Project Team

In September 2022, Luca Gautero officially became director of the Maritime Alps Protected Areas Management Authority. Gautero, with a degree in environmental and territorial engineering and PhD, worked for several years at the Municipality of Cuneo, where he was hired as an official in 1999. A manager since 2010, with assignments in the environment and mobility sectors, he has been in charge of the Gesso and Stura River Park since its inception. For the time being, he will retain responsibility for this protected area: the Maritime Alps Council has in fact approved a one-year, one-day-a-week secondment to the river park offices.

Even before joining, in 1984, the former Argentera Park (now Aree Protette delle Alpi Marittime), I followed the first steps of the newborn protected area on behalf of the Municipality of Entracque. Then I started to work for Argentera Park, where I carried out technical and conservation tasks as well as economic and human resources management activities, promoting with constancy and tenacity the land between the Alps and the Mediterranean, the Po Valley and Provence. Today, as former director of the Protected Areas of the Maritime Alps, I have accumulated great experience in the management of transboundary and international European projects dedicated to the conservation of the environment and the sustainable promotion of the territory over the years. LIFE WOLFALPS EU certainly represents one of the most demanding and ambitious challenges, in terms of objectives and dimensions, in recent years.

Francesca Marucco, zoologist, Associate Professor at the University of Torino, at the Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology (DBIOS).  She has a long experience with wolves: she has been studying them for at least twenty years, between the Alps and North America. After graduating in Turin, she obtained a Master and a Doctorate (PhD) at the University of Missoula in US, Montana, dedicated to the study of wolf ecology. She is an affiliated member with the University of Montana, and Scientific Coordinator of the LIFE WOLFALPS EU Project (and of the previous LIFE WOLFALPS). She published numerous international scientific articles, books, and she is an editor and reviewer for scientific journals. She is a contact person on this topic for the Ministry of Ecological Transition and ISPRA, and a member of several international scientific groups, including the LCIE (IUCN).

My main professional interest and motivation is to contribute to finding effective solutions to conservation problems. My affection for animals was first directed towards getting a degree in veterinary medicine and completing a thesis in wolf ecology. As I got more involved in practical conservation in the field, I’ve learned that working with people is the main challenge in nature conservation. Therefore, I focused my graduate studies on human dimensions of wildlife management, especially public participation in decision-making and studies of public attitudes towards large carnivore species. In my 20 years of professional experience, I have worked on different nature conservation and research projects, mainly in Slovenia and Croatia. I am a member of IUCN/SSC specialist group “Large carnivore initiative for Europe”. I am currently based at the Biology Department of the Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana in the position of project manager and researcher. When not at work, I am a full-time wife and a mother, and part-time dog walker, sailor, seamstress, and volunteer at the Down Syndrome Association of Slovenia.

Graduated in Forest and Environmental Sciences at the University of Turin, I have been working for twenty years in the management of the natural areas of Piedmont, first as a park guard, then as a technician, until I have held the position of Director of the Management Body since 2005, taking care of the financial, technical and administrative management. Passionate about marginal and uncontaminated areas, I have always been interested in the natural world and biodiversity.

I graduated in Law, but changed a lot of jobs before finding the one that incorporates my love for nature. Being a part of LIFE projects at Slovenia Forest Service, I help with the administrative and financial parts, but I also try to get involved with the activities in the field. I live near the forest, with bears, wolves and lynx very close by, roe and red deer visiting my garden and squirrels almost peeking through the windows. My job is to keep it like this for the children. I couldn’t live without my family, good books and sports.

I studied Microbiology, but my professional path later on took me to the fascinating world of large carnivores. I enjoy learning about the complexity of large carnivore conservation and working towards better coexistence between people and wildlife. In my free time, I like spending time outdoors, playing with my kids and reading a good book just before I go to sleep.

From a young age, I have been fascinated by nature and especially by large carnivores. This was also the main reason why I enrolled in the Biotechnical Faculty and graduated in biology. During and after my studies, I was active as a volunteer in various natural science organizations both in Slovenia and abroad, I also participated in monitoring of animals and plants. In my free time I like riding horses, skiing and exploring the hidden corners of our planet.

 Born in Tione di Trento in 1979, he graduated in Biological Sciences, ethological address, with a thesis on social facilitation. In 2005, he obtained a Master in Environmental Communication from the University of Pisa and since 2007 he has been working at the MUSE – Museum of Sciences in Trento, dealing with various aspects of the museum over time. He currently, together with Laura Eccel, coordinates the actions of MUSE in the LIFE WOLFALPS EU project to improve wolf-human coexistence for the alpine population.

Biologist and naturalist by training, I had the opportunity to work on monitoring and conservation programs of various threatened species in France and abroad, first on birds and then on large predators, always with the objective of promoting cohabitation between wildlife and human activities.Passionate about nature, mountains and close to the pastoral world, getting involved with the OFB on the LIFE WolfAlps is therefore a particularly motivating challenge! Both to be in the field in contact with the concerned users and to contribute to a better understanding of the predation problems at the local level in order to adapt the protection measures.

Agronomist, with more than 15 years experience in Natura 2000 management, planning, environmental assessment and project management both as freelance consultant and civil servant. During the last years I have been involved also in social innovation projects in marginal rural areas, with a focus on the western alpine communities. Since March 2020, I am in charge of the overall and day-to-day management of the Protected Areas of Ossola Management Body. With the technical and administrative support of my colleagues Radames, Eleonora and Ivana I am also in charge of managing the LIFE Wolfalps EU actions and tasks.

