Kayaking Ecologists. Provisional Programme* 7 September 2020 15:00 – 19:00 - ‘Le Cesine’ Natural Reserve Presentation of the initiative and seminar on the theory and practice, tand he procedures and methods used to monitor the health of coastal and marine aquatic ecosystems. The introduction to the Kayaking Ecologists initiative will be made by the Rector of the University of Salento Fabio Pollice, Sustainability Director Alberto Basset, "Le Cesine" WWF Oasis Manager Giuseppe De Matteis, the Mayor of Vernole Francesco Leo, and Commander of the Biodiversity Protection Unit of the San Cataldo Forest Carabiniers LeonarDo Antonaci, supported by a group of the students taking part in the kayak sampling excursions and some of the organisers, within the provisions of the decree established by the Mayor of Vernole on the maximum number of persons allowed in meetings. In parallel, a practical demonstration of the methods and procedures employed in the monitoring exercise will be presented for the students involved in the initiative in the ‘Pantani’ area within the Reserve. This will continue up until 6:00pm. 8 September 2020 08:30 – 18:30 - Natural Reserve ‘Le Cesine’ – Torre dell’Orso Kayaking Ecologists – First stage of hands-on coastal monitoring post COVID-19 19:30 – 21:00 - Porto San Foca/MelenDugno ‘Encounters on Sustainability – Meeting with the city on the theme of The Contribution of Research to the Conservation and Sustainable Management of Coastal Landscapes. Presented by the Mayor of Melendugno Marco Potì, Sustainability Director Alberto Basset, and the Director of the Biology Department of the ‘Aldo Moro’ University in Bari Giuseppe Corriero 9 September 2020 08:30 – 18:30 - Torre Sant’AnDrea - Otranto Kayaking Ecologists - Second stage of hands-on coastal monitoring post COVID-19 19:30-21:00 Otranto ‘Science Week’ – Meeting with the city on the theme of Blue Growth and the Rights of Nature Presentations will be made by the Mayor of Otranto Pierpaolo CariDDi, Sustainability Director Alberto Basset, the Coordinator of the EU’s Social and Economic Committee for drafting the ‘European Charter of the Rights of Nature’ Michele CarDucci, and Member of the Legambiente National Secretariat Sebastiano Venneri 10 September 2020 10:30 – 18:30 - Castro – Tricase Porto Kayaking Ecologists – Third stage of hands-on coastal monitoring post COVID-19 11 September 2020 10:00-12:00 - Tricase Porto ‘Avamposto Mare’ Conference Conclusion and Photographic Competition Tricase Proto Avamposto Mare To be addressed by the President of the Magna Grecia Sea Association Antonio Errico, Sustainability Director Alberto Basset, the President of the Biology Didactic Council Stefano Piraino, and Researchers from the CIHEAMBari Headquarters in Tricase Massimo Zuccaro and Paolo Fiume. *Programming of the phases of Kayaking Ecologists may be subject to variations according to prevailing weather conditions. Sea Activities Along the route, students will take samples every day at 8 research stations, following two lines parallel to the coast at 25m and 75m respectively, to evaluate levels of nutrients, pollutants and microplastics from terrestrial and fresh water ecosystems along the coast. Throughout the route the following evaluations and specimen collections will take place in the established sampling stations: a. Determining the principal chemico- physical characteristics of the surface layer of the water column, along horizontal transects parallel to the coast. The measurements will be carried out with multiparameter probes; b. Sampling of phytoplankton and zooplankton elements in the water column with fine mesh nets (20µ and 200µ) to allow an analysis of the plankton guilds; c. Determining the level of primary productivity by incubating for 6 hours water samples collected at two different distances from the coast, using ‘the clear bottle and the dark bottle’ method, to analyse the functions of the plankton guilds; d. Determining at the sampling stations the chemico-physical characteristics of waters taken in vertical transects from the surface to the seabed with multiparameter probes; e. Collection of water specimens at the sampling stations for analysis of micro/nano plastics and potential chemical pollutants; f. Practical training in the examination of soft bottom coastal areas and functional characteristics of benthic components through extraction and analysis of sediment cores and measures of flow in benthic chambers. Promoter: University of Salento Co-Promoters: LifeWatch Italy, CIHEAM Bari (Tricase branch), WWF Oasis, Legambiente, Town Council of Melendugno, City Council di Otranto, Museum of Ecology in Mediterranean Ecosystems – Faro di Punta Palascia .