PREserving BIOdiversity in coastal DUNEs from tourism pressure

Programme 2021 - 2027 Interreg VI-B IPA Adriatic-Ionian

Date of latest update: 2026-05-27

Description

Description (EN):

The need to assess and address the growing presence of coexisting environmental threats that undermine coastal habitats in the Adriatic-Ionian area and beyond, and that propagate in space and time even across geographic and political boundaries, requires coordinated transactional action based on evidence-rooted common understanding. Over the past few decades, increased urbanization for tourism and recreational purposes has led to a global decline in coastal dune ecosystems. In particular, activities associated with tourism, such as dune reshaping or flattening, beach cleaning, motor vehicle traffic, and trampling are threats that cause serious environmental degradation. Additionally, the state of wellness of these ecosystems is significantly impacted by pollution and climate change. In an analogous way the inflow of fertilizers and other nutrients through runoff can change the chemical profile of coastal dunes and diminish their biodiversity. PREBIODUNES will: - Implement four pilot activities in four different countries (2 ERDF - Italy, Greece - and 2 IPA - Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro) for the conservation and the restoration of natural coastal dune habitats. - Implement an Action Plan to join all stakeholders in a common strategy, ambitiously implementing recommendations to enhance the well-being of coastal ecosystems for future generations. - Engage the stakeholders through the creation of a network of Quadruple-Helix representatives to promote a common response to existing challenges related to biodiversity loss and endangered coastal dune habitats. - Implement IT tools and a low-cost video-monitoring system for monitoring of vulnerability of dune systems and assessing the impacts of the intervention foreseen in the testing phase. - Define common procedures for conservation and restoration of dunes habitat, including the creation of a germaplasm bank of the species in the area. The effects of these actions will be to: - Increase the capacity of authorities and the community at large to observe, assess, and address environmental risks; - foster access to and use of existing information and joint project products. - Increase in the level of awareness of the local population and stakeholders of the importance of these habitats, not only for their landscape value, but also as a means to address climate change effects - Enhance capacity building by training local actors in the planning and management of coastal sand dunes in the participating Countries. - The project will also capitalize on knowledge provided by previous projects and existing EU projects, and will contribute to the definition of action plans for assessing and addressing environmental risks of the Ionian and Adriatic dune habitats.

Actual Achievements (EN):

