LIFE SIC2SIC PROJECT. METHODOLOGY, ACTIVITIES AND …• LIFE SIC2SIC project, pag 2 • The institutional campaign, pag 3 • LIFE SIC2SIC bike tour, pag 4 • Training and informative

LIFE SIC2SIC PROJECT.METHODOLOGY, ACTIVITIES AND RESULTS.

LIFE16GIE/IT/000700

LAYMAN’S REPORT

LIFE_Layman's(eng)25_1_21_LIFE_edit_11_20 25/01/21 15:46 Pagina 1

• LIFE SIC2SIC project, pag 2

• The institutional campaign, pag 3

• LIFE SIC2SIC bike tour, pag 4

• Training and informative activities in schools, pag 5

• Institutional meetings, pag 6

• Discussions with the companies and industries, pag 9

• Public events, pag 11

• Media relations activities, pag 14

• New media activities, pag 15

• Final conference, pag 17

• Project results through the figures, pag 18

1


LIFE SIC2SIC project.

Life Sic2Sic Project, co-financed by the EUas part of the Life program, was born withthe ambitious goal of designing a commu-nication campaign in order to promote anactive and conscious participation of youngpeople and students, citizens, institutionsand companies in the protection and eco-nomic and social enhancement of biodiver-sity in the sites of the Natura 2000 Network(RN2000).Objectives and targets brought the projectteam to shape an integrated campaign

where traditional events, institutional mee-tings, press office and information activitiesin schools coexisted, along with new mediainterventions. Advertising, social-web edito-rial supervision and unconventional commu-nication actions (i.e. collective cycling) weretools mixed all along the project.Leading this rich and complex set of activi-ties was the Higher Institute for Environmen-tal Protection and Research (Ispra) whichworked in partnership with the communica-tion company Ares 2.0, the Italian Federa-tion for the Environment and Bicycle (Fiab),and the 'Enne3 business incubator.

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The Higher Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA) is apublic research body, subject to the supervision of the Minister of the Environ-ment and the protection of the territory and the sea (MATTM). The Ministermakes use of the Institute in the exercise of his duties, issuing general guide-lines for the pursuit of institutional tasks. ISPRA is integrated into the natio-nal network system for environmental protection (Law 132/2016) whichcounts the presence on the national territory of 21 between the regional(ARPA) and provincial (APPA) agencies. ISPRA chairs the Federal Council consi-sting of the director general and the legal representatives of the ARPA and APPA.

ARES 2.0 is a company organized into two divisions that operate in con-stant synergy: social and institutional communication and informationproducts. The company is ISO 9001: 2015 certified and has been accreditedby the European Parliament for over 4 years as a provider of institutionalcommunication services.

Enne3 is a university business incubator based in Novara and is responsiblefor promoting and developing innovative business projects with a techno-logical, creative and social attitude, with particular attention to the terri-tory of eastern Piedmont. Over the years Enne3 has developed innovativemethodologies for the entrepreneurial development of small territoriesand communities, oriented towards tourism, services and creativity.It works with the industrial world on research and development and te-chnology transfer issues.

FIAB is an environmental Federation. The structure brings together over130 local autonomous associations, scattered throughout Italy, which aimto promote the use of bicycles both as a means of daily transport to im-prove traffic and the urban environment, and for the practice of hiking, aform of tourism that is particularly respectful of the environment.


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The institutional campaign.

An institutional campaign was devised to givethe whole project an identity. It signed and di-rected each of the planned initiatives Biodiversity, sustainability, environment,bicycle, are the key words that led to the crea-tion of a creative concept able to communicatethe objectives of the project immediately andeffectively. The creative concept promoted theknowledge of the Natura 2000 sites in 7 Italianregions using the most ecological means avai-lable: the bike. The strength and originality ofthe campaign rests on a communication struc-

ture based on the union of two essential ele-ments: the bicycle(treated with drawings) anda photo with round bales. The integration ofthe two elements creates a strong, memorableand engaging image. Indeed, the message im-mediately enters the context. In addition, the round bales define the area,which is a protected rural environment, andare integrated with the right means to disco-ver and get to know it: the bicycle. The cam-paign, as it was conceived, lends itself to beingdeclined with various other natural elements,such as flowers, fruit, etc., never losing fre-shness and originality.

RETE NATURA 2000.L’AMBIENTE SI FA STRADA.

