Description
InNat started in 2017 from a collaboration of three Italian institutions: Ministero della Transizione Ecologica, Consiglio per la Ricerca in Agricoltura e l'Analisi dell'Economia Agraria – Centro di ricerca Difesa e Certificazione based in Florence, and Arma dei Carabinieri, with its Centro Nazionale Carabinieri Biodiversità "Bosco Fontana" as the coordination center.
Initially, the main aim of the present project has been the creation of a Citizen Science program based on the development of a website and an app (InNat) capable of collecting records on 30 target insect species, all protected under the Habitat Directive (HD), coming from citizen scientists. The Citizen Science program has then been implemented, adding more recordable target species: up to date the project concerns 34 insect species (8 dragonflies, 2 ortopterans, 7 beetles and 17 butterflies), one endemic crayfish, 3 plant species and 2 habitats, all of which included in the HD annexes.
Therefore, InNat represents an essential and fundamental instrument for involving citizens in nature conservation and it also allowed the increase in number of the biodiversity data all over our national territory.
Expert-validated data are freely and publicly available on www.innat.it and they are constantly shared with Network Nazionale per la Biodiversità (NNB), the national database belonging to Ministero della Transizione Ecologica.
Aim
Involving citizens in nature conservation is one of the main aims for InNat. For this reason, two platforms have been created, a website and an app, both capable of collecting records of the 40 protected target entities coming from citizen scientists. More specifically, our 40 targets, all protected under the European Habitat Directive, include 35 animal species, 3 plant species and 2 habitats.
Other important aims are the implementation of monitoring instruments and the verification of the implementation of Conservation Measures (according to the Habitat Directive), within the 130 State Natural Reserves managed by Arma dei Carabinieri.
How to participate
Becoming a citizen scientist for InNat is easy! All you need to do is follow 6 super easy steps:
1) Download the InNat app
2) Take a walk on the wild side and get into Nature. Sometimes you don't even need to go too far from your home!
3) Keep you eyes wide open: you could meet one of our target species or habitats!
4) Take a picture of the target species/habitat you met and keep the coordinates in mind
5) Send us you record through the app InNat (or through our website: www.innat.it): you will need to enter a nickname, your mail, the picture of the target species/habitat you found and the coordinates of the locality you found it in. If you are not sure about the identification of the target species/habitat you found, no worries: we got you covered! We provide all the information needed for the identification on our website but if you still feel unsure about it, you can just send us an unidentified record to us!
6) Our expert will check your record and they will reply to you on your email address.
Done! Rather easy, uh?
What are you waiting for then? Become a citizen scientist for InNat!
Equipment
English: All you need to have to take part in our projects is a camera (also your phone camera will work fine), a pair of trekking shoes...and a lot of enthusiasm for Nature!
Italian: Per partecipare ti basta avere una macchina fotografica o un telefono con la fotocamera, un paio di scarpe da trekking...e tanta voglia di Natura!