The PREBIODUNES project has made strong initial progress toward its mission of protecting and restoring coastal dune ecosystems across the Adriatic-Ionian region. In its first six months, the project has successfully moved from planning to coordinated implementation, combining scientific research, technical development, and strategic communication to address the challenges facing coastal biodiversity. The project officially launched with a joint kick-off meeting in October 2024, which brought all involved teams together to align on goals, timelines, and responsibilities. This collaborative start laid the foundation for efficient coordination and a shared vision moving forward. Main objectives reached and outputs delivered: - Launch of technical activities: Field and analytical work began under the first work package, focusing on the detailed analysis and mapping of coastal dune ecosystems. A comprehensive guideline was developed and finalized, outlining standardized scientific methods, data requirements, and field protocols. This document ensures a consistent approach to data collection and analysis across all sites. - Data collection and baseline studies: Efforts have been made to gather existing studies, scientific literature, and environmental data to assess biodiversity, coastal dynamics, and human impacts. These activities have helped build a structured database and provided critical baseline knowledge for the project’s next phases. - Development of shared tools: A geographic information system (GIS) framework is under development to support integrated data management and visualization. Discussions and design planning have enabled the project to determine effective data collection methods and ensure system usability across different teams and regions. Communication and outreach: A coordinated communication strategy has been initiated, including the design of the project’s visual identity and the launch of social media channels. These platforms will help raise awareness, engage local communities, and share project outcomes with a wider audience. Organizational readiness and capacity building: Internal procedures, technical staffing, and tendering processes have been launched to support smooth implementation. Coordination meetings have also strengthened alignment on scientific methods and helped build capacity where needed, ensuring all activities move forward efficiently. Added-Value of the Cooperation: The strength of the PREBIODUNES project lies in its collaborative and cross-border approach. The project has been able to pool expertise, harmonize methodologies, and foster mutual learning. This cooperation enhances both the quality and the impact of the work, ensuring that conservation efforts are grounded in science and supported by strong institutional and community engagement. The project has built a solid foundation for future conservation actions through coordinated planning, shared technical tools, and collective commitment. The achievements so far reflect the value of joint action in protecting vulnerable coastal habitats and biodiversity. During the first stages of implementation, PREBIODUNES has achieved substantial progress in building a solid scientific, operational, and cooperative foundation for all future activities. Thanks to close collaboration among all partners, the project has completed the baseline studies necessary to understand the ecological, geomorphological, and environmental conditions of the pilot areas in Italy, Greece, Montenegro, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. These achievements mark a major step toward designing effective nature-based solutions (NBS) for coastal dune protection and restoration across the Adriatic–Ionian region. Similar studies were conducted on the replication case study in Albania. One of the most important accomplishments has been the coordinated fieldwork campaigns carried out in each country. Partners conducted extensive on-site investigations, collecting ecological, sedimentological, and spatial data and performing detailed vegetation, habitat, and faunistic assessments. The consortium implemented intensive field campaigns between April and June, applying cognitive, floristic, and ecological analyses that resulted in three key deliverables under Activities 1.1 and 1.2. All contribute to preparing two core baseline reports summarising habitat conditions and pressures, compiling and organizing the majority of geobotanical and faunistic information required at this stage. Together, these efforts produced updated floristic inventories, species lists, structural habitat descriptions, and maps of degradation patterns, as well as identifying invasive species and documenting the major threats, e.g. erosion, trampling, unregulated access, and infrastructure pressure, affecting dune systems across the region. These national studies were developed within a unified methodological framework, agreed upon and coordinated through bilateral meetings, technical exchanges, and the transnational meeting held in Athens in June 2025. This ensured that data from all pilot sites are comparable and can be combined into a coherent regional understanding. The cross-country comparison has already proven highly valuable, highlighting shared challenges, including sea-level rise, storm impacts, fragmented dune belts, and unsustainable tourism, as well as unique local vulnerabilities requiring site-specific attention. In parallel, significant progress has been made on the development of the project’s GIS-based planning and monitoring tool. POLIBA and CTI jointly initiated the creation of a shared WebGIS platform, defining its structure, data layers, and technical requirements. CTI also prepared a functional GIS prototype for the Kiani Akti pilot area, integrating administrative boundaries, zoning layers, and ecological datasets produced under WP1. All partners have started supplying geodata in compatible formats, laying the groundwork for a unified transnational system that will support evidence-based decision-making for future restoration actions and the Joint Action Plan. Communication and coordination activities further strengthened project cohesion and stakeholder engagement. The launch of the project website and social media channels, combined with a monthly editorial plan, has increased visibility and public awareness on dune conservation, sustainable tourism, and coastal resilience. The Athens meeting brought together partners, experts, and local authorities, reinforcing the value of joint learning and shared methodologies. Overall, PREBIODUNES has successfully established a strong scientific and organisational foundation for its next phase. Partners are benefiting from shared protocols, cross-border knowledge exchange, and a harmonized approach to monitoring and understanding coastal dune ecosystems. This transnational effort is enabling the consortium to build a robust, science-based platform on which effective restoration and conservation actions will be designed in the coming periods, ultimately contributing to healthier, more resilient coastal landscapes across the Adriatic–Ionian region.

