“We are very excited to announce the first round of projects and partnerships supported by the Sicily Environment Fund! 

Thanks to our donors and supporters, we are contributing to the implementation of three relevant projects for Sicily, focusing on terrestrial conservation, marine conservation and sustainable food systems. 

We trust this is just the beginning of the creation of a strong network of people committed and actively involved in the protection and restoration of biodiversity and ecosystems in Sicily.”

The SEF Team

Announcing SEF projects & partnerships

Caper plant nursery in Stromboli, Aeolian islands  

Local NGO Attiva Stromboli will set up a caper plants nursery, involving the local community. Typical of coastal and rural areas, the caper plant is a native species of the Mediterranean, resilient and adapted to harsh environments and commonly used in the Sicilian cuisine. The project aims to promote sustainable food systems while contributing to the recovery of the landscape, damaged by the fire that in spring 2022 burned 1/3 of the vegetation of the island. Encouraging maintenance activity of abandoned uncultivated land, will also prevent from new fires and reduce hydrogeological risk. Dry-stone walls will also be restored over 3 terraces to host the plant nursery, and an irrigation system will be powered by solar panels.

Our project will contribute to ‘Let’s grow an idea’. Find out more about this campaign.

Ghost nets recovery in Ustica island Marine Protected Area 

A number of ghost nets (lost or abandoned fishing gears in seabed) have been spotted in the Marine Protected Area of Ustica, one of the most extraordinary dive sites of the Mediterranean! Recovery operations are needed to preserve marine biodiversity, threatened by the ghost nets which continue to trap and kill. This project will be run by the skilled team of Mare Nostrum diving, in collaboration with the Marine Protected Area, the municipality and the fishermen community. The removal will uncover pristine underwater sceneries inside the MPA borders.

Watch the trailer of the ghost nets spotted in Ustica. Professional divers will remove them in the coming months!

©️ Carmelo Isgrò & Healthy Seas. Mission with Aeolian Islands Preservation Foundation, Blue Marine Foundation (2018).

Rewilding guide training 

The training for local nature guides, with Rewilding at its core, will be the first of its kind in Sicily! Rewilding is a progressive conservation approach that aims to restore degraded ecosystems by allowing native species to  regenerate and thrive boosting natural processes. The course will include a webinar and an infield training in the South of Sicily and will be delivered by a team of both local and international experts around Astrid Natura, using the international standard for wildlife tracking:  CyberTracker. The aim is to set the basis to improve nature-based economy in the ecotourism sector, while preserving terrestrial biodiversity and traditional rural practices, and providing additional data for evidence-based land management, fire prevention and future Rewilding measures.

Let’s kickstart the Rewilding of Sicily!

Launch events

We have launched the Sicily Environment Fund in Milan and London this year. New and old friends passionate about Sicily and lot of Sicilians living abroad have attended the events to celebrate with us and learn more about our work.

Thank you to the Conservation Collective and the Thinking Traveller for the support in organising the events. Special thanks to LuBar for hosting us in Milan and to Planeta Winery for a sparkling evening with Sicilian wine in London.

News from our Network

The Conservation Collective comprises a global network of locally-focused environmental foundations, emerging from the natural instinct of all people to protect what they love. The Conservation Collective facilitates funding for the most effective grassroots environmental initiatives, with world-class oversight, management, and programme aid.

Depeche Mode and Hublot: a charity partnership to support the Conservation Collective

As the tour’s charity partner, Hublot will support the legendary music band, Depeche Mode, in raising funds and awareness for the Conservation Collective!
The Memento Mori World Tour is in support of the band’s 15th studio album, Memento Mori, to be released March 24th. With this new partnership, the shared goal becomes making tangible change toward sustainability, waste reduction, and environmental clean-up that our local foundations support.
Find out more and read the official Press Release!

Get in touch with us to support these projects and to find out more about the opportunities to get involved in future conservation initiatives  in Sicily. Join our efforts to protect, preserve and restore Sicily’s biodiversity and ecosystems.