Objectives and activities at the end of
LIFE STOPVESPA
Monitoring activity
Project partners will continue to promote and provide support for maintaining the surveillance network developed under LIFE STOPVESPA, thanks to beekeepers, beekeepers' associations of Liguria and Piedmont and several other volunteers.
Control activity
Project partners will continue to promote and support control activities for V. velutina. Nests destruction operations will continue under the coordination of Liguria Region, which has already allocated 50,000 € for carry on control activities. Field operations will be coordinated by the protected area 'Parco Alpi Liguri' while nest destruction activity will be executed by the Civil Defense Teams formed by the project.
The harmonic radar
The two harmonic radar prototypes developed by the LIFE STOPVESPA project are available for future field activities. Since investment costs are no longer necessary, harmonic radars can be used as long as logistic costs are covered. Their use was particularly important in the past to locate V. velutina colonies in new invasive outbreaks.
Technical support activities
The Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Science of the University of Turin will continue to provide support to national and regional Authorities for transferring the know-how (Early Warning and Rapid Response System with monitoring and control procedures, data recording methods, ...) acquired during 4 years of activity. The acquired knowledge has already been transferred to Liguria Region, to facilitate the handover and the prosecution of control activities against V. velutina in this area.
Communication activities
Information and dissemination activities on V. velutina will continue thanks to the permanent staff of LIFE STOPVESPA partners, through the promotion of training courses and workshops, the participation in national or international conferences and the participation in public events.