I am a wildlife biologist with a focus on large carnivore conservation. Originally I started working on brown bears in Trentino and Slovenia, nowadays I moved on to wolves as my main focus species. Getting the coexistence of wolves and humans to work in Austria and the whole Alps seems to be the biggest, but also the greatest challenge in my professional life. It is fascinating to see how a society as a whole, but more important single stakeholder groups interact with each other, only because of an animal species. Beside my work on large carnivores, I conduct statistical data analyses and computer simulation studies in other ecological and veterinarian projects. In my free time, I love to hike, do other outdoor activities and to play badminton.

I am a technical assistant in the Animal Ecology Group at the Department of Biology, Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Ljubljana. I have more than 25 years of experience working on various projects. I am involved in the LIFE WOLFALPS EU project as part of the wolf population monitoring campaign, where I carry out field and technical work.

Graduated in natural sciences and wildlife management, I am also a PhD in physical geography. Since 2011, I have worked for Eurac Research on ecological connectivity and human-wildlife relationship, fundamental topics to implement actions that could protect biodiversity and the human presence and economy in the mountains at the same time. I love to hike in nature with my dog and to read books about ancient history and eastern philosophy. I write scientific articles about nature and human-wildlife interactions.

My name is Ferdinand Ringdorfer and I am the head of the department for sheep and goats at HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein. Within the project, I am the project manager and I also coordinate technical tasks such as the establishment of the WPIUs. My work at AREC focuses on the breeding of goats and sheep and experiments on different grazing methods in the alpine region. I am planning to spend the next summer on an alpine pasture with a herd of about 700 sheep. Moreover, I am the editor of the Austrian journal “Sheep and Goats – News”. In my free time I like to travel or to go for a run. 

I am a Lieutenant Colonel of the Arma dei Carabinieri Forest Specialty. I am the head of the Studies and Projects Office, a special office dedicated to LIFE projects.  We work to combat illegal wildlife killing. Anti-poaching and anti-poisoning activities are our main activity in this LIFE WolfAlps EU Project and the anti-poison canine teams are our winning weapons.  I coordinated a lot of LIFE projects with dogs anti-poison units: LIFE Medwolf, LIFE WolfAlps, LIFE Mirco lupo, LIFE Pluto and now I am the coordinator of Arma dei Carabinieri actions in Wolfalps EU Project. In my free time, I love spending time with my family. I enjoy travelling, hiking, skiing and sailing.

I am a forester by profession. I finished my education at the Biotechnical Faculty at the University of Ljubljana at the Department of Forestry and Renewable Forest Resources. I am most interested in studying animals, especially large carnivores. Currently my work is mostly connected with studying Eurasian lynx and wildcat, however I am also included in wolf studies. From a young age, I like to spend time in the woods and nature, where I feel the best. In my spare time, I like to do wildlife photography, mountain biking, hiking and knife making.

Head of the Agroforestry Supply Chain Services Office of ERSAF (Regional Agency for Services to Agriculture and Forestry), I coordinated the working group that supported Lombardy Region on the previous LIFE WOLFALPS project  that contributed to build the prevention system in the Lombardy Region. I am the manager – responsible in ERSAF for the LIFE WOLFALPS EU project.

After the degree in Agricultural Sciences at Turin University I began my first experience in environmental protection with the direction of Val Troncea Natural Park from 1984 to 1998. In the same year I was appointed general manager of the Gran Paradiso national Park, that I have managed for nineteen years. Subsequently a real biodiversity treasure trove waited for me to lead four natural parks and 15 special areas of conservation in the Cottian Alps. My team in the project: Silvia Alberti, Gianabele Bonicelli, Gianfranco Careddu, Rosario Decrù, Nadia Faure, Bruno Frache, Renato Garrone, Luca Giunti, Monica Leschiera, Pierpaolo Massel, Alba Meirone, Domenico Rosselli, Massimo Rosso, Elisa Ramassa, Bruno Usseglio.

I am a wildlife practitioner and agronomist with a particular interest in the sustainable management and conservation of wildlife resources. My initial experience was in the field of livestock breeding, biotechnology and cryoconservation. This led me to South Africa where I was involved in wildlife biobanking initiatives and conservation. In 2004 I relocated to the Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe where I spent four years studying the spotted hyena. Working closely with the Zimbabwean Parks and Wildlife Management Authorities, my research focused on the spotted hyena’s behavioural and numerical responses to human activity.
I have since been exploring integrated management solutions for natural ecosystems, with a special emphasis on land use conflict mediation and the sustainable management of wildlife in a variety of ecosystems in Africa and Asia to achieve the objectives of conservation in a changing world. Coming back home I set up in the French Alps mountains. I am currently based at the French office for biodiversity as Wolf and Lynx projects team leader.

I graduated in Forestry Science at the University of Torino in 1986 and I have been responsible for the Hunting and Wildlife Service of the Autonomous Region of Valle d’Aosta since 1997. I have worked in many European projects concerning the protection and management of wild species (native trout, arctic hare, rock ptarmigan, black grouse, ibex, …) and their environment. Since the wolf reappeared in Valle d’Aosta, I have been working on monitoring populations and on living with livestock. I am very pleased to be part of the LIFE WolfAlps EU project.

I am a wildlife biologist specialised in carnivore conservation. Before arriving at the MNP as coordinator of the project, I worked at the OFB (Office Français de la Biodiversité – ex-ONCFS Wildlife and Hunting French Agency) for 13 years, and in French Guiana for 11 years, where I was responsible for the Technical and Knowledge Department and worked on tropical wild fauna. I have particularly implemented a project on jaguar-men coexistence consisting in biological knowledge improvement on the species (capture, radio-telemetry, monitoring, genetic analysis) and conflict management (delocation, communication). I like to travel, discover new places and draw (mainly animals) and I am really excited to be part of this project.

I have been an administrative officer of the Dolomiti Bellunesi National Park since 1999, and currently I’m also acting director of the National Park. In the framework of the LIFE WolfAlps EU project I am responsible for the administrative aspects of the various actions carried out by the Park.

