Sustainable Ordunte LIFE11 NAT/ES/704

Layman’s report

Restoring and improving the conservation status of habitats and species of community interest at the Natura 2000 site “Ordunte” bearing sustainable use of resources in mind SAC Ordunte Natura 2000 sites Ordunte and preservation Zalama blanket bog Transition mires Lugares Red Natura 2000 issues at the Natura 2000 site Grassland and scrubland Acidophilous beech forests Pyrenean oak forests Alder forests Layman´s report Commercial plantations Sustainable Ordunte

01 ocated at the westernmost edge the municipalities of and fog around the peaks has led to the 0 1.5 3 02 Lof the Basque Country, in the . In May 2015, it was development of habitats of great Km north of the Iberian Peninsula, the designated as Special Area of Con- natural value. Of note is the Zalama Ordunte mountain range are a line servation (SAC) ES2130002 in the blanket bog, a priority habitat under of peaks that runs in parallel to the ecological network Natura 2000, Directive 92/43/EEC, the only of its sea, a continuation of the Canta- whose mission is to preserve Eu- kind existing in the Basque Coun- brian massif, and acting as the ad- rope’s most valuable habitats and try and one of the southernmost in

ministrative border between , species. Europe which, in turn, is home to Artzentales ENKARTERRI Bilbo/ Burgos and Cantabria. The Biscay The terrain’s siliceous nature, the only known population of the Karrantza ENCARTACIONES

sector, with 4,343 ha, belongs to high precipitations and persistent cyperaceous plant Eriophorum vagi- E NT DU natum in the Basque Country. The OR BIZKAIA C mountain range is also home to oth- ZE er hygro-peat sites of interest, with BURGOS

more singular botanical species. ARABA / ÁLAVA Ordunte’s landscape, in the high areas, is characterised by pastures and heathland, traditionally used by livestock. The hillsides are mainly covered by beech and Pyrenean oak stock activity, vehicle traffic and century, focused on wood produc- of the people with the natural space groves, interrupted by plantations fires have contributed to this func- tion, with fast-growing exotic spe- was one of the arguments, which, of non-native species (radiata pine tional degradation. These pressures cies plantations. These plantations along with correction of the afore- and eucalyptus). The steep gorges have also affected marshes and did not always bear the expected mentioned impacts, made a LIFE+ are home to small alder groves that hygro-peat zones in the Salduero economic result, and they also application advisable. In this way, house endangered paleo-tropical pasture zone. limited recovery of native-species LIFE+ Sustainable Ordunte antici- ferns, such as Woodwardia radicans On the other hand, operations to forests, which are more valuable pated and specified the conserva- and Trichomanes speciosum. obtain coal, firewood and pasture- for biodiversity, carbon fixation and tion requirements to be addressed The Zalama blanket bog has land for livestock made the original other ecosystemic services. under the framework of Natura severely deteriorated over the past forests give way to cleared zones, Ordunte is a relatively over- 2000. decades, leading to a loss of peat until a new forestry model was im- looked territory. Increasing appre- due to erosion and sliding. Live- plemented halfway through the 20th ciation and symbolic identification The LIFE+ Sustainable Ordunte

