Travelling through Italian ecosystems and biodiversity in order to broaden citizens' participation to ecological research

In 2015 and 2016, a community of Italian scientists active in long-term ecological research (LTER-Italy) and in biodiversity studies (LifeWatch-Italy) organized 4 itineraries over the Italian territory to increase the public interest towards the environment and foster contributions of citizens to the scientific research. The trails connected relevant sites of LTER-Italy network and offered opportunities to citizens to familiarize with environmental problems and become aware of the characteristics and state of some Italian ecosystems, with emphasis on aquatic habitats (marine, transitional and continental waters) and their connections with land. The initiative aimed to enhance interactions between researchers and citizens through walking and cycling together at slow rhythms, thus favouring a closer approach with nature. Moreover, local citizens encountered along the trails were involved in public debates and in field research activities. The trails were also an opportunity for scientists to understand the need to adopt a different cultural approach for more effective interactions with citizens. Communicating science is an important step for researchers to make their activity visible. In the case of ecological research, not only the results but also the issues have to be shared with people in order to find adequate solutions. To do this, scientists have to recognize and stimulate the contribution of all players, with different roles and expertise, to address the environmental challenges and define more sustainable uses of resources. The Authors will present qualitative evaluations and critical considerations of this experience and will discuss about future perspectives.