Graduated in Natural Sciences with an experimental thesis in animal behavior, she has been working at the MUSE since 1998. Since 2009, she has been a cultural mediator in the vertebrate zoology area. She is involved in science communication, temporary exhibition, permanent galleries, educational activities and public events. Educational activities manager and special events curator in the LIFE WolfAlps EU project. 

I have been working for ERSAF (Lombardy Regional Agency for Agriculture and Forests) for almost thirty years. In the Life WolfAlps EU project, as I did in the previous Life WOLFALPS, I collaborate mainly in the actions related to prevention measures and for the reduction of conflicts with shepherds, breeders and hunters in Lombardy.

Spatial Planner and PhD in Environmental Science, I am Senior Researcher at Eurac Research. My passion about nature and mountains is the reason why I live and work in Bolzano, the “gateway to the Dolomites” in the heart of the Alps, and why I deal with local and regional development with focus on mountain environment, protected and marginal areas and the human-wildlife relationship and conflict. I’m a curious guy and I love travelling and spending time outdoors with my friends and family.

I am a journalist, graduated in Chinese language and literature,  and am currently director of communication coordinating the network of MUSE press office and promotion, leading the International Collaboration Project Management team. I amalso in charge of MUSE public relations, and of the brand identity. Since 2015, I have been a member of the Cultural Commission of the Municipality of Pergine (Italy). In 2017, I started to serve ICOM Italy as delegate for the Trentino Alto-Adige region.​

I have a degree and PhD from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Turin, and a masters degree in Wildlife Eco Pathology from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in Milan. I have always worked in the field of wildlife and  I have been involved in the experimentation and dissemination of prevention systems and predation methods of wolves on livestock for ten years. I took part in the previous LIFE WolfAlps project and I am also t  the veterinarian for the Beneficiary Coordinator of the current project.

I am a wildlife biologist and researcher in conservation genetics and ecology. My recent studies include genomic analyses of wild species and domestic populations at risk in Europe and Canada, including bison, cattle, dogs, and wolves. I am interested in contemporary evolution resulting from human activities, and how we can best preserve wild species and their habitats in the face of rapid environmental change. I have a strong interest in applied conservation genetics, and in projects that integrate ecology, evolution, and conservation and connect these fields to human dimensions, including ethics and human-wildlife interactions. In my free time I enjoy dancing, hiking, reading, and traveling. I feel very fortunate to be involved in this and other wildlife conservation projects that are helping to preserve wild species in south central Europe and beyond.

Born in the mountains and enthusiastic mountaineer and fauna observer, I was hired in 1999 as Environmental wildlife agent at the Flora and Fauna Protection Service of the Province of Turin, and in 2010 I’ve changed my qualification to Wildlife supervisory instructor following a public competition. I deal with faunal control, hunting, fishing and environment surveillance, and I coordinate other colleagues and voluntary surveillance. Being an enthusiast dog lover, during the previous project I have trained with my female dog Mirtylle, a five year old Australian shepherd, to search for poison and we are now recognized as an anti-poison dog unit in the Piedmont Region. In the project, I will mainly deal with anti-poison inspections, monitoring and prevention activities with WPIU.

Graduated in International and Diplomatic Sciences at the University of Turin, I have been working for the Metropolitan City of Turin for ten years, first within the Europe Direct center and now in the Specialized Unit in European and international projects where I deal with the management and implementation of European projects. In the LIFE Wolfalps EU project my role is Financial project manager.

Graduated in Ecology and Evolution, with a postgraduate specialisation in wildlife management and conservation. As an ecologist, I look at the world trying to understand the complex relationships that connect all species, including humans and wolves.

Graduated in Forestry and Environmental Sciences and with a specialization in landscape architecture, I have been working for 15 years at the hunting and wildlife service as the person in charge of   the wildlife and fishing office, where, in addition to normal wildlife management work, I work in some European projects, including the LIFE WOLFALPS EU project, of which I am the technical and conservation group and communication group responsible.

First graduated in Wildife Research issues and population modelling, the predator prey interface turns to be the core of my interests on deer, sustainable harvest strategies and habitat interactions.  I am a wildlife biologist at the French Biodiversity Agency (Office Français de la Biodiversité – OFB) working among the Research Department on predator and depredator animals as project manager. My previous field experiences are associated to the applied nature of the Research, now dedicated to the understanding of carnivore ecology as well as the management of wolf-human interactions and decision making process. Thanks to the former implications within international canid specialist group in Europe and alpine area, my involvement in this LIFE project will focus on the wolf-prey ecosystem understanding and on the establishment of an integrated surveillance of the wolf status at the Alpine population level.

An Educator by vocation, I worked for more than twenty years in the Lombardy Regional Park of the Ticino Valley as a responsible officer for Environmental Education. Currently, I’m working at the Region of Lombardy’s DG for Environment and Climate where my many years of experience in the field is being enriched with new knowledge and skills, also at a European level. In the LIFE WOLFALPS EU project, I am responsible for both the Environmental Education and communications actions.

I graduated in Communication Sciences. I have been working at the Stelvio National Park for many years, in the field of environmental education, scientific communication and sustainable tourism development. I collaborated with the previous Life Wolfalps in the action related to the analysis of the attitude of the general public, hunters and breeders towards the wolf and its ways of management. For the LIFE WolfAlps EU project, I deal  with the implementation of communication, environmental education and responsible tourism in the Stelvio Park area for ERSAF.

The administrative management of projects is complex and must be carried out with precision and rigour so that the expenditure incurred in carrying out the activities is certified. For good management, teamwork and close collaboration between technical and administrative contacts within the institution and with all project partners is essential. This allows us to build relationships and grow humanly and professionally: a challenge that many times turns into satisfaction! One of the greatest satisfactions after the first LIFE WOLFALPS project was, at the end of the project, the permanent organic stabilization of the administrative employee hired on a temporary basis for the duration of the project, with whom I continue to work on the new project today.  