7 REGIONI100 TAPPE

200 COMUNI 6.000 KM

LIFE16GIE/IT/000700


7 REGIONI 100 TAPPE200 COMUNI 6.000 KM


7 REGIONI

200 COMUNI

6.000 KM

100 TAPPE

LIFE16GIE/IT/000700


7 REGIONI100 TAPPE

200 COMUNI 6.000 KM

LIFE16GIE/IT/000700


The institutional campaign and some examples of its visual declination


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LIFE SIC2SIC bike tour.

The inclusion of the bike tour as unconven-tional action in the media mix was central tothe SIC2SIC communication plan. It was atool that increasingly represented the tangi-ble symbol of active participation in environ-mental protection.After careful arrangement of the stages andpaths, the SIC2SIC teams of cyclists set off on atour to promote biodiversity in 7 regions selec-ted for the project. It consisted In a 5,770,000km route that crossed 915 municipalities and

387 Natura 2000 sites. During this path, theteam of 6 cyclists together with the supportgroup carried out awareness-raising activities,through informative laboratories in schools,meetings with local institutions, thematic wor-kshops and organization of events open to theall citizens.Bicycle routes have therefore become a con-crete opportunity to establish direct contactbetween citizens, institutions and economic ac-tors, as well as sharing reflections and com-ments on the importance of specific areas thatrespect nature and biodiversity.

9153875.770

NATURA 2000 SITES

MUNICIPALITIES KM TRAVELED


5

Training and informative activities in schools.

Within the large and heterogeneous au-dience to which SIC2SIC was addressed,young people are a core target. The majortopics and aims of the awareness raising ac-tivities devoted to them were the value ofthe environment, the protection of biodiver-sity and the role of the Natura 2000 net-work. In this perspective, an informationevent that adopts the principles of the Ge-stalt cycle or cycle of experience has beendeveloped. Each event lasted one hour, andwas organized over 4 moments:

•

•

•

•

With this approach, 48 meetings were orga-nized involving about 4.200 students and 161school operators.

Brainstorming: attach large sheet of whitepaper on the classroom wall, on which towrite the keywords "Natura 2000 Network"or "Biodiversity"; and ask the pupils whatthey think by reading these words. Thereare no wrong answers but only right an-swers on which no judgment is expressedContact: lesson on what the Natura 2000network is and on the importance of pro-per management of natural areasDidactic game: Find your poetic "nature"with caviardage - Writing naturePost Contact: final feedback / return anddelivery of diplomas

4.20048161STUDENTSMEETINGS

SCHOOL OPERATORS


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Institutional meetings.

Strengthening the awareness of institutio-nal actors about the value of environmentalissues in territorial development policieswas one of SIC2SIC objectives. This specificaim was pursued in the communicationstrategy through the office for institutionalrelations established to involve local insti-tutions. This involvement was developedthrough a process that consisted of 5 macrophases:

1. Mapping of institutional stakeholders ofthe municipalities that the bike tour would cross

2. Preparation of informative materials fora first email contact with the local institution

3. Telephone follow-up to verify their interest of the local Institution

4. Activation of the press office, and theSIC2SIC organizational and communication staff in order to create the best conditions for a successful meeting

5. Implementation of the meeting on theshared day, delivery of the Notice Board

The methodology described, part of therelational marketing field, has guaranteedresults well beyond the project objectives.Overall, the institutional meetings were83 for the involvement of 236 local admi-nistrators. A measure of the effectivenessof this approach is undoubtedly the decla-red willingness of 15 administrations tosign a SIC2SIC protocol in order to ensurecollaboration with the project workinggroup for a green implementation processof the Municipality.

8323615 INSTITUTIONAL

MEETINGS

SIC2SICPROTOCOLS

LOCALIADMINISTRATORS


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Within the institutional meetings, networ-king activities with other Life projects werealso included. Regarding this specific issue, amapping of the projects whose objectivesand activities were in line with Sic2Sic pro-ject, and meetings were organized with therepresentatives of 25 projects. 25

PROJECTS


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9

Discussions with the companiesand industries.

Companies needs to be encouraged to de-velop competitive environmental sustaina-bility. This is one of the claims and objectivesof SIC2SIC. In each region of the SIC2SIC tour, compa-nies working on the diverse expressions ofthe tourism sector were involved. These ex-pressions included tourist services, and com-panies in the sustainable mobility sector(mainly bikes), as well as companies repre-senting good practices for their efforts to re-duce environmental impact. This engagement was prepared upstreamwith the identification of the reference uni-verse of the companies whose contacts wereretrieved from:

1.

