Ecological and Fluvial Corridor of the Verri Stream as a Connecting Step in the Natura 2000 Network Along the Calabria Coastal Region, Italy

In Calabria coastal regions, seaward and landward sides could be connected through the ecological role of fluvial catchments. Calabria Tyrrhenian coast shows a wilderness area, characterized by two terrestrial and marine Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) connected by the fluvial catchment of Verri stream. The bibliographic search was realized according to a Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis, as a standardized method for screening the most relevant literature. The field survey, conducted in the study area, highlighted high biodiversity levels and a great natural heritage represented by 189 plant species and 130 animal ones. According to the resulting data, the basin represents a classical model of ecological corridor linking terrestrial and marine SACs, as cornerstones of Natura 2000 network, so representing the European assessment for biodiversity conservation. This paper highlights the high biological richness of a wilderness area showing the tight relationship between the continental and the marine districts of the same coastal region. The main goal of the research is to remark the fundamental role of fluvial corridors within a regional approach where riverine catchments could represent the connecting steps of the network. In Calabria it is hopeful to establish a functional connectivity amongst protected areas supported by fluvial corridors along the regional basins.