I am an agronomist and I manage the Rural and Mountain Department of Metropolitan City of Turin where I have been working since 2001, dealing with economic and social development of rural and mountain areas. I have also been Project manager of twelve European projects. As part of this project, I hold the qualification of ecotourism specialist and I deal with identifying and promoting ecotourism products and events in  wolf territories.

After a degree in forest and environmental sciences at the University of Padua in Italy, with the completion of a thesis on the forestry system on the Ivory Coast, I arrived in France in order to specialize in mediation and environmental education. I was mainly seeking to learn how to transmit the desire to protect nature to as many people as possible. Following this master’s degree, I quickly found a job in France in the field of environmental education, in several different administrations including some on the international level. These experiences also included working internationally. Since 2012, I have been in charge of the coordination of the educational policy for the Mercantour National Park (France).

My role in the group  is to analyze NGS data and computer modelling of the population dynamics. I studied entomology in St. Petersburg University, Russia, where I started as a “classical” taxonomist, then switched to molecular phylogenetics and, finally, to computer science. However, field trips are still my favorite part of scientific life. I am strongly interested in development of bioinformatics methods for research in wildlife conservation, ecology and evolution. 

After graduating in International Relations and European Integration, she lived  in Geneva for several years and in Brussels doing internships and work experiences at international and European organizations. She moved to Trento in 2012, to deal with the financial and administrative management of European projects for the Autonomous Province of Trento and since 2015, she collaborates with MUSE.

I have been involved in the ecology and management of large mammals first during my academic studies (degree in Biological Sciences) and then for assignments carried out for several institutions (Regional and National Parks, Provincial and Regional Administrations, CNR, Universities). The Master in Geographic Information Systems for the environment at the University of Milan has perfected my training in GIS and spatial data analysis, applicable in  ecological studies. I obtained twenty  years of experience in wolf management aimed at conservation, first I worked in the Apennine  and then” in the Alps. There I’ve had the opportunity to follow the natural alpine colonization of the wolf from the very first steps, monitoring the status of the wolf population (within an international framework of collaboration) and working on the management of the man/wolf conflict. I worked first as a researcher of the “Piedmont Wolf Project” (2002-2012), then with assignments in specific actions in the LIFE WolfAlps Project (2014-2018) and currently in the LIFE WolfAlps EU Project  in the role of Technical Manager for the Coordinating Beneficiary. I strongly believe in teamwork, an attitude that has always accompanied my life.

As a member of the State Forestry Corps (now, Arma dei Carabinieri Forest Speciality). I have been collecting wolf droppings along the Maritime Alps for 24 years and in the LIFE WOLFALPS EU Project I will check and reorganize collections of wolf droppings by colleagues. Since 2014, I have been a handler of Kira, a Belgian Malinois, trained as an anti-poison dog within LIFE WOLFALPS Project. We mainly work in Piedmont  to preventt poaching and illegal use of poisons.

I have been working at the Dolomiti Bellunesi National Park since 1999. I am responsible for communication, dissemination and research and monitoring projects in the field of wildlife. For the LIFE Wolfalps EU project I work on the actions about communication, environmental education and wolf monitoring within the territory of the National Park.

I have worked in the Aosta Valley Forestry Corps since 1987. I take care of the verification of wildlife counts in the Aosta Valley Region. In the LIFE WolfAlps EU project I am the coordinator of the prevention and monitoring actions.

The administrative management of projects is complex, the reporting of LIFE projects is very detailed and extremely rigorous. I have been doing this work for twenty years, an almost invisible and silent activity, which makes it possible to carry out concrete conservation and communication actions. To escape the boredom of office work, it is comforting to think that my accounting and administrative skills are put at the service of nature conservation.

I got a high school diploma in education and I attended graphic design studies. Following my passion for nature and the Apennine mountains, in 1993 I became part of the Protected Areas of Piedmont, first as a park guard and in 2007 as Technical Officer in matters of environmental management and conservation. My interests focus on the biology of conservation, planning and management of the territory. The wolf, for me, represents a link between the wild life I aspire and the conservation of nature that I take care of. I am a riding instructor and I am passionate about music, art and books.

I’m a park ranger at the Orsiera Rocciavrè nature park and I collaborated on the first Piedmont Wolf Project and on the previous Life Wolf Alps project. Dr. Silvia Dalmasso and I managed the logistics of protection systems and guardian dogs in defense of the flocks.

Superintendent of the Aosta Valley Forestry Corps – Assigned to the Flora and Fauna Structure – Wildlife and Fishing Office. I have a law degree. I have worked in the Aosta Valley Forestry Corps since 1999 for which I am the contact person in the technical-operational table of the National action plan for combating offenses against wild birds. As part of the LIFE WOLFALPS EU project, I am the anti-poison and anti-poaching actions coordinator.

Post-doctoral researcher at MUSE, I completed my naturalistic studies through various experiences in Italy and other European countries. In 2020, I have concluded my PhD, which allowed me to delve into subjects related to large carnivores and their interactions with humans and their activities. Partner level Stewardship Manager; Assistant in Human Dimension analysis, communication contents and networking with stakeholders in the LIFE Wolfalps EU project.

Graduated in Industrial Biotechnology at the University of Ferrara, in 2018 I won the competition for Officers of the Forestry Role of the Carabinieri Corps.
Since 2020, I have been commander of the Nucleo Investigativo Ambientale AgroAlimentare e Forestale of Imperia as well as of the Nucleo Cites of the same city. Fully active in the fight against environmental crimes and in particular those committed to the detriment of species protected by the Washington Convention. For the Wolfalps EU Project, as regional contact person for Liguria, I am in charge of coordinating the activities related to the project as well as supervising the activities of the Ligurian Anti-poison Dog Unit.

