community involvement used
Dissemination of information and education
Policy drivers
NBS intervention implemented in response to an Regional Directive/Strategy
Yes
Please specify the "Regional Directive/Strategy"
- Nature protection and Biodiversity
- Directive 92/43 - Conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora- Habitats Directive (1).
NBS intervention implemented in response to a national regulations/strategy/plan
Unknown
NBS intervention implemented in response to a local regulation/strategy/plan
Unknown
Mandatory or voluntary intervention
Mandatory (based on policy)
Intervention is mandatory
Environmental regulation
Enablers
Presence of specific city-level GI/NBS vision/strategy/plan - mentioned in connection to the project
Unknown
Presence of specific city-level GI/NBS section/part in a more general plan - mentioned in connection to the project
Unknown
Please specify other vegetation type
restoration of the fluvial and ecological continuity of the Magra and Vara rivers in the Montemarcello-Magra Regional Natural Park (1)
removal of artificial barriers blocking the water continuity currently affecting biodiversity conservation (1)
' habitat specifically suitable for the development of sea lamprey ammocoetes (the burrowing blind larval stage) by nearly 15 ha" (1).
passages for fish (1)
"large boulders in the river bed and the constructing of breakwaters with boulders or vegetation, in order to diversify the banks and the current, and the planting of autochthonous plant species" (1).
Presence of city network or regional partnerships focused on NBS - mentioned in connection to the project
Unknown
Presence of GI / NBS research project - mentioned in connection to the project
Yes
Please specify
The project is part of the EU LIFE+2007 project (1).
Subsidies/investment for GI / NBS in the city - mentioned in connection to the project
Yes
Please specify
The NBS was partly financed by EU funding through the LIFE project, the financing was of 755,500.00 € (1).
Co-finance for NBS
Yes
Co-financing governance arrangements
Unknown
Was this co-governance arrangement already in place, or was it set up specifically for this NBS?
Set up for multiple NBS interventions, including this one
Financing
Total cost
€500,000 - €2,000,000
What is/was the Cost/Budget (EUR) of the NBS or green infrastructure elements?
Unknown
What are the total amount of expected annual maintenance costs?
Unknown
What is the expected annual maintenance costs of the NBS or GI elements?
Unknown
Please specify cost savings
Unknown
Please specify total cost (EUR)
1,511,286.00 € (1).
Source(s) of funding
EU funds
Public regional budget
Type of fund(s) used
Earmarked public budget
Non-financial contribution
Yes
Type of non-financial contribution
Provision of land
Provision of labour
Provision of expertise
Who provided the non-financial contribution?
Public authorities (e.g. land, utility services)
Business models
Risk reduction model
Urban offsetting model (biodiversity or water)
Please specify other environmental impact
"The LIFE PARC project successfully improved river continuity in the Montemarcello-Magra Regional Natural Park, despite major flooding problems occurring during the project. Four fish ramps were installed on the river Magra and another four along the river Vara. River continuity was established for about 50 km.(1,3)
Which of the involved actors was motivated by this model?
Public actor (e.g. municipality)
Private non-for-profit actor (e.g. NGO, foundation)
Citizens / local communities
Type of innovation
Technological
Infrastructural innovation
Please specify technological innovation
Reconnection of the river stream to assess the decrease in migratory fish population due to artificial barriers (1, 4 and 5).
Novelty level of the innovation
The innovation is completely new without connections to previous initiative(s)
Please specify novelty level of the innovation
"The construction of the fish ramps on the Magra and Vara rivers by the LIFE PARC project was the first management intervention of this type in Italy. It represented an example of good management practice for future projects in other areas" (1).
Replicability/Transferability
Unknown
Please specify Replicability/Transferability
Unknown
Impacts, benefits
Environmental impacts
Water management and blue areas
Improved water quality
Enhanced protection and restoration of freshwater ecosystems
Green space and habitat
Increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems
Reduced biodiversity loss
Increased number of species present
Increased protection of threatened species
Increased ecological connectivity across regeneration sites and scales
Other
Description of environmental benefits
The monitoring data showed clearly the positive impact of the fish ramps. There was a hundredfold increase in the number of Sea lamprey reproduction sites, as evidenced by the presence of ammocoetes (larvae). Twaite shad were observed 19 km beyond the location registered at the projet start (41 km from the sea); reclimbing of twaite shad had never been observed in this upper part of the Vara river before the installation of the fish ramps" (1 and 3).
Creation of 4 river observation areas equipped for the awareness raising of local populations as well as for monitoring and surveillance operations for a total of 4.400 sqm and 1.870 km;
Restoration of the hydraulic and biological continuity of the Magra and Vara rivers through the realization of 8 fish-passages and the adjustment of the barrier located in Madrignano (VR05), for a total praticability of about 50 km of watercourse; (6)
"The construction of the fish ramps on the Magra and Vara rivers by the LIFE PARC project was the first management intervention of this type in Italy. It represented an example of good management practice for future projects in other areas" (1).
Prevention of poaching and alteration of habitats (6)
Economic impacts
Unknown
Please specify other socio-cultural impact
Publication of the Good practices for the protection of the landscape and river resources - Biodiversity Management delivered to the public administration bodies of the Liguria Region, involved in the governance of the territory and the river (6)
-" It represented an example of good management practice for future projects in other areas" (1).
Description of economic benefits
Unknown
Social and cultural impacts
Health and wellbeing
Gain in activities for recreation and exercise
Cultural heritage and sense of place
Improvement in people’s connection to nature
Protection of natural heritage
Increased awareness of flora and fauna as culturally and historically meaningful
Increased appreciation for natural spaces
Education
Increased support for education and scientific research
Increased knowledge of locals about local nature
Increased awareness of NBS and their benefits
Other
Please specify other environmental justice issue
improvement in conditions for fish species: The monitoring data showed clearly the positive impact of the fish ramps. There was a hundredfold increase in the number of Sea lamprey reproduction sites, as evidenced by the presence of ammocoetes (larvae). Twaite shad were observed 19 km beyond the location registered at the projet start (41 km from the sea); reclimbing of twaite shad had never been observed in this upper part of the Vara river before the installation of the fish ramps" (1 and 3).
Description of social and cultural benefits
Four observation areas along the Vara were restored by ground levelling and the installation of fences, informative panels, and huts in two cases. (1,3)
Prevention of poaching and alteration of habitats;
Publication of the Good practices for the protection of the landscape and river resources - Biodiversity Management delivered to the public administration bodies of the Liguria Region, involved in the governance of the territory and the river;
The 4 river observation areas were provided with illustrative panels and furniture to allow the area’s educational and informative fruition, but also to support the monitoring and surveillance of the territory. Another dissemination activity worth mentioning was the realization of an environmental education module addressed to any kind and grade of schools which has been presented to 1.219 students.(6)
-" It represented an example of good management practice for future projects in other areas" (1).
creation of walking paths and the use of signs to spread environmental awareness about the key habitat provision services of the area (1).
Type of reported impacts
Achieved impacts
Indicators
Unknown
Environmental, social and economic impacts
Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
Analysis of specific impact categories
Job creation: The NBS created ...
Voluntary work opportunities
Environmental justice: The implementation of the NBS project resulted in ...
Positive distribution of NBS benefits
Other
Negative impacts: Did the project cause any problems or concerns?
No information was found regarding negative impacts of the project
COVID-19 pandemic
Unknown as of September 10 2020.
Methods of impact monitoring
Process of recording NBS impacts
Collection of monitoring data at specific time intervals during the project to aid evaluation
Methods used to evaluate the impacts of NBS
Measurements of biophysical aspects of the NBS (e.g. temperature, water flow)
Observation (including virtual surveillance methods)
Where can this data be accessed? Please include a link to a report or web-page.
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/life/project/Projects/index.cfm?fuseaction=home…
Evidence for use of assessment
Presence of an assessment, evaluation and/or monitoring process
Yes
Presence of indicators used in reporting
Yes
Presence of monitoring/evaluation reports
Yes
Link to monitoring/evaluation reports
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/life/project/Projects/index.cfm?fuseaction=home…
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No evidence in public records
Impact assessment mechanism
Name of any specific impact assessment tools
A SWOT analysis of the project implementation was conducted in relation to the situation ex-ante and the actions for maintenance that will be needed in the following years (3).
Link to the output of assessments
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/life/project/Projects/index.cfm?fuseaction=home…
Use of GIS in mapping impacts
No evidence in public records
Citizen involvement
Citizens involvement in assessment/evaluation
Unknown
Citizens involvement in the analysis of the assessment/evaluation
Unknown
Follow-up to the evaluation / assessment
Unknown
References
Web links relevant to the intervention
NBS webpage
Project official website
Ex-Post LIFE Publication
Layman Report
Technical report
P.A.R.C. -Petromyzon And River Continuity
List of references
1. Europa.eu (2012), NBS webpage, Available at http://ec.europa.eu/environment/life/project/Projects/index.cfm?fuseaction=search.dspPage&n_proj_id=3342 (Accessed 3-9-2020)

