LIFE PolliNetwork Project Posted on 18 March 2026 Who protects pollinators in Italy? The first map of institutional, scientific, economic and social actors involved in pollinator protection in Italy is now ready: 258 stakeholders have been identified as part of the PolliNetwork project High participation in the first national stakeholder meeting, created to collect contributions and experiences to support the management of the LIFE project and the development of the National Action Plan for pollinator protection. The first meeting of the Stakeholder Platform, promoted within the LIFE PolliNetwork project and coordinated by WWF Italy, took place in recent days. The technical meeting marked the first official opportunity for discussion with a broad and diverse group of participants, including 110 representatives from around 80 organizations such as public authorities, institutions, universities, infrastructure managers, agricultural organizations, associations, and other stakeholders involved in the protection of pollinating insects in Italy and in the restoration and management of the natural habitats where bees, butterflies, and hoverflies live. The Platform therefore brought together around half of the organizations currently active in Italy in the conservation of these key species for biodiversity and food security. The first map of institutional, scientific, economic, and social actors involved in pollinator protection in Italy was prepared by ISPRA, the Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research, in collaboration with the partners of the LIFE PolliNetwork project, based on their specific expertise, responsibilities, and experience. The map identifies representatives from 64 public bodies (ministries, regions, agencies, and managers of protected natural areas); 89 knowledge producers (universities, research institutes, and individual experts); 39 economic stakeholders directly interested in the benefits of the pollination ecosystem service; and 66 representatives of civil society, media, education, and volunteer organizations, who, based on their roles and experience, will be invited to provide information, data, and analyses useful for managing the LIFE project and drafting the National Action Plan for the protection of pollinating insects, as outlined in the 2030 National Biodiversity Strategy. The meeting thus marked the start of a stable collaboration between the partners of the LIFE PolliNetwork project and all public and private stakeholders interested in sharing the goal of creating a national network for the protection of pollinating insects, in support of the implementation of Article 10 of EU Regulation 1991/2024 on nature restoration. The Stakeholder Platform meetings will be held at least annually, with the possibility of activating thematic working groups, until the conclusion of the LIFE PolliNetwork project, scheduled for 2030. PolliNetwork weaves connections beyond the project boundaries Each event will provide an opportunity to organize specific thematic sessions focused on the three objectives of the European Pollinators Initiative: increasing knowledge of the three main groups of pollinating insects (Lepidoptera, Apoidea, and Syrphidae), analyzing and reducing threats, and identifying habitat restoration priorities; and engaging citizens in actions for protection and monitoring. The aim is to build an increasingly branched, participatory, and robust national network that promotes dialogue, the sharing of experiences and scientific data, and the dissemination of project results, so that LIFE PolliNetwork creates connections that continue beyond the end and boundaries of the project itself. Italy is among the European countries hosting one of the richest communities of pollinators, but this wealth is fragile. Protecting it means safeguarding the biodiversity present in the territory while also ensuring national food security. The project is also part of the broader framework of the Nature Restoration Law (Art. 10, EU Regulation 2024/1991), which aims to restore at least 20% of the EU’s land and marine areas by 2030 and all ecosystems in need of intervention by 2050. Participation in the first Stakeholder Platform meeting was broad and active, with over 80 external stakeholders attending. They were presented with the project’s activities and areas where their direct contribution could be valuable. Numerous expressions of interest in future collaborations emerged, opening a dialogue with related projects and further expanding the network of stakeholders engaged in the important issue of pollinators. During the working session, a wide-ranging discussion was also initiated and subsequently agreed upon regarding the opportunity to establish a recurring and structured consultation among stakeholders, aimed at collecting technical input and observations to strengthen project actions and support the preparation of the preliminary technical document for the future National Pollinator Action Plan. Among the participants in the meeting were Laura Pettiti from the Directorate for Biodiversity and Marine Protection of the Ministry of Environment and Energy Security (MASE), and Paolo Siccardi, Programme Officer of the Environment Area at Fondazione Cariplo, representatives of the two organizations that, together with the European Commission, co-finance the LIFE PolliNetwork project. Roberto Sannino, Technical Manager of the project at ISPRA, also spoke at the meeting. One of the cornerstones of the project consists of habitat restoration interventions to be carried out across 26 pilot sites, implementing best practices and defining criteria for experimental actions that can be replicated in other areas. The project will also create so-called “Buzz Lines,” ecological corridors for pollinating insects. The project aims to engage technicians, farmers, and over 100,000 students and citizens through dedicated events (also leveraging WWF’s extensive network of Oases across the country) and citizen science initiatives that will allow people to actively contribute to data collection and learn the best practices promoted by LIFE PolliNetwork. LIFE PolliNetwork is a project funded by the Nature and Biodiversity sub-programme of the European Union’s LIFE 2021–2027 Environment and Climate Action programme. Co-financed by the European Union. 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