2.

3.

4.

Overall, over 4,000 businesses (mainly inthe tourist accommodation sector) werereached. This was achieved following twodifferent paths: Easyholydays portal led tocompanies from the tourist and accommo-dation sector; while Lorenzo Lener Directorof Enne3 contacted the other companiesand sectors directly via email.In addition to the presentation of the pro-ject, also the possibility of hosting theSIC2SIC biker's team and in general to hostgroups of bicycle tourists and similar su-stainable holidays makers in their facilitieswas discussed. These concrete feasibilitychecks and dialogues focused on 4 macrothemes: Characteristics of the spaces in thereference facilities, location and distancefrom points of interest: food and local pro-ducts, Marketing.This work was carried out on all the SIC2SICpoints of departure and arrival, with the re-sult of over 198 companies met.

Tourism and accommodation sector:through Easyholydays srl, which hasmapped all the tourist accommodationcompanies in Italy and EuropeStart Up Sector: with the Special Regi-ster of Innovative Start Ups of the Mi-nistry of Economic Development anddirect contacts with innovation actorsand BIC SicilySustainable Mobility Sector Companiescollected through research on the Webwith keywords related to the theme ofbicycles and sustainable mobilityLow Impact Business: Seeking directcontacts through interviews and com-munication with the Territorial Asso-ciations of Industrialists

198COMPANIES


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11

Public events.

Events with people from the local territory,i.e. citizens, businesses, and young peoplewere crucial elements in the SIC2SIC com-munication strategy. In this framework,traditional as well as non- conventionalevents were organized. The former, wererepresented by territorial workshops andnational conferences, while the latter wereopen events for the general public to raiseawareness and Inform it using the sportingactivity (learning by cycling methodology).The activity of public events, went wellbeyond the planning of the 7 regional and2 national events planned for the project.This intense efforts represented an extra-ordinary driving force to multiply the in-

terest in the opportunities behind SIC2SICissues.Overall, 23 territorial workshops and natio-nal conferences were organized during thetour, 3 of them had a national coverage,while 19 were mostly at a territorial level.Not all of them were organized in the sameways and forms, especially in the third yearof the project. Indeed, after the first twoyears, when workshops and conferenceshad been organized as live events, in 2020the Covid19 pandemic made these mee-tings mostly evolve into remote events.Still recognizing the greater value and im-pact of the live events, in Sicily 8 municipa-lities gave their availability for eveningevents open to the public, offering thespace and conditions for safe participation.

23EVENTS


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As for the public learning by cycling events,the tour implied 5 rides developed duringthe week and one stage open to the publicimplemented on Saturdays. This open cy-cling group experience was guided by Fiaband showed an extensive participation of

the territory. These rides stimulated byterritorial animation activities, have be-come critical mass events for the promo-tion of alternative and sustainable uses ofthe territories and, above all, of the sitesof the Natura 2000 Network (RN2000).


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6.600CITIZENS INVOLVED IN TOURIST ROUTES

100STAGES


14

Media relations activity.

The media relations activity, lead by Ispra,played a primary role in achieving the dualobjective of institutional attention and pu-blic awareness of SIC2SIC topics.In order to maximize effectiveness, pressrelations system of all partners were exploi-ted, thus providing a common commitmentto make contacts with most relevant andactive influencers and journalists availableon the topic.The activity started using the data availablethrough the mapping developed in the firstphase of the project, but the press office ac-

tivity has had an evolution that has gone farbeyond it. Indeed, every travel was an extra-ordinary opportunity to build relationshipswith the local press which has always beenvery interested in enhancing the project andthe participation of the local government.From a practical point of view, the methodused was the one represented by a contactwith the newspapers, often intermediatedby a subject of local governance. This firstcontact was followed by an informationnote (press release) which became the pu-blished article. Thanks to this strategy, theSIC2SIC project managed to secure a spacein 225 national and local newspapers.

225ARTICLES


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New media activities.