2. Project official website: http://www.lifeparc.eu/ (Website not available in 2020)

3. Europa.eu (no date), Ex-Post LIFE Publication, Available at http://ec.europa.eu/environment/life/project/Projects/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.showFile&rep=file&fil=LIFE07_NAT_IT_000413_AfterLIFE.pdf (Accessed 3-9-2020)

4. Europa.eu (2012), Layman Report, Available at http://ec.europa.eu/environment/life/project/Projects/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.showFile&rep=file&fil=LIFE07_NAT_IT_000413_LAYMAN.pdf (Accessed 3-9-2020)

5.Europa.eu (2012), Technical report, Available at http://ec.europa.eu/environment/life/project/Projects/ndex.cfm?fuseaction=home.showFile&rep=file&fil=LIFE07_NAT_IT_000413_FTR.pdf (Website not available in 2020)

6.Piattforma delle Conoscenze (2012), P.A.R.C. -Petromyzon And River Continuity, Available at http://www.pdc.minambiente.it/en/progetti/parc-petromyzon-and-river-continuity, (Accessed 3-9-2020)
Comments and notes
Additional insights
"The Montemarcello-Magra Park contains the only Italian rivers in which successful reproduction of the Sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) has been seen: the Magra and Vara rivers. These rivers also host many other important migratory fish species of European Community interest, both those migrating between seawater and freshwater (diadromous) and those migrating within the basin during the reproductive period, including Twaite shad (Alosa fallax), Western vairone (Leuciscus souffia), South European roach (Rutilus rubilio) and the Italian barbel (Barbus plebejus). However, artificial obstructions, such as boulders and dams, have interrupted the natural continuity of the river and fragmented fish populations, preventing some fish species from migrating to their natural reproduction areas when the river is low. As the fish, including Sea lamprey, are forced to reproduce in parts of the river unsuitable for the development of their eggs, successful reproduction has significantly declined. This represents an important threat to riverine fish species" (1).

"SCI IT 1343502 Parco della Magra – Vara is the last significant example of river environment in Liguria.
Perhaps unique in Italy is its role of ecological corridor between the Mediterranean bio-geographical and
continental regions which makes it essential to the conservation of various aspects of biodiversity in
northern Italy" (3).
Pictures of the NBS
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