Short Summaries of Projects from the LIFE 2019 Call for Proposals Belgium
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European Commission - Questions and answers LIFE programme: Short summaries of projects from the LIFE 2019 call for proposals Brussels, 16 November 2020 Annex to our Press Release - IP/20/2052 LIFE programme: Short summaries of projects from the LIFE 2019 call for proposals The list of projects is being updated as new grant agreements are signed; the list will be finalised by the end of December 2020. Projects are listed by country of the project leader (coordinator). In addition, organisations from your country might be involved in transnational projects that are coordinated in a different country. Table of contents Belgium Bulgaria Denmark Germany Estonia Greece Spain France Croatia Italy Latvia Lithuania Hungary Malta Austria Poland Portugal Romania Slovenia Slovakia Sweden United Kingdom Belgium - Nature and Biodiversity Restoring rivers and forests in deep valleys (LIFE VALLEES ARDENNAISES) Rivers and forests in the deep valleys of the Ourthe, Amblève, Vesdre and Our basins have been adversely affected by spruce plantations, artificial dams, modifications of river beds and banks, and the colonisation of aquatic and river habitats by invasive alien species. Regional government body SPWARNE will restore rivers and forests in these deep valleys, removing spruce plantations and remediating obstacles in watercourses to allow aquatic species to move more freely. It will seek to improve the conservation state of forests on an area of 300 ha – almost half the size of Gibraltar – and of aquatic river habitats covering a total length of 2.6 km. In addition, two populations of thick- shelled river mussel in the Our and Ourthe occidental rivers will be strengthened and the freshwater pearl mussel reintroduced in the upper Our basin. Project summary Improved detection and management of invasive species (LIFE RIPARIAS) Invasive alien species (IAS) are a major threat to biodiversity in Europe. In Belgium, 13 exotic plants and five crayfish species are already or will soon become established in riparian and aquatic ecosystems, resulting in severe damage. Previously, a diversity of actors and fragmented data meant that decisions on managing invasive species were made ad hoc. An overarching data-driven system is therefore needed. With this project, the government body Bruxelles Environnement will develop an innovative, evidence-based workflow for decision-making. This is expected to increase the detection rate of emerging and widespread IAS, which will then be managed and in some cases eradicated. After piloting in the Dijle, Mark and Zenne river basins of the Scheldt district, the system will be made available across Belgium and to other EU Member States. Project summary - Environment and Resource Efficiency Supporting predation of damaging moth species to avoid pesticide use (LIFE oak processionary) The oak processionary moth has a damaging impact on oaks and biodiversity in general and is widely combated using pesticides. The LIFE project, however, aims to show that it is possible to control the species through less harmful means. The project's strategy is to encourage natural predation by installing nesting boxes for bird species, such as tits, that prey on the species, while managing insect predation at roadside locations. The project team will also carry out reintroductions of the forest caterpillar hunter that feeds on the target moth. Project summary Processing challenging food waste streams on an industrial scale (LIFE F3) Nearly a third of all food produced in the EU is wasted, with farmers increasingly opting for high- quality feed rather than using this secondary source. The LIFE project will address this food waste by demonstrating how challenging waste streams, such as seeds, syrups and frozen goods, can be processed on an industrial scale. It also aims to develop an automated line for removing food packaging with the final outcome of showing the feasibility of producing large quantities of feed blend from these waste streams with great water, crop and emissions savings. Project summary - Climate Change Mitigation Innovative fuel from solid waste to reduce the steelmaking sector's CO2 emissions (LIFE SMART) Steelmaking is one of the biggest industrial emitters of greenhouse gases. The use of renewable energies could substantially reduce these emissions. The LIFE SMART project team will develop an innovative and cost-effective solution that integrates renewable energies into the steel manufacturing process. This will use torrefaction technology developed by the project's coordinator ArcelorMittal Belgium (a subsidiary of one of the world's largest steel manufacturers). This technology converts biomass, including solid waste, into a material with