Riding through Ecosystem and Biodiversity: Longterm Italian Ecosystem research for Citizens

Italian ecologists who are active in the Italian long-term ecosystem research (LTER-Italy) and in the study of biodiversity (Lifewatch-Italy), walk and cycle together with citizens along three paths organized as events of scientific dissemination. The paths, which are aimed at raising public awareness on ecosystems, biodiversity, and environmental sustainability, connect different LTER-Italy sites. They represent a sort of "Via Francigena" of the ecological research and offer citizens the opportunity to familiarize with the wealth and fragilities of Italian ecosystems. Observing the landscape at the natural speed of human walking or biking is the best way to appreciate the peculiarities of the surrounding environment, its diversity and ecological state. At the LTER sites and along the paths, researchers help citizens in recognizing and estimating the status of the vegetation, identify animals and plants, evaluate the degree of biodiversity, assess the quality of the waters of lakes and marine areas. Besides, citizens could meet researchers at work at the LTER-sites, join them in the fieldwork, understand the importance of the long-term ecological studies and activate initiatives of citizens science within the LTER and Lifewatch context.