Just as studies on a global scale have the advantage of identifying global trends and stirring awareness at an international level, studies on a local scale are useful for increasing knowledge and have a great potential in influencing decisions, especially at a local planning level within administrations and NGOs. 

 

The ecological impacts of human pressure on wildlife, including livestock grazing, are poorly understood and strongly debated. This kind of knowledge is particularly lacking in some mountainous areas of the Central Apennines.

 

With our project in Central Apennines we estimated density and occupancy of different mammal species in some corridor areas designed for the marsican brown bear, to test if these areas support the populations of these mammals. We also quantified the livestock grazing, creating maps on a fine scale resolution.

 

Quantifying the presence of wild species in these areas, and relating this to the presence of farmed species, is significant to both increase the limited knowledge that exists in these areas and to support the coexistence between wildlife and local communities.