CORALLO proposes to achieve the targeted admissible action through a diverse array of edutainment tools which represent both an awareness-generation resource as well as a means of informal education for a varied spectrum of audiences. CORALLO aims to avail itself of existing under-utilised infrastructure within marine and terrestrial Natura 2000 (N2K) sites in order to raise awareness with different N2K site end-users and stakeholders about the need for and the various forms of responsible and sustainable enjoyment of the same sites. The targeted infrastructure has already been identified through a preliminary needs and gaps analysis, which will be formalised during the project, such that only MINOR infrastructural interventions will be necessary at the same sites, entailing NO additional/new construction, thus expediting environmental permitting procedures. Even on-site interpretation aids will be non-intrusive and of specific maximum dimensions (not larger than 0.5 m²), thus not necessitating any special permitting procedures or impacting in any way on the landscape value of the sites. State-of-the-art didactic amenities and facilities will be developed at each of the targeted sites, also building on the experience gained by the CORALLO coordinator during previous IT-MT projects (e.g. PANACEA), including extensive use of virtual and extended reality, underwater CCTV, interactive panels based on ICT applications and audio-visual tools, including documentaries and short video clips. Iconic species and habitats encountered at each of the targeted N2K site will be showcased at different centres identified for intervention, thus capitalising on the strengths and unique assets held by each site. In addition to the non-mobile/stationary amenities, CORALLO also pledges to deliver mobile awareness-generating tools, in the form of citizen science campaigns, a project information boat, smart phone apps and gaming and online tools, which will enable the tapping of fragmented and dispersed end-users, including local communities, SCUBA divers, beach-users and lifeguards, the boating community groups (for whom responsible enjoyment codes of conduct will be formulated) and those with limited mobility as well as regulatory entity staff. The same N2K end-users will be consulted to identify the needs, gaps and characteristics of each site. The CORALLO boat is expected to take awareness-generation to the next level by spearheading trans-national trips and exchanges. The University of Malta (CORALLO lead partner) has established an eminent global profile in the training of young people on thematics linked to ‘gaming’ and will thus deliver cutting-edge gaming tools for different IT platforms in order to generate greater awareness about N2K sites in Malta and Sicily with the adolescent age cohort, which is traditionally the most difficult one to reach out to.

CORALLO’s main objective is the fostering of a greater degree of awareness amongst N2K sites end-users about the biodiversity assets held within the same sites. CORALLO aims to unlock the untapped potential of a number of N2K sites in Malta and Sicily by promoting the largely-unknown and unique living and landscape assets of each site and their responsible enjoyment. The project's three specific objectives (identification of needs and characteristics of N2K sites, promotion of ecosystem services and awareness-generation) tangibly and coherently show how this main objective can be achieved. CORALLO acts as the quintessential awareness-generating project, given that it includes provisions to exhaustively identify the characteristics of each targeted N2K site through a SWOT analysis as well as the spectrum of end-users for N2K sites. CORALLO proposes to follow a logical rationale by describing in detail the various implementation stages in an ad hoc plan, whose delivery will precede the development of an array of awareness-generating tools (including GAMING, Virtual reality, underwater CCTV, educational trans-boundary boat trips and responsible enjoyment codes of conduct). The project culminates in capitalisation and exploitation activities with different streams of N2K site end-users which will be conducted by applying didactic tools and resources. The composition of the CORALLO Consortium is a complementary one as it incorporates different typologies of entities which are all directly or indirectly linked with Maltese and Sicilian N2K site management aspects, thus increasing the credibility and feasibility of the project in terms of implementation success. The Consortium in fact includes partners with a regulatory role (e.g. ERA, ARPA), a scientific and educational role (UM, UniPa), a site management role (e.g. Heritage Malta and the Plemmirio MPA) and a dissemination role (CORISSIA), with each partner holding consolidated expertise within each listed aspect.

For more information visit our Project website: 

https://corallo-italiamalta.eu/