REN, The National Ecological Network: Italian Vertebrates Network and
The Vertebrates Component Map
In 1999 the Italian Ministry of Environment and Territorial Protection approved a document outling the general guidelines for the National Ecological Network (REN), the defi nition of its structure and its main objectives. The Ministry contracted the Department of Animal and Human Biology of La Sapienza University to carry out the fi rst phase of a programme to develop the network. This programme was started in 2000 and has three main aims:
- to outline the distribution patterns of all 431 Italian vertebrate species;
- to determine whether the protected-area system corresponds with these distribution patterns;
- to determine which actions would improve the effectiveness of the protected-area system and the conservation of these species.
Data on species distribution and habitat suitability were combined to produce a map that shows the degree of suitability for increasing numbers of vertebrate species. This map is intended to form the basis for the design of the ecological network. In general, it is concluded that mountain areas, especially the Alps and the Appenines, will be most suitable as core areas for all vertebrate species.
REN, The National Ecological Network Info:
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