An intense communication activity conveyedthrough social and web channels accompa-nied the cycling tour and the activities car-ried out along the 6,000 km.A common element in the use of these chan-nels was a storytelling approach. Through aweb portal and project official socialpages, over 100 audiovisuals and informa-tion materials, a photographic competi-tion and a dense editorial and advertisingcoverage, SIC2SIC has managed to exploitthe digital planet. It involved almost 2 mil-lion people on the crucial issue of biodiver-sity and its environmental, economic andsocial declination.Entering into the details of the activities,there are at least 6 key points that framethe work done:•

•

•

•

•

There are 4 information products that havebeen conceived and created in order to makeavailable to the SIC2SIC public a useful toolto strengthen the sustainable developmentstrategy of our territories. With a carefullook at the companies, the "Vademecum Ho-spitality Tourist Bike-Nature" and a "collec-tion of good practices of green economy"was created. Of greatest interest to policymakers is the vademecum "Cycling in protec-ted areas" and the leyman's report "The LIFESIC2SIC project: methodology, activities andresults". The entire series of four productsrepresented an extremely important contentcontribution to the new media presidency.

The main platform on which the socialcommunication action was built was Fa-cebook. However, to complete the socialpresence, the Instagram and Twitterchannels were also used

The web portal represented a fundamentalchannel for those who wanted to deepenthe topic and follow all activities of SIC2SIC.Its importance is clearly represented bythese numbers: 301 pages developed, 1084between photographs and graphics, al-most 800 thousand pages visited

The production of audiovisuals availableon the SIC2SIC YouTube channel is a fun-damental element of the storytelling

strategy. Events, stages, institutionalmeetings were told through 113 videos

Since their birth, the social channels havebeen managed on two levels: the edito-rial one through a team of social journa-lists, and the advertising one, through anadvertiser. The combination of these twodimensions of the social presence are thebasis of the extraordinary success of theSIC2SIC public

The photo competition was an importantinnovation within the communicationplan. The goal was to expand the oppor-tunities for involvement and interactionwith the public, always within the frame-work of a content-storytelling strategy.Once again, the numbers tell the successof this initiative. 364 photographers par-ticipated for a total of 1080 photographsin competition


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LIFE16GIE/IT/000700

VIENI, SCATTA

E VINCI.........

....

CONCORSO FOTOGRAFICO RETE NATURA 2000


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Final conference.

SIC2SIC final conference represented a mo-ment of extraordinary importance for the dis-semination of a communication model onenvironmental issues useful to replicate. Theconference activated the top reference actorsfor environmental policies in Italy.In this perspective, the event included twomoments: the first one related to the storyof the project and its results through the de-scriptions of the partners, and the secondone Intending to deepen the themes under-lying Sic2sic (protection of biodiversity, mo-

bility and sustainable development, econo-mic opportunities of the Network Natura2000) through the presence of importantspeakers who, due to their institutional rolesand professional histories, have guaranteedan extraordinary contribution to the debateon the green perspectives of our socio-eco-nomic system.The conference was scheduled for November27th, 2020 and, due to the COVID-19 pande-mic, It was organized remotely through thezoom platform and a streaming manage-ment on the project FB page and the ISPRATV channel.


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Project results through the figures.

Sicily21 Stages of the routes1200 Stages of the routes146 Municipalities touched by the routes87 SIC2SIC passed by the routes

Puglia19 Stages of the routes1226 Stages of the routes130 Municipalities touched

by the routes84 SIC2SIC passed

by the routes

Friuli-Venezia Giulia10 Stages of the routes609 Stages of the routes92 Municipalities touched by the routes40 SIC2SIC passed by the routes

Sardinia11 Stages of the routes546 Km of the routes62 Municipalities touched by the routes46 SIC2SIC passed by the routes

Piedmont19 Stages of the routes1163 Stages of the routes373 Municipalities touched by the routes70 SIC2SIC passed by

the routes

Lazio/Umbria20 Stages of the routes1026 Km of the routes112 Municipalities touched

by the routes60 SIC2SIC passed

by the routes


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6.600 citizensPublic taking part in the actions, including the cycling route

1.998,103People reached by social adv campaigns

10.079Social pages followers

779.376Visited pages of the SIC2SIC portal

83Institutional meetingswith local administrations

198Economic operators met

48Number of schools in which informationevents were carried out

24Public events organized by SIC2SIC

225Number of articles from magazines and newspapers that talked about SIC2SIC


Documents

LIFE SIC2SIC PROJECT. METHODOLOGY, ACTIVITIES AND …• LIFE SIC2SIC project, pag 2 • The institutional campaign, pag 3 • LIFE SIC2SIC bike tour, pag 4 • Training and informative