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Short Abstract

IDEAr investigates urban biodiversity in Arezzo (Italy) through citizen-based monitoring of butterflies. As the first study on urban butterflies in the city, it promotes citizens’ connection with local biodiversity and awareness of the effects of human disturbance on urban ecosystems.

Abstract

IDEAr is a research project developed in Arezzo (Italy) within the framework of the Green City Accord, a European Commission initiative aimed at creating a network of cities committed to environmental protection and urban sustainability. IDEAr is structured around three main actions: assessing the condition of urban vegetation, investigating and monitoring selected ecological relevant animal groups (i.e., butterflies, ants, and birds), and promoting environmental education activities in schools to raise awareness about environmental issues.

Part of the project is the study of urban diurnal butterflies, carried out through active citizens involvement. Under the framework of the Butterfly Monitoring Scheme (eBMS), three transects were identified in three urban parks differing in the degree of human disturbance within Arezzo Municipality. Between May and October 2025 citizens and researchers, performed about 30 surveys during which they observed more than 200 individuals and identified 43 species. Several volunteers and local associations took part to field activities, helping to increase public understanding of the role of butterflies as bioindicators of urban environmental quality.

IDEAr represents the first collaborative study on diurnal Lepidoptera in the Arezzo city. The collected data represents a valuable starting point for monitoring urban biodiversity trends in such a changing environment, and for understanding the influence that human activities (e.g., recreational activities, lawn management, mowing) may have on urban and peri-urban parks and their inhabitant species. Finally, this project also aims at deepening and sharing with people the knowledge about the ecological dynamics of Arezzo’s urban and peri-urban environments, fostering a stronger connection between citizens and the biodiversity that surrounds them.