Originally from the Alps, I am passionate about mountain sports and the biodiversity that can be found there. Participating for several years in the monitoring of the wolf as a volunteer, I started by working on the anthropic impact on mountain galliformes. The Life WolfAlps EU represents for me a new opportunity to study the contradictory relations we have with nature, and for what interests us the presence of large predators with the breeding activities.

I am the administrative, financial and communication manager at the French Biodiversity Agency (Office Français de la Biodiversité – OFB). I previously worked with the Agency as part of an international congress organizing committee. I graduated in public library administration and management. Participating in this project represents a great challenge, both technically and administratively, which I look forward to taking up within this team.

I am a researcher and assistant at the Department of Biology at the Biotechnical Faculty of the University of Ljubljana. I received my doctorate on the topic of ecological characteristics and endangerment of wild cats in Slovenia. I work in the research group for animal ecology at the Department of Ecology and Environmental Protection, where as an assistant I teach students topics in the field of animal ecology and the study of ecosystems. The central theme of my research and professional work to date is the study of large mammals, especially large carnivores – their ecology, management and protection. In my work, I participate in the development and optimization of monitoring and management of wild animal populations at home and abroad. Among other things, I am also a member of the international group of experts for monitoring and studying wolf populations in the WAG (Wolf Alpine Group).

Graduated in environmental philosophy, with the excuse of the PhD in Alpine anthropology I moved to the Maritime Alps, where I live. I am a hiking guide and I am involved in environmental education. My first experience with wolf communication was in the previous LIFE WOLFALPS project: although this species is the most controversial and exploited species in the Alps, I am here again to deal with communication. I am passionate about nature, history and culture of the Alps: I appreciate the wolf as a piece of Alpine biodiversity, but I could never live without the alpine cheese of my shepherd friends, who I consider the guardians of the mountain. I read everything that comes my way and, when I can, I write articles and books – about the mountains.

I am currently completing my Master’s degree in Geological Sciences and Technologies.
I have always loved the mountains and this has influenced the choice of my course of study, participating in the Life Wolfalps EU project allows me to broaden my vision of mountain life through the study of the wolf and its relationship with the surrounding environment and man.
I am passionate about nature, art and sustainability, in my spare time I go trekking and I love reading, especially about travel and mountains.

My work at the Biotechnical Faculty of Ljubljana, Biology department  is based on searching for signs of presence as well as capturing and telemetry research of large carnivores. I’m also finishing my masters thesis where I’m studying interactions between lynx female, male and their offspring.  In my free time I like to do sports, especially football and cycling. For me it is a great privilege to work for a project like this, so close to nature.

After studying wildlife and conservation management in Vienna, I moved back to my home village in the South Tyrolean mountains. My family owns sheep and unfortunately, we lost several animals to wolves during the summer season on the mountain pasture. In these moments I experience this human wildlife conflict first-hand and it makes me aware of the importance of mitigation initiatives to provide perspectives for coexistence between human activities and nature conservation. 

I am a passionate wildlife biologist with a strong commitment to communication. I graduated in biological science in 2006,  and I earned my PhD in 2011. I worked in Italy and abroad, developing experience in large mammals ecology and management. Since 2012 I work as a wildlife biologist in collaboration with national and regional protected areas. Since 2014 I am working in monitoring and conservation of large carnivores ( Apennine brown bear and wolves). After earning a master degree on science communication, I am also working as a free-lance scientific writer  and in 2021 I have happily joined LIFE WolfAlps EU as a communicator manager at MUSE.

Genoese sailor landed in the Savoy mountains, I started studying wolves in the past century, chased them to the Canadian polar circle and dedicated my graduate thesis in natural sciences to them. Park ranger, careful to education and environmental assessments, photographer and writer, during the new LIFE will exceed 200 public lectures on the wolf theme.

Scientific coordinator of Stelvio National Park and part of the Large Carnivore Sector of Autonomous Province of Trento. Expertise in ecology and conservation of large mammals. From 1996 to 2001, researcher for the Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research, working on environmental planning and wildlife management. From 2001 co-ordination of research and monitoring programmes of natural resources in protected areas, with special reference to ungulates and carnivores populations.

I am a biologist, and I have been working with the Animal Ecology Research Group, BF, UL since 2010, where my main responsibility is ensuring that our genetic laboratory runs smoothly. I am glad that I have an opportunity to work on such projects as LIFE WolfAlps EU, knowing that our work has an impact on nature conservation. Most of my free time is now dedicated to family life – we love to go out, discover new places and just enjoy our time together.

I studied biology and have a masters degree in ecology. During my student years, I was involved in many activities as a volunteer, including some projects about large carnivores. I am very happy this became part of my work now. I am especially interested in the peoples’ perspective, since I don’t see the question of large carnivores as a question of nature, as much as I see it as a question of society. I love spending time surrounded by nature, often together with my dog, spending time with my friends, training Brazilian jiu-jitsu and listening to music.

During my studies in biology education and ecology and biodiversity, I realised that the two fields are very interlinked. Educating the public about ecology and biology is important for creating positive attitudes towards animals. As a project collaborator, I look forward to contributing to wolf conservation through the development of educational content and activities for the general public. In my spare time I like to be outdoors, I especially enjoy hiking and climbing. I spend the rest of my time in the company of friends and family, playing guitar and singing or reading an interesting book.

I graduated in Natural Science and  in 2014 obtained a Master in World Natural Heritage Management. I was at the head of the Education Department and since 2018 is Cultural Mediator of Museum of Sciences in Trento. I’m dealing with educational projects, scientific dissemination and territorial projects. I currently deals also with educational actions of LIFE WolfAlps EU project to improve wolf-human coexistence at the alpine population level. Educational activities manager and curator in the LIFE WolfAlps EU project.

