Legambiente volunteers clean Italian seas, remove waste and safeguard Caretta caretta turtles

In Calabria, divers, technicians and local citizens carried out the first actions of the Legambiente‑funded “Acqua Azzurra” project at the Natura 2000 sites of Stalettì and the Oasi di Scolacium. The clean‑up retrieved dozens of abandoned items – a plastic garden table, tires, a refrigerator compressor, bicycle parts, construction debris and extensive micro‑plastic litter – which were then sent for proper disposal in cooperation with the municipalities of Stalettì and Squillace.

Separately, a volunteer from Terlizzi joined a Legambiente field camp on Lampedusa’s Spiaggia dei Conigli. Over ten days he helped monitor and protect nesting sites of the endangered Caretta caretta sea turtle, performed day‑time patrols, educated beach visitors, and conducted night watches to prevent disturbance of the nests. Both initiatives illustrate Legambiente’s broader effort to combine hands‑on clean‑up with wildlife protection across Italy’s coastal regions.