Project outputs: Delivering a GIS to contextualize the preservation and restoration interventions(EN)
Pilot actions for the preservation and restoration of coastal dune areas(EN)
Low cost systems for monitoring of interventions impact and Naturalistic engineering interventions(EN)
PREBIODUNES Joint Action Plan(EN)
PREBIODUNES Network(EN)

Thematic information

ICT and digital society Tourism Climate change and biodiversity

Priority: (VI-B_IPA-A_2) Supporting a greener and climate resilient Adriatic-Ionian region

Priority specific objective: RSO2.7. Enhancing protection and preservation of nature, biodiversity and green infrastructure, including in urban areas, and reducing all forms of pollution

Priority policy objective (Interreg specific objective): PO2 A greener, low-carbon transitioning towards a net zero carbon economy and resilient Europe by promoting clean and fair energy transition, green and blue investment, the circular economy, climate change mitigation and adaptation, risk prevention and management, and sustainable urban mobility

Type of intervention: 167 Protection, development and promotion of natural heritage and eco-tourism other than Natura 2000 sites

Partners (10)

Lead Partner: Politecnico di Bari - DICATECh

PIC (Participant Identification Code): 999431159

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 04301530723 | 93051590722 | tax code (EN)

Department: Department of Civil Engineering, Environment, Territory and Chemistry

Address: VIA AMENDOLA, 70126 Bari, Italy

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Higher education and research organisations

Website: https://www.dicatechpoliba.it/it/dicatech-home

Total budget: EUR 347 677.65

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 295 526.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 85.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 52 151.65

Contractors:

Name: DMTR Consulting Srl
VAT registration or tax identification number: 08639890725
Name: Dario De Vitis
VAT registration or tax identification number: DVTDRA72T04E506X
Name: THNK srl
VAT registration or tax identification number: 09871491008
Name: MEDIAPRINT VENISTI MICHELE
VAT registration or tax identification number: 06423110722

Institut za hidrotehniku d.d. Sarajevo

Name: Institut za hidrotehniku d.d. Sarajevo

PIC (Participant Identification Code): 881629218

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 200608910003

Address: Stjepana Tomića, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Legal status: private

Organisation type: SME

Website: http://www.heis.ba

Total budget: EUR 171 016.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 145 363.60

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 85.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 25 652.40

Contractors:

Name: ALEM sistem d.o.o. Sarajevo
VAT registration or tax identification number: 200396550001

Agencija za zaštitu životne sredine

Name: Agencija za zaštitu životne sredine

PIC (Participant Identification Code): 896508048

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 11044786

Address: IV Proleterske, 81000 Podgorica, Montenegro

Legal status: public

Organisation type: National public authority

Website: http://www.epa.org.me

Total budget: EUR 117 162.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 99 587.70

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 85.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 17 574.30

Contractors:

Name: Nađa Vukasović
VAT registration or tax identification number: 2607987215177
Name: MILS COMPUTERS DOO
VAT registration or tax identification number: 40/31-00153-1

Javna Ustanova Univerzitet Crne Gore- Prirodno-matematički fakultet

Name: Javna Ustanova Univerzitet Crne Gore- Prirodno-matematički fakultet

PIC (Participant Identification Code): 999836328

Partner’s ID if not PIC: ME3031039516 | 02016702 | Registration number (EN)

Address: Cetinjska, 81000 Podgorica, Montenegro

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Higher education and research organisations

Website: http://www.ucg.ac.me

Total budget: EUR 179 090.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 152 226.50

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 85.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 26 863.50

Contractors:

Name: Milena Mitric
VAT registration or tax identification number: n/a
Name: Ana Castelli
VAT registration or tax identification number: n/a
Name: Marija Mićunović
VAT registration or tax identification number: n/a

Go Green Studio sh.p.k

Name: Go Green Studio sh.p.k

Partner’s ID if not PIC: L62217008P

Address: Rr. “Margarita Tutulani”, 1002 Tirana, Albania

Legal status: private

Organisation type: SME

Website: https://go-green.al/

Total budget: EUR 79 048.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 67 190.80

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 85.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 11 857.20

Sveučilište u Rijeci, Odjel za Biotehnologiju

Name: Sveučilište u Rijeci, Odjel za Biotehnologiju

Partner’s ID if not PIC: HR64218323816

Address: Radmile Matejčić, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Higher education and research organisations

