LIFE PolliNetwork Posted on 20 July 2026 The Department of Veterinary Sciences is a partner of LIFE PolliNetwork, Italy’s most ambitious project for the conservation of apoidea, butterflies, and hoverflies, coordinated by WWF and co-financed by the European Union with financial support from the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security (MASE) and the CARIPLO Foundation.Over 40% of invertebrate pollinators are endangered worldwide; In Europe, almost half of pollinating insect populations are declining and a third are already considered threatened.LIFE PolliNetwork aims to create a network made up of ecological areas and corridors, the latter functional to transform the infrastructure that dot and cross Italy – roads, railways, electricity stations – into defined corridors “Buzz Lines”, where pollinators can feed, reproduce and then move safely between areas. In addition to the edges of roads and tracks, the project will cover areas used for electricity stations, WWF Protected Oases and farms, creating a truly national network of favourable habitats. In total, 88 hectares will be restored in 11 Italian regions (Piedmont, Lombardy, Trentino, Tuscany Marche, Umbria, Lazio, Campania, Basilicata Sardinia, Sicily).Over the 5-year project, 4 major national events and “bio-blitz” marathons will be organized, open to all citizens, with the aim of raising awareness among at least 100,000 people about the importance of pollinators.The project, which began on September 1, 2025, will be completed in 2030 and includes, in addition to testing and adopting new management methods for the various areas, also habitat restoration through a mix of native seeds specifically selected to attract pollinators, which will be tested and then made available on a large scale.Strategic partners such as Anas, Rete Ferroviaria Italiana (RFI), both companies of the FS Group, and Terna, in addition to the WWF and Copagri will take action on the areas under their jurisdiction, while the Universities – Alma Mater Studiorum – University of Bologna, University of Turin and University of Pisa – and research centers will lead the scientific monitoring to verify the effects on the three groups of pollinators. Read full article!