improved fuel properties. The project team's solution aims to cut CO2 emissions from the steelmaking sector, reduce costs, and decrease the amount of solid waste sent to landfill. Project summary Bulgaria - Nature and Biodiversity Improving conditions for bird species and key habitats at Pomorie Lake (LIFE for Pomorie Lagoon) The area around Pomorie Lake supports numerous bird species, 91 of which are, according to BirdLife International, of European conservation concern. The lake is also home to a number of protected coastal lagoon habitats. However, these sites have become degraded, and a LIFE project has thus been set up to reverse the decline through a range of conservation measures, including the recreation of an islet that could serve as a key breeding site, the improvement of flood defences and the restoration of bypass channels to increase water circulation. Project summary Recreation and restoration of priority forest habitats in northeast Bulgaria (LIFE IASHAB) The spread of invasive and non-native species, along with growing pressure from agriculture, is threatening priority forest habitats in northeast Bulgaria, which are listed in Annex 1 of the EU Habitats Directive. The LIFE project aims to address these threats by planning a programme of IAS eradication and habitat restoration and recreation, while also contributing to the update of national forestry policies via monitoring data and analysis. The project will also carry out a range of activities to ensure public support for conservation action and to encourage replication elsewhere. Project summary Restoring populations of lesser kestrel in the east Balkans (LIFE for Lesser Kestrel) The project aims to halt the decline of the lesser kestrel in Greece and Bulgaria. It will build on earlier LIFE initiatives, supporting the activities of the captive breeding centre in Bulgaria by comparing the effectiveness of different release methodologies. The objective is to increase the number of breeding pairs, further its re-colonisation of the region and establish, through satellite telemetry, the links between the colonies. The project also aims to find and support new colonies of the raptor. Project summary - Environment and Resource Efficiency Plastics recycling to reduce the environmental footprint of ski boots (LIFE RESKIBOOT) Every year, 3.5 million pairs of ski boots are produced worldwide, made entirely of virgin materials and are subsequently landfilled after three to five years. The LIFE RESKIBOOT project team, led by the ski boot manufacturer Grifone, will make high-quality and cost-competitive ski boots out of recycled plastics. This will dramatically reduce amounts of plastic waste sent to landfill. The team will also decrease end-of-life disposal through a take-back and re-use service for rental ski boots. An innovative plastic waste sorting method will be able to achieve around 95% separation efficiency for polyurethane and foamed materials. A new ski boot made with about 90% of recycled materials will be launched on the market. One thousand pairs of these boots will be manufactured and tested by skiers to demonstrate comfort and technical performance. Project summary - Environmental governance and Information Boosting compliance with EU law to tackle wildlife crime (LIFE SWiPE) Wildlife crime is attractive to organised groups as the likelihood of detection and prosecution is low while profit margins are often high. Enforcement of the EU's comprehensive regulatory framework on the illegal wildlife trade is a national responsibility and varies from country to country. Implementation is usually poorly monitored, with crimes not sufficiently investigated and prosecuted or convictions secured. The NGO leading this project, WWF, will seek to reduce wildlife crime by improving compliance with EU law and increasing the number of offences that are successfully prosecuted. Measures will include improving the awareness and capacity of prosecutors and law enforcement authorities in 11 different EU countries, exchange of knowledge across borders and increasing cooperation between investigative agencies. Project summary Denmark - Nature and Biodiversity Restoring bird habitats in the Danish and German Wadden Sea area (LIFE Wadden Sea Birds) The Wadden Sea area is of international importance for birds, while also being densely populated by humans and vulnerable to elevated water levels due to climate change. The LIFE Wadden Sea Birds project team will counter the main threats to birds and their habitats in the area, particularly focusing on waders and meadow birds in two Natura 2000 sites in the Wadden Sea Marsh. The Tønder municipality and the other partners aim to significantly increase the number and conservation status of at least 16 residents, migrating or overwintering bird species of the EU Birds Directive. As well