SEF July Newsletter
This summer, we continue our commitment for a healthier, more resilient Sicily and we’re proud to see the results of our collaboration with local partners, working together to protect the island’s beautiful land and sea.
We are growing projects to tackle some of Sicily’s most pressing environmental challenges. Across our ten ongoing projects we are promoting a community-driven strategy, to develop a circular economy for fishing gear, fostering social inclusion through gardening and composting, protecting agrobiodiversity, advocating for agroecology, addressing the wildfire crise, encouraging package-free purchasing, restoring coralligenous habitats, supporting Marine Protected Areas, and protecting endemic species.
Read on here about our incredible achievements for the first half of 2025, don’t miss our job announcement for a project coordinator and be part of the team!!
SEF Team
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We are assessing the possibility of creating a circular economy model to fight against the environmental threat of Abandoned, lost and otherwise discarded fishing gear (ALDFG), by engaging a network of stakeholders and conducting interventions for the removal and potential recycling of these materials.
Stakeholder interviews, mapping activities, and sea explorations are currently underway across Sicily, to identify ALDFG both at sea and on land. So far, over 600 kg and 400 metres of ghost nets have been already recovered in Syracuse.
An experimental design workshop, conducted in collaboration with Studio Forwardand Scalo 5 B, involved young designers in creatively reusing discarded fishing nets. The resulting prototypes, including plant holders, partition walls, headpieces, and customized seating, offer a tangible example of circular economy in action.
The achievement of these goals requires a multi-stakeholder, data-driven and open approach, aimed at gradually strengthening the value chain around ALDFG governance. Part of the work conducted so far also focuses on identifying regulatory gaps, with the goal of evaluating and eventually proposing legal improvements that better respond to the needs of the operators involved.
The “Untangling the Sea” project is enabled by TUI Care Foundation and is implemented by SEF in collaboration with Abyss Clean Up and CNR-IGAG.
Unpacked shopping
Bakeries, pastry shops, butcher shops, fruit and vegetable vendors, bars, rotisseries, fishmongers, pizzerias, and delis in San Giovanni La Punta joined the “Unpacked Shopping” project led by Rifiuti Zero Sicilia, enabled by the funding received from Conservation Collective through their Depeche Mode and Hublot partnership, with the aim to reduce packaging waste.
Thanks to the project, a regulation, a shared responsibility pact, and health guidelines were adopted by Municipality, merchants and citizens enabling the implementation of local policies aimed at waste reduction, in compliance with existing regulations.
The project is coming to an end. Now it’s up to you and other municipalities to carry it forward. Visit the dedicated webpage, help us spread the word, encourage shopkeepers to join us and urge your municipality to adopt the regulation. Be part of the change!
Growing connections
Congratulations to our partner Local Impact for inaugurating the community garden in Vallicaldi with the “Growing Connections” project! The event was a valuable opportunity to engage the local community, raise awareness, and advocate for the importance of community gardening and responsible waste management in improving living conditions. At the heart of the project is a vision to create a model of active citizenship, one rooted in the care of common goods, mutual support, and direct participation. Starting with the community garden, the goal is to promote waste reduction and pilot a neighbourhood composting system, in collaboration with Rifiuti Zero Sicilia.
ENHANCING MARINE PROTECTED AREAS
Artisanal fishers in corals restoration
Researchers, local fishers, and divers are joining forces to protect and restore the precious corals of Capo Gallo and Isola delle Femmine Marine Protected Area (MPA) with the “Artisanal fishers in corals restoration” project.
Local fishers attended a training session led by researchers of University of Barcelona, learning techniques for recovering coral fragments. The Anton Dohrn Zoological Station, in collaboration with Saracen diving center, are carrying out restoration of damaged coralligenous habitats. 33 colonies of white gorgonian, accidentally caught as bycatch during fishing, have been recovered, temporarily placed in aquarium and reintroduced into restoration sites within the MPA. Early monitoring shows promising results: the corals are thriving!
Thank you to our supporters Grimaldi Palermo Euro terminal, Studio Forward and Officine Grafiche.
Salina Blue Island
The Blue Tourism conference was hosted in Salina by Nesos in the framework of the “Salina Blue Island” project, supported by Blue Marine Foundation and SEF. While the process of establishing the MPA of Salina island is ongoing, we took the opportunity to share best practice and lessons learnt from other Italian MPAs, highlighting potential for employment in the green sector, extension of the tourism season, tools for visitor management and the importance of preserving territorial identity to prevent the risk of mass tourism.
Across the sites of Amaneï art gallery, the awarded artist Alessio Barchitta is opening his art residency project U MARE CUNTA on the 5th of July, where the voices and reflections of the local community are shaping a work grounded in exchange and collective experience.
LEVERAGING COMMUNITIES IN THE FIGHT AGAINST WILDFIRES
Wildfire Citizen Observatory
The Wildfire Citizen Observatory platform is online, you can use it this summer to report wildfires in Sicily! Thanks to this interactive tool, we aim to support municipalities in updating the Wildfire Registry, a database that must be updated annually according to Law 353/2000. Wildfires mapping will enable the enforcement of post-fire environmental regulations, a key step in preventing future human-caused fires. This year, the Municipalities of Carlentini (Siracusa) and San Mauro Castelverde (Palermo) are piloting the framework.
