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This paper reports the results of the BioBlitz organized by the Maremma Natural History Museum in May 2015 within the “Torrente Trasubbie” Site of Regional Importance. This activity is part of the public involvement events for the collection of scientific data that the Museum organizes on a regular basis. During BioBlitz 2015, data collected attested the presence of 652 different taxonomic entities, 562 of which were identified at the species level and 32 at the subspecies level. The remaining were identified at higher taxonomic levels. Thirteen alien and 4 endemic species were identified. Fifty-three species protected by international or national laws and 17 endangered species were detected in the area. SIR Trasubbie is an extremely interesting area from a naturalistic point of view, but extremely vulnerable for its high dynamism linked to the torrential regime of the homonymous stream and susceptible to changes in land use in the surrounding areas. The data collected confirm the high importance of this portion of territory at the level of both habitat and individual species. The data collected in collaboration with members of the public assume an even greater value, as an activity carried out by the local community.

In recent decades, many natural history museums in Europe have integrated their traditional functions with new ways of interacting with visitors and local communities. In particular, the need to adapt their mission according to the changes in modern society has led them to develop initiatives aiming at an active involvement of the public in scientific research. This is one of the inspiring principles of Citizen Science. BioBlitz are among the most popular activities dedicated to biodiversity in this field. In line with the inspiring principles of this cultural revolution, since 2012 the Maremma Natural History Museum organized public participation initiatives for the collection of biodiversity data. We hereby report the main results of the BioBlitz 2018 organized by the Maremma Natural History Museum in the Talamone area, located in thesouthern portion of the Uccellina Hills. Four hundred and ninety-eight taxa were sampled and identified, 447 of which at the level of species and 10 at the level of subspecies; the remaining refer to higher taxonomic levels. 31 protected species and 10 endangered species were found in the area; moreover, 6 alien species and one endemic species were detected. The main feature that distinguished BioBlitz 2018 to others conducted in previous years was the large number of participants. The data collected increased the scientific knowledge of the southern portion of the Maremma Regional Park, less known than other areas of the same protected area.

The growing interest in emerging environmental crisis has increased the level of public attention and the willingness to take part in participatory science projects, commonly defined with the term “Citizen Science”. This phenomenon can be recorded globally in many national contexts, with a prevalence in anglophone and more industrialized countries. In the biodiversity sector, the growing demand for public involvement has been declined in many different ways, with solutions aimed at providing cognitive and participatory tools. Among these, one of the best known is the BioBlitz: a 24-hour event held in a specific place with the aim of listing as many living species as possible. This work presents the data collected during the first two BioBlitzes organized by the Maremma Natural History Museum in 2013 and 2014. Both were made in the area of the San Felice Oasis, near the terminal part of the San Leopoldo ditch. During the BioBlitz, data collected attested the presence of 616 different taxonomic entities, of which 507 were identified at the level of species and 22 at the level of subspecies. The rest were identified at higher taxonomic levels. Eleven alien species, one endemic species, 33 species protected by national and international laws and / or directives and 9 species at risk of extinction were identified.

The Maremma Natural History Museum is active in the field of Citizen Science at the Tuscan, national and international level. Among the founding bodies of the European Citizen Science Association (ECSA), it has promoted meetings for a national Citizen Science strategy in Italy, actively participated in the drafting of national guidelines on the subject and developed Citizen Science projects in Tuscany and other regions nearby. BioBlitzes are one of the best-known activities in the field of environmental Citizen Science. In May 2016, the Museum organized its fourth BioBlitz at the Accesa Lake Special Protection Area. On this occasion, data collected attested the presence of 784 different taxonomic entities, 678 of which were identified at the species level and 18 at the subspecies level. Nineteen alien species and two endemic species have been identified. Thirty-nine species protected by national or international laws and 13 endangered species have been detected. The area has been confirmed to be an important biodiversity hotspot; future utilization plans must be developed with due consideration for the fragility of the habitats close to the lake from the conservation point of view.

The threat to the survival of many species, caused by emerging ecological crises, has favored the development of a new environmental awareness. In recent decades, especially in the most industrialized nations, an increasing participation of citizens in the collection of scientific data has also been recorded. The active involvement of society in different aspects of science has been defined by the sociologist Alan Irwin as “Citizen Science”. Although environmental Citizen Science brings together the largest number of projects, the fields of application of this new way of doing science are innumerable. BioBlitz is one of the best-known examples of citizen science activities, aimed at monitoring the biodiversity of an area. The MaremmaNatural History Museum, as part of its activities, regularly organizes BioBlitz on an annual basis, starting from 2013. During BioBlitz 2017 in the SPZ and SCZ “Monte Labbro and Alta Valle dell'Albegna” data were collected attesting the presence of 403 different taxonomic entities, of which 367 identified at the species level and 5 at the subspecies level. Six alien and 2 endemic species were identified. In terms of environmental legislation, 38 protected species and 7 endangered species were detected in the area. The most relevant aspect that emerges from the collected data is the consistent number of protected species. This confirms the environmental value of the area and the need for management and conservation plans for the entire site.

Il crescente interesse verso le emergenti crisi ambientali ha aumentato il livello di attenzione del pubblico e la disponibilità a prendere parte a progetti di scienza partecipata, comunemente definiti con il termine "Citizen Science". Questo fenomeno è riscontrabile a livello globale in molti contesti nazionali, con una prevalenza nei paesi anglofoni e maggiormente industrializzati. In campo naturalistico la crescente richiesta di coinvolgimento da parte del pubblico è stata declinata in molti modi diversi, con soluzioni mirate a fornire strumenti conoscitivi e partecipativi. Tra questi, uno dei più noti è il BioBlitz, un evento di 24 ore realizzato in uno specifico luogo, con lo scopo di elencare il maggior numero possibile di specie viventi. Nel presente lavoro si presentano i dati raccolti durante i primi due BioBlitz organizzati dal Museo di Sto- ria Naturale della Maremma nel 2013 e nel 2014. Entrambi sono stati realizzati nell'area dell'Oasi San Felice, in prossimità del tratto terminale del Fosso San Leopoldo. Durante i BioBlitz sono stati raccolti dati attestanti la presenza di 616 entità tassonomiche diverse, di cui 507 sono state identificate a livello di specie e 22 a livello di sottospecie. Le rimanenti sono riferibili a livelli tassonomici superiori. Sono state individuate 11 specie aliene, 1 specie endemica, 33 specie protette da leggi e/o direttive nazionali ed internazionali e 9 specie a rischio estinzione.