Lifelong Learning Programme

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.
This web site reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

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This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This web site reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

Geographical Areas

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GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS

NAME OF THE LOCAL AREA
Parco della Maremma
COUNTRY
Italy
CITY
Florence
THEMATIC AREA
Geography, Chemistry, Biology, Physics
WEB SITE
http://www.parco-maremma.it
DESCRIPTION OF THE LOCAL AREA
Our school is located in Florence, Tuscany. The city is famous for its historical monuments, museums and exhibitions. We visited the exhibition entitled “Ai Weiwei Story” in Palazzo Strozzi, where some works of art describe the migration of chinese people and the museum of Istituto Geografico Militare (IGM) devoted to design maps of italian territories. Indeed, we decide to study the ability of living organisms to navigate their way and their migratory behaviour, especially in the Mediterranean area.
To this purpose, we choose the natural park of Maremma, a protected wildlife area in the south of Tuscany, that can be easily reached by coach through via Aurelia. The area shows various ecosytems such as the forest of the Uccellina Mountains and the pine wood of the coastal landscape, characterized by sandy beaches with large dunes, bays and cliffs. The hydrographic net, the agricultural environment (vineyards, orchards, olive groves and wide grasslands with maremma cows) and twenty caves are part of this Tuscany park certified UNI EN ISO 14001:2004, with four Site of Community Importance (SCI) and one special protection zone and regional relevant site.
Wetlands dominante the landscape of Maremma and the Oasis WWF in Orbetello has a favourable position in the migratory birds routes and it is the most important lagoon of Tyrrhenian Sea. The Oasis is located in the SCI IT51A0026, is a Special Protection Zone (ZPS IT51A0026) and a RAMSAR site. The Ramsar Convention is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands, established to raise awareness about the value of wetlands for humanity and the planet.
The Maremma Park manages, in Talamone, an Aquarium and a Sea Turtles Rescue Centre (Tartanet), which is an info point of the Tuscany Biodiversity Observatory and the safeguard activity of cetaceans ad sea turtles. Inside the Sea Turtles Rescue Centre injured sea turtles (Caretta caretta) are attended, hosted and finally released. The aquarium reproduces in a very accurate way the typical Mediterranean sea environment. There are a shells collection, a photographic exhibition and didactic interactive itineraries.

PICTURES
Drainage Drainage basin model
Detail Detail of drainage basin model
Buildings Students arrange buildings
Students and buildings Students arrange buildings
Increase of flows Increase in the flow rate, flood and landslide
River banks River banks in order to protect settlement
Rearranging settlements Students rearrange settlements in a much better position
Effective protection Students protect settlements more effectively
A big turtle in the tub The Tartanet Center of Talamone (Tuscany, Italy) is dedicated to recovery, rehabilitation and release of sea turtles hospitalized in its facility
A big turtle starting immersion The Tartanet Center is aimed to increase the knowledge of these animals, to promote protection and to implement environmental education
A big turtle is being fed Students learn the biology of sea turtles while they are feeding them
A big turtle closeup The feeding activity gives the students the great opportunity to see a turtle face to face
A little Loggerhead sea turtle Loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta)is a marine reptile, belonging to the family Cheloniidae . It is an oceanic turtle distributed throughout the world
A Loggerhead in the tub Loggerheads are considered an endangered species and are protected by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.

DRAWINGS
Iris The symbol of Florence is a ruby red iris
Science and observation Science begins with observation
Scientist A scientist studying time, space and life
Life One life, one chance
Creatures All creatures are linked to the Universe and atoms
Climate change Climate change, humans under pouring rain
Ocean Alone in front of the ocean
Forest and water A forest and its image on the water
Doves in flight Doves in flight during spring
Multicoloured hands The multi colored hands in our school Rodolico