We had the fantastic opportunity to join the event “Citizens and Wildfires”, attended by numerous associations and local groups active in wildfire prevention and control, to discuss the potential of a regional network for fire prevention.
The project is led by Fenice Verde, promoted and supported by SEF, and has the patronage of the Department of Territory and Environment of the Sicily Region and the Regional Department of Civil Protection (DPRC Sicilia) and will benefit from the collaboration of the National Higher Institute for Operational Training of Civil Protection in Rome (INSFO PC) and the Operational Coordination of Volunteering in the Sicily Region (COV).
Common ground
As part of the “Common Ground” project, the community of Altofonte has been involved in participatory territorial planning for wildfire prevention. The resulting guidelines were presented to the community and local and regional institutions, laying an important foundation for the development and adoption of concrete policy tools. Our pilot case aims to encourage replication in other areas of the region to address the issues and risks related to wildfires in an integrated and participatory manner.
The project is carried out by Collettivo Rewild Sicily, in collaboration with SEF, the Department of Agricultural, Food, and Forest Sciences of University of Palermo, Pro Loco Altofonte APS, and Comitato Cittadino Moarda Viva Verde e Sicura.
Download the policy brief and guidelines.
PRESERVING ENDEMIC SPECIES
Save the Aeolian lizard
Juveniles of the endangered Aeolian wall lizards (Podarcis raffonei), an endemic species of the archipelago, have been released into the wild! The captive breeding programme, aims to repopulate this endangered species, of which only around 2,000 individuals remain today.
The initiative carried out locally in Lipari, is helping to establish new, small populations on islets within the archipelago that are free of competing species.
Students of all ages from local schools have had the chance to meet the Aeolian lizards and learn from the experts about this species and the importance of its conservation. The activities of the “Save the Aeolian Lizard” project led by Nesos are made possible thanks to the support of Blue Marine Foundation who has provided a boat to the association.
PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS
Agroecology for ecosystem restoration of the Plain of Gela
CEA ODV has continued the rewilding and reforestation activities contributing to the restoration of vital habitats for key bird species in the Plain of Gela and Geloi Wetland, a private conservation area owned by the Foundation Pro Biodiversity.
The event Cicogna Day 2025, organised every year by LIPU Niscemi, was a great opportunity not only to celebrate and visit the largest stork colony in Italy, but also to host a conference focusing on agroecological best practice and the benefits of regenerating agricultural ecosystems and protecting biodiversity.
Several local farmers participated and visited the project area to learn about agroecology and project actions. Last but not least, a Fire Prevention Camp is ongoing and volunteers are wanted! For more information get in touch with: ceaniscemi89@gmail.com
Saving agrobiodiversity in Western Sicily
The “Saving Agrobiodiversity in Western Sicily” project has come to an end, but its seeds are sprouting and growing into the future! Led by Ficus association, this journey has brought back to life precious local horticultural varieties, selected by dedicated crop custodians, such as: Cavolfiore Violetto di Trapani, Pomodoro pizzutello di Trapani, Siccagno patataro di Salina, Fagiolino serpente, zucchina di Palermo, Luffa antica, and a traditional Sicilian melon.
Together with Sementi Indipendenti and Climavore, Ficus organized an inspiring training day on seed self-production and conservation, key tools for a climate-resilient agriculture and for strengthening a growing network of custodians committed to safeguarding Sicilian agrobiodiversity.
Some of the plants were grown by engaging disadvantaged minors and immigrants in hands-on educational events, creating a deep sense of ownership and inclusion.
The project laid the groundwork for future growth, market testing and innovation.
The initiative is a complementary project to the FOOD project (Ficus Beyond All Disabilities), in collaboration with ANFFAS, funded by the Sicilian Region.
We’re hiring a Project Coordinator!
As we grow, we are recruiting a Project Coordinator to help scale up our impact. We are seeking a self-motivated, organised individual with strong knowledge in conservation and related fields and a passion for community engagement.
Check the job description here and if this sounds like you, send your CV and cover letter (both in English and Italian) by end of Mon 1st September 2025 to gaia@sicilyenvironment.org
Press highlight
Thank you to journalist Irene Carmina and Repubblica for featuring our work and the work of our amazing local partners!
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You can also support the Sicily Environment Fund with the 5×1000 portion of your IRPEF tax, which the Italian State allocates to support organizations carrying out socially significant activities. You can give a huge boost to our work by donating the 5×1000, indicating the SEF tax code: 97141380838 in the “Support for non-profit organizations” section of your income tax return.
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The Global Gathering of Conservation Collective in May this year was epic! 21 local Foundations from across Europe, Asia, Africa and the Caribbean met in Cyprus to discuss best practice, and their experience of success, as well as share the challenges of working in conservation.
We all left feeling truly grateful to be part of such an inspiring global team, working together with local champions and communities for a healthier, greener world.
A huge thank you to Cyprus Environment Foundation and Conservation Collective for hosting us and congratulations to the 2025 award winners!
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