Marine & Archaeological Preservation

International Napoli Network (INN) is a cooperative that partners with local public schools and NGOs to provides resources that support health and welfare, environmental conservation, education. Volunteers and interns are placed with partner NGOs and we support you and our partners during your placement.

INN is partnering with The marine protected area of Gaiola is an area of great historical and natural interest.

The underwater Posillipo coastline still maintains an amazing environmental and archaeological heritage in a beautiful coastal landscape located close to the centre of the city of Naples.

The study, the safeguard and the development of this huge, forgotten heritage of the city of Naples are the main aims of the C.S.I. .

The C.S.I. objectives are pursued combining research activities with scientific popularization activities, with a multidisciplinary approach. 

The CSI Gaiola works on several aspects:

• Monitoring and preservation of the marine biocenosis of the MPA Gaiola Underwater Park: On the basis of the knowledge acquired with the first surveys on the ecological marine system on the Posillipo coastline, the C.S.I. is involved since 2004 in the biological monitoring of the principal biological communities characterizing the seabed of the MPA.

• Geo-archaeological analysis: The C.S.I. is concentrated on a research project based on the detailed survey of the underwater archaeological features and on volcanological and geo-morphological analysis of the coastline. 

• Phyto-sociological analysis: This study concerned the botanic component of the tuff coastline of the MPA.

• Coastal Artificial Cavities survey: Because of the geomorphological studies carried out along the Posillipo coastline, the C.S.I.  is involved on the survey of the numerous existing caves and cavities.

• Cormorant Project: Since 2005 the C.S.I. is involved in a specific study on Phalacrocorax carbo population.

• GIS (Geographic Information System): All the data acquired during the different research studies have been integrated creating a GIS (Geographic Information System) map

• Guided tours are the best way to know and then preserve our environment. Guided tours are organized in the MPA Gaiola Underwater Park and in the Pausilypon Archaeological Park (an archaeological area historically connected to the MPA Gaiola).

• The philosophy of the C.S.I. is to combine the research activity with scientific popularization of the data. In fact, if the research is aimed to the preservation of the historical/archaeological and environmental heritage, it is really important to carry out at the same time awareness campaign with adults citizens and with children and young people. At the same time it is really important to know well the territory and all its problematic to be able to make awareness campaigns.

• Since 2006 the C.S.I. realizes an environmental/cultural education project called “I Mari di Napoli ” (Neaples Seas) with school students. The aim is to teach the new generations to discover and respect the marine environment.

• University Project: “Training for the marine sciences”

• Thanks to the great geological, environmental and archaeological variety of the MPA seabed and coastline, this Park is the perfect training area for those who are interested in studying marine environment. For this reason the C.S.I. realized the project “Una palestra per le scienze del mare”  (Training for the marine sciences), to let university students the chance to make internships, stages and practical experiences.

Volunteers have the opportunity to help preserve the protected marine area and the archaelogical site and their tasks will vary depending on their background. 

Volunteers can expect a long day of physically rewarding work, requiring high energy levels.

Work schedule depends on the current workload and the weather and will be discussed every day with the volunteer supervisor. 

To be considered to work within marine preservation volunteers are required to be good swimmers, although diving is kept to a restricted depth so volunteers do not need to have scuba diving experience.