Site restoration efforts are advancing on the selected reclaimed salt marsh. Originally constructed with dredged sediments, the site has suffered erosion and limited vegetation development since its creation in 2015. Under the Horizon 2020 WaterLANDS initiative, the restoration plan is already demonstrating the potential of innovative, nature-based methods to stabilize sediments, improve biodiversity, and build eco-morphodynamic resilience.
Restoration work integrates biodegradable materials like fascines and coir rolls that help dissipate wave energy and promote sediment accumulation, allowing pioneer vegetation such as Spartina, Salicornia, and Sarcocornia to establish. These plants stabilize the area further, enhancing carbon sequestration and biodiversity. Ecological surveys and sediment analyses have been executed to provide baseline data for measuring progress, while drone surveys track changes in topography and plant distribution. Initial findings from 2024 are encouraging.
For more details, see Updates from the Venice Lagoon Action Site with We are here Venice.
In parallel, the educational program “Giants of the Lagoon” engages local secondary schools, while community workshops foster connections among lagoon stakeholders. The fifth steering group meeting was held in December, uniting local administrations, Venice port authority, and the Provveditorato (State Authority for safeguarding the lagoon) to highlight the role of wetlands in addressing the climate and biodiversity crises, diversifying employment opportunities, and showcasing Venice’s potential as a sustainable living city.
A parallel initiative, “La Laguna dei Cippi”, combines art, science, and active citizenship to deepen understanding of the lagoon’s historical and ecological transformations. Led by artist Claudio Beorchia, volunteers are helping document the lagoon from the perspective of the Cippi di Conterminazione, boundary stones installed in the 18th century to delineate the edge of the lagoon.
For additional insights, visit Discovering the Venice Lagoon: “La Laguna dei Cippi” Project.
These activities illustrate the power of combining restoration science with community participation, to support conservation and cultural engagement.