I was born on the Adriatic Sea, but my professional training took place entirely in the Western Alps, from Gran Paradiso to the Maritime Alps; here I have studied the relationship between wildlife, vegetation and climate and livestock guarding dogs’ movements in alpine pastures, different topics but with Conservation Biology as a common thread. Graduated in Natural Sciences in Bologna and then in Environmental Biology in Turin, I am now doing my PhD within the LIFE Wolfalps EU project, together with the University of Chester, where I study wolves’ spatiotemporal dynamics in the Italian Alps.

She graduated in Biological Sciences with a biological-ecological address at the University of Parma. After graduation she developed some scientific research projects and dealt with educational planning in collaboration with various public authorities. In 1998, she started working at the Museum of Sciences in Trento and was hired in 2013. She is dealing with educational projects and scientific dissemination and currently educational activities manager and curator in the LIFE Wolfalps EU project.

I was born in the Pyrenees where I grew up with the issue of coexistence with the brown bear. After a Master’s degree in conservation biology and ecology, I joined the Mercantour National Park where I have been working since 2013 as a Fauna vertebrate Officer. I work mainly on wolves, ungulates and mountain galliformes, but every year new subjects appear. In 2020, it is the otter, a nice surprise and the list of possibilities is endless and exciting. I am also in charge of the team of agents habilitated to carry out wolf damage reports on domestic herds.

I am a biologist, graduated at the University of Parma. Since 2007 I have been working with passion on several national and international projects on management and conservation of natural diversity, from freshwater fish fauna, to the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory of the Maritime Alps, to the impact of climate change in Alpine areas. I have also been involved in the organization of educational activities for private bodies and for the Department of Agricultural, Forestry and Food Science of the University of Turin. In 2021 I joined the communication team of the LIFE WolfAlps EU project at Aree Protette delle Alpi Marittime.

I first got involved in nature conservation during my master studies when I started working in the Animal Ecology Research Group’s laboratory. Might sound odd to most, but I happily spent most days extracting DNA from poop samples. At the same time I was able to learn more about current problems in wolf and bear conservation. I have since switched the pipette with a keyboard, but still find it exciting to learn about the other side of nature conservation, human dimensions. I love spending time outside, especially running and hiking, but now most of my free time is spent learning how to convince a young hunting dog to do what you want and not just follow her nose.

Graduated in economics and specialized in marketing, I am part of the ERSAF communication staff. In the last 15 years, I have been working  on the communication of many European projects, including some LIFE (i.e. Life HelpSoil, best Life 2012 and LIFE Gestire). In ERSAF, for the LIFE WolfAlps EU project, I am in charge of communication action

As Lieutenant Colonel of the Arma dei Carabinieri Forest Specialty, since 2019, I am head of the Biodiversity Carabinieri Forestry Office of Vittorio Veneto (Treviso – Veneto), a special office dedicated to management of State Natural Reserves. Graduated in Forest Sciences at the University of Bari in 1986 with a specialization in Forest Pathology and a Master in International Cooperation for Development. In 1989, I started working at the State Forestry Corps as an officer, in Abruzzo and Apulia regions. I’ve also worked for some years as a forest officer detached to the Central Technical Unit of Italian Cooperation – Ministry Foreign Affairs. In this LIFE WolfAlps EU Project I am the coordinator of Communication for the Arma dei Carabinieri side and the referent for the Veneto region. 

Professional journalist and expert editor of the Turin Metropolitan City Press Office, head of the “Editorial Products” and “Advanced Multifunctional Desk” project units of the Department of Communication and Relations with Citizens and Territories. Previously press officer of the Provincial Councillors for Tourism and Sport, Agriculture and Mountains, Traffic, Transport and Major Infrastructures. Editor of the weekly periodicals “Cronache da Palazzo Cisterna” (paper) and “Block Notes” (radio and television). Head of the Winter Olympics Communication Project Torino 2206 and major events (sports, recreational and cultural events, initiatives of the Authority on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the Unification of Italy, etc.). Since 2015, press officer of the Metropolitan Councillors in charge of Culture, Tourism, Sport, Agriculture, Mountain, Fauna and Flora Protection, Parks and protected areas.

I am a wildlife researcher and assistant professor at University of Ljubljana, Slovenia and member of the IUCN Canid Specialist Group. My research is primarily focused on ecology, management and conservation of large carnivores in Europe, Africa and Asia. I have dedicated most of my work to grey wolf, golden and black-backed jackals, Eurasian lynx, leopard, cheetah, snow leopard and brown bear. To a lesser degree, I have also studied ungulates, raptors, ravens, and lizards. In my free time, I enjoy travelling, trekking and photographing wildlife.  

I hold university degrees in both mathematics and public/political communication.  Since 2001 I have been employed by the park services at Parco naturale Gran Bosco di Salbertrand (where the first confirmed wolf reproduction in the Cottian Alps occurred).  Prior to that time, I worked in the private sector.  I have managed the areas of general business, communication, education and park usage since 2012, when the park was included in the larger system of protected areas within the Cottian Alps. I already have experience coordinating communication for the previous LIFE WOLFALPS project, and in this new European program I am flanked by Simone Bobbio (professional journalist) and park ranger colleagues Luca Giunti and Gianabele Bonicelli.

I have a PhD in geography. I first worked in the field of water and then in ecology and biodiversity. In particular, I participated in a LIFE+ project on the preservation of capercaillie in the Vosges mountains and in the creation of nature reserves. Since 2015, I have been head of the knowledge and heritage management department of the Mercantour National Park. This department is in charge of monitoring the wolf population but also of the partnership with the actors of the pastoral world. In this programme I will be in charge of the link between the Park services involved and of Rachel Berzins who will be the program coordinator.

