Conservation challenges in human dominated seascapes: The harbour and coast of Ravenna

Ravenna is the major coastal city of Emilia-Romagna region and one of the largest commercial seaports in Italy. Its harbour was established in the lagoon systems surrounding the city, which are comprised of the southern part of the Po Delta Park, inscribed in the World Heritage List. The Emilia-Romagna coast is an area of renowned environmental, cultural and economical value, and one of the world's leading holiday destinations. Human pressure on the coast has been historically intense, and environmental problems are varied and severe, including: 1) erosion and land subsidence (both natural and human-induced), which have lead to proliferation of hard defence structures over 60% of an originally sandy coast and which is expected to become even more serious because of rising sea levels; 2) developments of settlements, industries, aquaculture, ports, tourism and recreation, which have lead to the creation of vast built-up areas at the expense of natural habitats; 3) fragmentation, transformation (e.g. changes in sediment characteristics) and loss of native habitats and biodiversity; 4) eutrophication, poor water quality, algal blooms and spread of exotic species. Pockets of extensive coastal habitats of high naturalistic and environmental value still remain in the region, and one of the greatest challenges for local authorities is the identification of more sustainable defence measures, that combine coastal protection to nature conservation. We provide an up-to-date overview of the status and trends of the harbour of Ravenna and surrounding coastal areas, with the intents to identify future directions to improve the conservation and management of this valuable coastal region, and to provide a scientific support to local authorities in the urban redevelopment project for the regeneration of the harbour area for leisure and tourism.