Website: https://www.biotech.uniri.hr/en/

Total budget: EUR 150 107.16

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 127 591.08

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 85.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 22 516.08

Shoqata e Bujqesise Organike

Name: Shoqata e Bujqesise Organike

Partner’s ID if not PIC: K42214009F

Address: Rr. Rrexhep Jella, 1002 Tirana, Albania

Legal status: private

Organisation type: Interest groups including NGOs

Website: http://www.organic.com.al

Total budget: EUR 76 384.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 64 926.40

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 85.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 11 457.60

Ινστιτούτο Τεχνολογίας Υπολογιστών και Εκδόσεων "Διόφαντος"

Name: Ινστιτούτο Τεχνολογίας Υπολογιστών και Εκδόσεων "Διόφαντος"

PIC (Participant Identification Code): 999643783

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 90060693

Address: N. Kazatzaki Str.,, 26504 Patra, Greece

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Higher education and research organisations

Website: https://www.cti.gr/en/

Total budget: EUR 211 792.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 180 023.20

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 85.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 31 768.80

Δήμος Πρέβεζας

Name: Δήμος Πρέβεζας

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 997861879

Address: El. Venizelou & Bahumi, 48100 Preveza, Greece

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Local public authority

Website: http://www.dimosprevezas.gr/

Total budget: EUR 146 124.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 124 205.40

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 85.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 21 918.60

Contractors:

Name: planO2 Anaptyxis PC
VAT registration or tax identification number: 800549664

Comune di Gallipoli

Name: Comune di Gallipoli

Partner’s ID if not PIC: IT01129720759

Address: Via Pavia, 73014 Gallipoli, Italy

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Local public authority

Website: https://www.comune.gallipoli.le.it/

Total budget: EUR 219 900.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 186 915.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 85.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 32 985.00

Contractors:

Name: MARIO CAPUTO
VAT registration or tax identification number: 04674810751
Name: LEGAMBIENTE CIRCOLO A. CEDERNA
VAT registration or tax identification number: IT05151870754
Name: GODOSI ZOE
VAT registration or tax identification number: IT05255460726
Name: Agenzia Viaggi Sant'Andrea Sas
VAT registration or tax identification number: 01979600754
Name: METEO PROJECT S.R.L.
VAT registration or tax identification number: IT04190471203
Name: DRONE EMOTIONS S.R.L.
VAT registration or tax identification number: DRONE EMOTIONS S.R.L.
Name: NASCENTE CARLO
VAT registration or tax identification number: IT02477440750
Name: AGENZIA VIAGGI S. ANDREA
VAT registration or tax identification number: 01979600754
Name: ARIF PUGLIA
VAT registration or tax identification number: 07026760723

Partners map

Partners and Projects info

Hydro-Engineering Institute Sarajevo

PREserving BIOdiversity in coastal DUNEs from tourism pressure

Partners and Projects info

Environmental Protection Agency

PREserving BIOdiversity in coastal DUNEs from tourism pressure

Partners and Projects info

Public Institution University of Montenegro - Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics

PREserving BIOdiversity in coastal DUNEs from tourism pressure

Partners and Projects info

Go Green Studio sh.p.k

PREserving BIOdiversity in coastal DUNEs from tourism pressure

Partners and Projects info

University of Rijeka, Department of Biotechnology

PREserving BIOdiversity in coastal DUNEs from tourism pressure

Partners and Projects info

Organic Agriculture Association

PREserving BIOdiversity in coastal DUNEs from tourism pressure

Partners and Projects info

Institute of Computer Technology and Press "Diophantus"

PREserving BIOdiversity in coastal DUNEs from tourism pressure

Partners and Projects info

Municipality of Preveza

PREserving BIOdiversity in coastal DUNEs from tourism pressure

Partners and Projects info

Municipality of Gallipoli

PREserving BIOdiversity in coastal DUNEs from tourism pressure

Partners and Projects info

Polytechnic University of Bari - DICATECh

PREserving BIOdiversity in coastal DUNEs from tourism pressure

Lead partner

Project partner

Summary

Project name (EN): PREserving BIOdiversity in coastal DUNEs from tourism pressure