I am a biologist with a great interest in animal ecology and behaviour. My work focused primarily on large mammals up to now, since the days I was gathering field experience as a volunteer. In the last years, I have been part of the Slovenia Forest Service “large carnivore” team, where I enjoy the advantage of participating in international projects, like this one on wolves in the Alpine areas; I look forward to being part of such an enthusiastic and professional team. In my free time, I am happiest when hiking or cycling in an inspiring forest landscape, spending time with friends or discovering underwater sea life.

Born in Bolzano in 1966, he graduated in Biological Sciences at the University of Parma in 1991. In 1994, he obtained a PhD in Animal Biology (Ethology) at the University of Pisa. In 1997, he won a competition for “Technician of Zoology of Vertebrates and Scientific Museology” at the Tridentine Museum of Natural Sciences (MTSN) in Trento. From 2001 to 2008 he collaborated full-time with MTSN, dealing with research, dissemination and exhibition curating. Since 2008, he has been cultural mediator for Biodiversity and Ecology at the MUSE. Special events curator in the LIFE Wolfalps EU project.

The day after the discussion of the thesis in ecology on the spatial behavior of the deer in Alta Val di Susa for the Degree course in Natural Sciences, I was already in the mountains to organize the first monitoring of the wolf in Val di Susa for the Province of Turin. Since then (November 1997), I have followed the recolonization by the wolf of the western Alpine arc, first as a freelancer and then as an employee of CMTO. Hired in 2004 as an environmental wildlife agent, today I am a wildlife technician. My work activities range from research on the wolf, to the management of the wild boar, from environmental impact assessments to the design and verification of artificial passages for the ichthyofauna. I am Technical Manager of the project for Metropolitan City and I will take care of all the conservation actions in which CMTO is involved.

Agronomist, serving in the Province of Turin since 1999 as Administrative Instructor in the Flora and Fauna Protection Service, then I took the role of Environmental Expert in 2004 after a public competition. Since 2006, I’ve been responsible for the technical office of the same Service and mainly deal with land planning for wildlife purposes, wildlife management and assessment of the impacts that works, projects and programs have on wildlife. I am the administrative manager of the project for METO but I am also involved in numerous conservation actions as a technician. This is my first European project.

Since 1995, as responsible curator for the Zoology of Vertebrates Section of MUSE, I have been coordinating research programmes on fauna, with particular regard to the effects of environmental changes and the conservation status of threatened species and habitats of the Natura 2000 Network in the different Alpine contexts. I gave my contribution in the previous LIFE WolfAlps and I am currently in charge of the scientific technical coordination for MUSE and relations with the Autonomous Province of Trento.

It’s on the field, as a national ranger, that I began my professional carreer on knowledge and conservation of species and environment. especially for continental aquatic ressources.

Then, in a state research technical team, I animated for about ten years a monitoring network for wolf and lynx for the northern part of the french alpin zone. Thus I used to form correspondents for detection and transmission of data on the field and to carry out damage reports on livestocks, I used to ensure data centralisation, valuation, synthesis and restitution. Exchanges and contacts used to be of primary importance all along this  professionnal experience.

Since 3 years, I guide my activities around the technical en scientific valorisation, linked to OFB’s websites, to destination to the large carnivorous monitoring network and general public too. I am conviced that effective communication will improve coexistence between human and large carnivorous as wolf.

My name is Reinhard Huber. At AREC I work as a technician at the department for sheep and goats at the research centre HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein. On the one hand, I am responsible for the practical implementation of tests and experiments and on the other hand, it is my responsibility to ensure a functioning research stable with 200 sheep and goats. Moreover, my current tasks focus on pasture and alpine pasture management. Within the project LIFE WolfAlps EU I work mainly on damage prevention and on the establishment of the wolf first aid teams.  One of my private interests is our family-run deer enclosure for meat production and subsequently self-marketing. As an active hunter, wildlife and habitat conservation are also important to me.

I’m an Agricultural Expert. I entered the system of Protected Areas of Piedmont in 1985 as a park guard in the Avigliana Lakes Natural Park, a job I held until 1990. Subsequently, I moved from the supervisory sector to the administrative sector and I am currently in charge of the procurement of the Management Body of the protected areas of the Cottian Alps with the title of Administrative Officer. These are the first experiences regarding the reports of a LIFE WOLFALPS project that I will carry out in collaboration with my colleague Mario Cavallo.

I am the technical coordinator of the project at the French biodiversity agency (Office Français de la Biodiversité, OFB). Following fieldwork with marine turtles in Brazil and research on remote sensing in France, I undertook my PhD at Laval University in Quebec, Canada. Among other topics, I studied how wolves influenced the use of space of a large prey species, plains bison, and vice-versa, using telemetry data. I am currently interested in how research on animal behaviour, demography and predator-prey interactions can inform and improve the conservation and management of wildlife, particularly in the case of large mammalian herbivores and carnivores. The LIFE WolfAlps EU project represents a great opportunity in this regard.

I am a forester by profession and have been working as a project manager on wildlife at the Slovenian Forest Service for more than ten years. I am currently a LIFE Lynx project coordinator. Additionally, I am the president of the Alpine Convention’s  WISO platform and a LIFE WolfAlps EU project team member.  In my free time, I love spending time with my family. I enjoy traveling, hiking, kite surfing, and snowboarding.

Attracted by the natural recolonization process of the Alps by wolf, and by the anthropogenic effects on wildlife, I took the first steps into wolf conservation and management collaborating as master student in the framework of the “Piedmont Wolf Project”, providing a wolf road ecology dissertation. Today, graduated in biology (conservation and animal biodiversity) and technician in Geographical Information Systems, I collaborate in the technical group of Life Wolfalps EU commissioned by the Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology of Turin (DBIOS), and I coordinate the wolf monitoring activities in Province of Turin, on behalf of the Metropolitan City (commissioned by Links Foundation). In the past, I worked in various contests ranging from naturalistic planning of the territory to scientific dissemination in the field of circular agriculture, but with the start of this LIFE Project I went back to the origins, rediscovering the ancient love and a lifelong passion, accompanied by a team of very high technical-scientific profile.

