The Molise beaches have recorded a new record for the nesting of the Kentish plover (Charadrius alexandrinus), a small shorebird indicating the healthiness of coastal ecosystems. The volunteers of Ambiente Basso Molise have discovered 40 nests of plovers in the territories of Campomarino, Termoli, Petacciato and Montenero di Bisaccia. Over 30 of these nests have been identified in Termoli, making this beach the favorite for nesting the plover.
“This result is a very positive sign,” he said Luigi Lucchese, president of Ambiente Basso Molise. “It indicates that our beaches are healthy and that monitoring and protection efforts are paying off.”
The plover is a biological indicator of the naturalistic quality of a beach and an anthropological indicator of social sensitivity towards the environment. Furthermore, it is an indicator for the award of the Blue Flag, a prestigious recognition for clean and well-managed beaches. “For those few stupid people who still don’t understand how important the plover is” explain the environmentalists “let’s also say that where there is a plover’s nest the sea water is very clean.”
Monitoring of the Molise coast has detected a constant increase in the number of plover nests since 2021, when 26 were recorded on 14 kilometers of coast, together with a small plover nest, an unprecedented event. “Where the plover nests,” adds Lucchese, “the sea is particularly clean, as revealed by the analyzes carried out on the eggs deposited on the beach by this bird.”
In 2023, Ambiente Basso Molise discovered 33 Kentish plover nests, with 28 of these located on the northern seafront of Termoli, which has become the favorite beach for nesting. 88 eggs were hatched, with 23 confirmed hatchlings and 6 chicks taking flight. “It’s definitely a good year,” commented Lucchese. “The northern beach confirms itself as the one with the most nests, also thanks to the tranquility of the place.
Collaboration between local authorities, environmental organizations and the community is crucial to the success of conservation initiatives and to ensuring a sustainable future for threatened species.
