LIFE Improving the Conservation Status of Species and Habitats Habitats Directive Article 17 Report
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NATURE LIFE improving the conservation status of species and habitats Habitats Directive Article 17 report colours C/M/Y/K 32/49/79/21 LIFE Focus I LIFE improving the conservation status of species and habitats EUROPEAN COMMISSION ENVIRONMENT DIRecTORATE-GENERAL LIFE (“The Financial Instrument for the Environment”) is a programme launched by the European Commission and coordinated by the Environment Directorate-General (LIFE Units - E.3. and E.4.). The contents of the publication “LIFE improving the conservation status of species and habitats: Habitats Directive Article 17 report” do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the institutions of the European Union. Authors: João Pedro Silva (Nature expert), Justin Toland, Wendy Jones, Jon Eldridge, Tim Hudson, Stephen Gardner, Edward Thorpe, Eamon O’Hara (AEIDL, Communications Team Coordinator). Managing Editor: Angelo Salsi (European Commission, DG Environment, LIFE Unit). LIFE Focus series coordination: Simon Goss (DG Environment, LIFE Communications Coordinator), Evelyne Jussiant (DG Environment, Communications Coordinator). Technical Assistance: Aixa Sopeña, Lubos Halada, Alberto Cozzi, Mikko Tiira, Katerina Raftopoulou, John Houston, Jan Sliva (Astrale EEIG). The following people also worked on this issue: Juan Pérez-Lorenzo, Angelika Rubin (DG Environment), Marita Arvela, Doug Evans (ETC on Biological Diversity -Paris) Production: Monique Braem. Graphic design: Daniel Renders, Anita Cortés (AEIDL). Acknowledgements: Thanks to all LIFE project beneficia- ries who contributed comments, photos and other useful material for this report. Photos: Unless otherwise specified; photos are from the respective projects. Europe Direct is a service to help you find answers to your questions about the European Union Freephone number (*): 00 800 6 7 8 9 10 11 (*) Certain mobile telephone operators do not allow access to 00 800 numbers or these calls may be billed. More information on the European Union is available on the Internet (http://europa.eu). Cataloguing data can be found at the end of this publication. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2010 ISBN 978-92-79-13572-9 ISSN 1725-5619 doi 10.2779/18040 © European Union, 2010 Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged. Printed in Belgium Printed on recycled paper that has been awarded the EU Ecolabel for graphic paper (http://ec.europa.eu/ecolabel/) LIFE Focus I LIFE improving the conservation status of species and habitats FOREWORD Ladislav Miko Director Directorate B – Nature, DG Environment Photo: cassandre sturbois Photo: cassandre European Commission rticle 17 of the Habitats Directive requires Member States to submit information on its progress in imple- Amentation every six years. The latest reports, covering 2001-2006, contain a first assessment of the con- servation status of more than 1182 species and 216 habitat types. This is the most comprehensive survey of EU biodiversity undertaken to date, providing an invaluable reference point for measuring future trends. The results show that Europe’s biodiversity is still under heavy pressure, and that only a small proportion of the habitats and species of Community interest are in a favourable conservation status. These findings highlight the urgent need to intensify ecological restoration efforts. Where substantial restoration work has been carried out, it often shows measurable and positive impacts on conservation status. The LIFE programme has been the most visible EU financial instrument dedicated to nature conservation since 1992. LIFE Nature projects are now well-known across the EU (with more than 1100 projects financed) and are favourably perceived at local level. Their positive contribution has been shown beyond doubt for different types of habitat and species. Several specific habitats or species whose conservation status, as reported by the Member States, is improving have been targeted by LIFE Nature projects. The link between LIFE projects and improved conservation status has been shown in several cases (for example, the Spanish lynx and peatlands and bogs in several Member States). It is also clear that LIFE projects have helped develop and demonstrate best practice that has subsequently been applied to similar situations elsewhere in Europe, and have made a significant contribution to setting in place the Natura 2000 network and its management. The overall contribution of LIFE Nature projects remains, however, difficult to quantify as it is heavily dependent on the scale and timeframe of the project actions as well as on the distributions of the species and habitats. Most projects only target species and habitats at a local or regional