I was born in Torino, but life in the city did not prevent me from catching a specific acute altitude sickness syndrome since a very young age. I was editor for Alp and Rivista della Montagna magazines before embarking on a career as a freelance journalist that often leads me to  visit the mountains by passion and profession, intrigued above all by athletic, environmental and social aspects. I deal with mountaineering accidents – especially those with a happy ending! – as press officer of the Corpo Nazionale Soccorso Alpino e Speleologico (Italian Alpine Rescue Corps) and I write about wolves for the Alpi Cozie Parks.

For 11 years now, I have been the project assistant of the Institute for Regional Development of Eurac Research and responsible for managing the financial and technical aspects of the Institutes projects. Furthermore,  I am responsible for the reporting and controlling and am dealing with all bureaucratic aspects of the projects. 

I graduated in Forest end Environmental Sciences at the University of Turin, with a specialization in Environmental Security Sciences. I’ve been working in Italian Forestry Corps for 20 years, struggling against environmental offences: illegal logging, poaching, water and soil pollution, landscape defacement, animal abuse, agricultural public financing frauds. Since 2017, I am head of the Carabinieri Forestry Command of Cuneo Province. 

I am responsible for the technical area of the Dolomiti Bellunesi National Park since 1999. In the framework of the LIFE WolfAlps EU project I am in charge of the general coordination of the activities and actions aimed at the prevention of damages to domestic animals and the promotion of the coexistence between wolf and economic activities in the territory.

I am a wildlife ecologist with a focus on human-wildlife interactions and conservation. Previously, I worked on urban wildlife, especially red foxes, where I included citizen science as a research method and a way to foster co-existence between wildlife and humans in cities. I have also been part of the Ural owl reintroduction in Austria, where I gained a lot of skills concerning knowledge transfer to the general public and communication. The return of wolves to the Alps and Central Europe is a great challenge for everyone involved and I am motivated to help to find solutions for co-existence. In my free time I enjoy hiking, horse riding and being outdoors as well as spending time with family and friends.

I am a biologist, actively involved in the field of large carnivores for the last ten years. First, I started as a volunteer, later on as an employee of the Slovenia Forest Service. Since 2014, I have been working at SFS in the field of conflict mitigation between people and large carnivores, mostly with damage prevention measures. I always try to understand the challenges of people living in areas of large carnivore presence. I live in the countryside, which gives me the opportunity to closely understand the everyday challenges. I was actively involved in research on golden jackals, otters, beavers, invasive species, and I have been an active ornithologist for more than 20 years. In my free time, I like to be with my family and friends, and I also do sports, mostly running, hiking and other activities in nature.

I am a biologist and I work as a researcher at University of Ljubljana and as an analyst at the Slovenia Forestry Service. Topics related to wildlife ecology, conservation and management have been the main focus of my studies and my work. My main interest in research are questions with direct implication for large carnivore conservation. I have been actively involved in wolf monitoring in Slovenia since 2012 and I recently started to be strongly involved with national-scale camera trapping for monitoring of lynx. When out of the office, I like training with my dog, foraging, painting, podcasting and spending as much time as possible in nature.

Roman by origin, Alpine by adoption. My love at first sight with the mountains, and, in particular with the Maritime Alps, came in 2009, thanks to a study by the University of Sherbrooke on the Alpine chamois. I have never left these mountains; I have continued to work in nature conservation, alternating monitoring activities (especially on ungulates such as chamois and ibex) with communication and scientific dissemination activities in the field of ecology. I worked on the effects of climate change on Alpine environments and biodiversity in a project for which I was coordinator and thanks to which I cultivated, even more, my strong interest in the study of anthropogenic effects on ecosystems and the search for concrete actions for sustainability. Within the LifeWolfalps EU, I have the opportunity to deepen even more this field by pursuing my PhD at the University of Turin, with a study aimed at deepening the prey-predator dynamics and its interactions with human activities. The project gives me the opportunity to deepen one of the topics I care about but above all to grow professionally thanks to a team of the highest technical and scientific level.

My name is Verena Mayer. I work at the department for project acquisition and I teach English and Biology at HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein. During my biology studies, I worked as a volunteer at a sanctuary for injured wildlife animals. Since then, I have been very interested in the biology and ecology of wildlife. Apart from that I am generally very close to nature and spend a lot of time hiking in the mountains. Within the project I am responsible for administrative tasks and  project communication.

My professional path first took me to limnology and freshwater benthic invertebrates. After 10 years my path turned and I joined large carnivore group at Slovenia Forest Service to work on large carnivore communication. It gives me great joy, to work in a group, where I can contribute with my positive energy, resourcefulness and creativity.

I am a forester and ecologist with a passion for discovering new knowledge hidden in the rows and columns of databases. Currently I work for Slovenia Forest Service large carnivores project team, where I manly cover topics connected with wolf monitoring. Apart from my work on national wolf monitoring projects and LIFE WOLFALPS EU, I also participate in LIFE Lynx and LIFE NarcIS projects. Nature conservation and data analysis have been my main topics of interest since my student years, so I feel really privileged that I got the opportunity to bring them together in field that is as interesting as large carnivore conservation and management.

Born in Italy, I grew up in Milan in a bilingual family. After graduating in Political science, I moved to Nice in 2008 to deal with the financial and administrative management of European projects and especially cross-border projects between France and Italy. Since 2010, I have been in charge of European projects at PNM.