Project acronym: PREBIODUNES

Project ID: IPA-ADRION00151

Project start date: 2024-09-01

Project end date: 2027-08-31

Project status: ongoing

Relevant linked projects:

BEST Project – Interreg VA GRECE-ITALY 2014-2020 (Politecnico di Bari - Region of Puglia)
The project is financed within the Interreg VA GREECE- ITALY program 2014-2020 and is aimed to protect the natural and cultural heritage, restore biodiversity and rural and coastal natural habitats in the Italy-Greece regions, as well as in involving local actors in cross-border activities. In the project joint pilot actions including through the use of new technologies with low environmental impact have been implemented aiming to set up new policies, products and services for biodiversity protection, with the ultimate goal of improving the quality of life of citizens in the regions concerned.
(EN) | PREBIODUNES project will act in full synergy with the experience gained during BEST project. Both projects are focused on the Biodiversity Protection on coastal or land area, albeit PREBIODUNES will provide a deep focus on dune system (coastal, lake, rivers ecosystems). Part of the activities implemented within BEST Project are related with the biodiversity mapping of marine and transitional ecosystems, which will constitute the baseline for activities foreseen in WP2 of PREBIONDUES Project, aimed to define the criticalities, the risks for such biodivesity and then set up the mitigation measures. Both project will support a wider comprising of state-of-the-art of geobotanic and faunistical analysis (PREBIODUNES) or traditionally cultivated vegetable species in the region (BEST) and will use bibliographic historic and documentary analyses and/or foregoing studies and field surveys, providing a important contribution to the Environmental Regional Policy Instrument (consider PSR (Regional Development Plan) Puglia 2014-2020 – clause 10.2.1 – Projects for the Valuation and Conservation of Genetic Resources in Agriculture), as well as will support increaseing knowledge on Habitat Degradation/Conservation status in the area, by a transnational perspective (EN), STIMARE Project - Innovative strategies, monitoring and analysis of the coastal erosion risk. Politecnico di Bari - University of Bologna.
The project is financed by the Italian Ministry of the Environment and the Sea (MATTM) and is aimed to define strategies for coastal management, based on a strong involvement of the stakeholders, and on the use of innovative or low-costs technologies for coastal monitoring. (EN) | Full synergy characterize also PREBIODUNES with the previous experience that have seen involved Politecnico di Bari with the STIMARE Project, which aim was to define strategies for coastal management and implement advanced instruments for extreme event impacts monitoring. Both STIMARE and PREBIODUNES projects, with the second one foreseeing complementary actions to the first one, will ensure a breakthrough in using remote sensing techniques as early warning systems thus as Supporting Decision Making Tools for establishing mitigation measures. (EN), PROVIDUNE Project
Financed by the LIFE+ - Nature and Biodiversity Programme - the PROVIDUNE Project was aimed at contributing to the application of the Habitats Directive at a local level, while safeguarding the dune environments in some Italian Sites of Community Importance (SCIs), that are part of the Natura2000 network. (EN) | Strong synergies are envisaged to be created between the PROVIDUNE and PREBIODUNES projects. Particularly, both projects focus on safeguarding, protecting and restoring the habitats and ecosystems in dune coastal areas. PEREBIODUNES has the ambition to create a region-wide joint action plan, that is based on the smaller scale results obtained with the PROVIDUNE project. Within the Italian Sites of Community Importance (SCIs) included in PROVIDUNE, there is the one located in the Province of Matera, where some of the scholars involved in PREBIODUNES have collaborated to achieve the project results. (EN)

Total budget/expenditure: EUR 1 698 300.81

Total EU funding (amount): EUR 1 443 555.68

Total EU funding (co-financing rate): 85.00%

Co-financing sources:

Investments, deliverables, policy contributions

(bullets are inserted automatically and may be incorrectly placed)

Deliverables:

State of the art and framework conditions of existing habitats
Status of current habitats in the study areas
Monitoring protocols and study on sedimentological regime of the intervention areas
GIS
Impacts of fruition
Technical and financial reports
Reports on communication and dissemination events
Pilots designs and protocols for interventions
Risk assessment for coastal dune restoration
Guidelines for dunes protection design
Germination and multiplication protocol of selected species
Reports of the interventions
Technical and financial reports
Reports on communication and dissemination events
Management Plans
PREBIODUNES Spatial Decision Support System
Database of habitats in the region
PREBIODUNES Joint Action Plan
Technical and financial reports
Reports on communication and dissemination events
Training package
Technical events
Macroregional Thematic Cluster event
PREBIODUNES Network
Technical and financial reports
Reports on communication and dissemination events

Contribution to wider strategies and policies:

EUStrategyAdriaticIonianRegion The project will contribute to the promotion of sustainable economic and social prosperity in the EUSAIR through cross-country cooperation on an area of common challenges, such as that of a constantly degrading environment and ecosystems on coastal dunes. While promoting the integration of the Western Balkans and foster good neighborly relations, the project will promote growth and the creation of jobs in the tourism sector while increasing the attractiveness and competitiveness of the region as a whole, preserving the environment, and ensuring healthy and balanced marine and coastal dune ecosystems. The project will provide specific contribution will be provide to the EUSAIR strategy in terms of Pillar 3 Environmental Quality and Topic 2 (Protection and Enhancement of natural terrestrial habitats and ecosystems) and 3 (Promotion of sustainable growth of the Adriatic Ionian Region by Implementing ICZM and MSP and the appropriate monitoring and management of protected areas).
EuropeanGreenDeal PREBIODUNES will substantially contribute to the EU Green Deal, particularly to the measure of "preserving and restoring ecosystems and biodiversity". In fact, the project has been designed to implement pilot actions for the preservation of faunistic and botanical species as well as for the restoration of coastal dunes ecosystems, aiming to reduce the impacts of climate change on such highly sensitive areas. More specifically, the project will contribute to the targets proposed and laid down in the Biodiversity Strategy 2030, paving the way for good practices and action plans to restore terrestrial, coastal, and freshwater dune ecosystems.
At proposal stage activities that reduce the environmental impact have been foreseen: use of online conference tools, for the monthly WP Leaders meetings as well as sustainable choice of catering options - vegetarian and short supply chain products.
In its implementation phase, the project partnership is committed to reducing the project's environmental impact to the minimum by, among other strategies, using and printing on FSC certified recycled paper and use of “green public procurement” procedures.

Programme Common Output Indicator:

RCO 084 - Pilot actions developed jointly and implemented in projects, Measurement unit:
RCO 116 - Jointly developed solutions, Measurement unit:
RCO 083 - Strategies and action plans jointly developed, Measurement unit:
RCO 087 - Organisations cooperating across borders, Measurement unit:

Programme Common Result Indicator:

RCR 104 - Solutions taken up or up-scaled by organisations, Measurement unit:
RCR 079 - Joint strategies and action plans taken up by organisations, Measurement unit:
RCR 084 - Organisations cooperating across borders after project completion, Measurement unit:

Project part of European Union Macro-Regional or Sea Basin Strategy: EUSAIR

EUSAIR Priority (Policy) area / Horizontal action:

EUSAIR Degree of compliance:

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

Financing programme

2021 - 2027 Interreg VI-B IPA Adriatic-Ionian

Latest month of project-partner-call data publication

2026-05

No. of projects in keep.eu / Total no. of projects (% of projects in keep.eu)

71 / 71 (100%)

No. of project partnerships in keep.eu / Total no. of project partnerships (% of project partnerships in keep.eu)

642 / 660 (97.27%)

Notes on the data

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PREserving BIOdiversity in coastal DUNEs from tourism pressure

Description

Thematic information

Partners (10)

Partners map

Summary

Investments, deliverables, policy contributions

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

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