scale, usually on one or a few Natura 2000 sites, although some have covered the complete distribution range (for example, endemic species and habitats with a restricted distribution). For many projects, the full impact will only be seen after several years or even decades. The objective of this publication is to provide an overview of the contribution LIFE Nature projects have made to improving the conservation status of a considerable range of species and habitats covered by the Habitats Directive. It must be stressed that this brochure does not aim to show that reported improvements in conserva- tion status are necessarily linked to LIFE projects. Nature simply does not often react that fast and LIFE projects are not the only nature restoration projects working on the ground. It is however certain that LIFE Nature and biodiversity projects will continue to play a vital role in reversing the decline of biodiversity in the EU. LIFE Focus I LIFE improving the conservation status of species and habitats CONTENTS FOREWORD ...................... 1 LIFE and Endangered Heathlands ..........................55 Fish Species ........................33 LIFE demonstrates how to STATUS REPORTS LIFE support for Italy’s regenerate lowland and alpine SUPPORT ACTION.............. 3 endangered Cobice sturgeon .. 33 heathlands ............................. 55 Conservation status reports Better rivers for healthier fish: Wetlands .............................57 confirm need for greater action .. 3 salmon conservation in LIFE helps restore vital wetland LIFE: improving conservation Scotland ................................. 35 ecosystems ............................. 57 status ........................................ 7 LIFE and Mediterranean LIFE supports blanket bog resto- freshwater fish ......................... 36 ration in the UK and Ireland ..... 58 SPECIES ............................. 11 LIFE Improving Plant Blocking ditches to bring Mammals ............................12 Species ................................38 back aapa mires ...................... 60 LIFE promotes bat LIFE innovations benefit Raised bog restoration in conservation ........................... 12 Europe’s flora .......................... 38 Europe ..................................... 62 LIFE’s contribution to brown LIFE and plant micro-reserves . 39 Other Wetlands ..................65 bear conservation ................... 15 Successful LIFE support for Restoring coastal lagoons to Securing a future for the endangered Italian daisies ..... 40 a favourable status .................. 65 Arctic fox ................................. 18 LIFE aids Mediterranean A viable future for the monk HABITATS .......................... 40 temporary ponds .................... 66 seal .......................................... 19 Forests ................................42 LIFE conservation of a special LIFE boost for critically Preserving priority palm forest habitat: petrifying springs with endangered Iberian lynx ......... 21 habitat on Crete ...................... 42 tufa formation ............................. 68 LIFE support for critically Sustaining the favourable endangered European mink .... 23 conservation status of Italian Wet Forests .........................69 LIFE conserving wet forests ...... 69 Amphibians and Mediterranean beech forest Reptiles .............................24 habitats ................................... 43 Grasslands ..........................71 LIFE helps Europe’s LIFE support for Europe’s Stepping up actions to conserve herpetofauna ...........................24 Atlantic Forests ....................... 45 pannonic grasslands .............. 71 Loggerhead turtles’ long-term LIFE boosts black pine forest Concerted action to halt the survival through LIFE .............. 26 habitats in southern Europe .... 48 decline of Nardus grasslands . 73 Regeneration and protection LIFE and Less-Known Dune Habitats .....................50 of species-rich dry calcareous Species ................................27 Atlantic coast LIFE projects grasslands ............................... 75 LIFE benefit for freshwater pearl attempt to reverse dune Safeguarding Fennoscandian mussels .................................. 27 deterioration ............................ 50 wooded pastures and meadows 77 Bolstering butterfly populations A coastline under pressure: through LIFE ............................ 29 Mediterranean dunes .............. 52 Project Index .............................. 79 The reintroduction of the white- Protecting Posidonia in the List of available LIFE Nature clawed crayfish ....................... 31 Mediterranean ......................... 54 publications ................................ 81 Amphibians (83 species assessed) LIFE Focus I LIFE improving the conservation status of species and habitats Conservation status reports