Layman´s report Sustainable Ordunte

03 n 2012, the Provincial Council Iof Biscay, with the support of the Hazi Foundation and Karrantza Town Council, presented the candi- dacy “Sustainable Ordunte” to the LIFE+ programme, the European financial instrument that supports development of nature-conservation actions. The aim was to restore and The candidacy identified valuable LIFE+ has not lost sight of the fact improve the favourable conservation elements from the perspective of that the Ordunte range is a human- status of habitats and species of the Natura 2000 site, and com- ised mountain territory, that bears community interest in the Ordunte piled available information on its unavoidable economic activities. mountain range, all while making state of conservation and the most For this reason, an attempt was this compatible with sustainable significant pressures. At this point, made for the affected stakehold- use of its resources. The European the measures to reverse deteriora- ers to participate in conservation Commission approved the proposal, tion of habitats in the worst situa- actions. Preferentially, there was and execution of LIFE+ actions be- tion, and to move forward towards collaboration with Karrantza Town gan at the end of 2012. a favourable status in others where Council, the owner of the forest intervention was required, were land and beneficiary of the income designed. Some of these measures from the commercial plantations, had already begun to be imple- as well as with the farmers using mented beforehand, but LIFE+ mountain-pastures. In both cases, helped to intensify and complete the intention was to communicate them. In other cases, it was verified that conservation projects are not that ecological succession itself intrinsically limiting, but can rather was contributing to habitat recov- act as opportunities to optimise ery, but the treatments applied their activities. helped to accelerate and encourage this trend. Scopes of work, conservation actions and results Zalama blanket bog Layman´s report Objectives Actions Sustainable Ordunte • Make progress in functional resto- • Characterisation. Flora cataloguing • Covering 2,000 m2 with a biode- ration of the peat bog by stabilis- with high-resolution colour and in- gradable coconut mesh and Law- 05 he blanket bog on Zalama moun- ing its perimeter zone, replanting frared images taken with a drone, son cypress struts. 06 Ttain (habitat 7130* of Directive slopes, correcting runoffs and at- installation of sensors and hydro- • Planting species (mainly Eriopho- 92/43/EEC) is the most relevant tenuating wind erosion. logical analysis, mapping of sur- rum vaginatum) collected in the site in Ordunte, due to its singulari- • Increasing knowledge about the face and deepness of peat, raising peat bog itself. ty. This bog occupies a surface area functionality and state of conser- topographical profiles and monitor- • Systematic monitoring of the flora of 6 ha, and it is estimated to be vation of the blanket bog. ing erosion with land scanner. composition and plant colonisation over 8,000 years old. Although cur- • Evaluate results of restoration. • Construction of a perimeter fence by means of botanical inventories rent peat deposit is compromised, on the north side (with the great- and indicators. it is considered that at least one est incline) to prevent slopes from part of it is still active. In 2002, 17 falling due to treading livestock. species of bryophytes and 23 phan- erogam plants were inventoried. Of note is the cotton grass Eriophorum vaginatum, declared “in danger of extinction” in the Basque Catalogue Main results of Endangered Species. Sphagnum • The greatest peat accumulations while in the central restored area, were exposed before (+32.9 % in populations sustain peat formation. are 2.8 m deep. Different zones replanted Eriophorum vaginatum four years), both due to natural Drosera rotundifolia was recently can be differentiated with par- dominates. Finally, a transition colonisation (especially by Callu- cited, which would indicate incipi- ticular degrees of degradation: on area dominated by Molinia caeru- na vulgaris and Agrostis sp.) and ent recovery of functionality. the north side, berries combined lea could be defined. the high survival rate of the Erio- with wet heath are of note, which • Erosive processes are less intense phorum vaginatum planted. on the south side are dominant, than in other blanket bogs in the • The phreatic level follows normal with abundant Calluna vulgaris. same geographical area that are hydrological patterns of a peat In the central area, not very de- not protected (11.4 mm in 6 body in the less degraded area, graded, there is a great presence months, as opposed to 12.4 mm but there is still a slight degree of of grasses and species of interest, and 26.4 mm). runoff on the restored surfaces. such as Sphagnum spp., Drosera • The increase in plant cover is rotundifolia and Eriophorum spp., slow, but verified in surfaces that Scopes of work, conservation actions and results Mires of Salduero-Pozonegro Layman´s report Objectives Actions Sustainable Ordunte • Protecting the mires of Salduero- • Drawing up a technical plan for • Delimiting the road for vehicles Pozonegro, in such way that it is livestock handling. with beacons and adding mate- 07 t the tops of the gullies and compatible with the grazing by • Improvement in some pasture ar- rial. Setting signs to prevent off- 08 Ahigh areas of Ordunte, there are livestock. eas by brush clearing (100 ha), road transit. puddled lands, locally known as • Evaluating results of actions. and infrastructures were built to • Systematic monitoring of the flora “lagoons,” that are home to mires attract livestock to less sensi- composition and plant colonisa- with Sphagnum (habitat 7140 of tive points, agreed upon with the tion by means of botanical inven- Directive 92/43/EEC). The greatest farmers. tories and indicators. concentration is found on the Sal- ¤ Six troughs. duero-Pozonegro plane (250 ha), ¤ Seven scratching points. characterised by wide pasture and ¤ Five salt points. heath meadows, used by a large ¤ Three shade points. number of cows and horses. Due to ¤ A livestock chute. repeated trampling and livestock excrement, the mires had hugely deteriorated, mainly during the summer, when the animals seek Main results drinking water. The lack of a suit- • Farmers collaborated with the • Notwithstanding, improvement able route for vehicle access meant plan, contributing their opinions of the state of conservation of that vehicles sometimes cross over in good-practises workshops and the mires is slow and variable. the very mires themselves. field visits, receiving the message There was a slight increase in that a conservation project also average plant coverage (+7.5 %), entails advantages for their eco- but there are yet to be signifi- nomic activity. cant changes in the present of • Acceptance of the road and the sensitive species or the maximum livestock infrastructures has been plant height. verified. Scopes of work, conservation actions and results Semi-natural forests Layman´s report Objectives Actions Sustainable Ordunte • Recover the area potentially oc- • Economic compensation to Kar- • Clearings, branch-stub pruning cupied by acidophilous beech rantza Town Council for the loss of and selection of sprouts in 51 ha 09 emaining native forests in Or- and other semi-natural forests by future income, when substituting of Pyrenean oak. 10 Rdunte are acidophilous beech, replacing commercial pine and less productive commercial plan- • Improvement of 10 ha of alder Pyrenean oak and alder, which eucalyptus plantations. tations by land for conservation. through active conservation, alder are habitats of community inter- • Improve the structural complexity • Restoration of acidophilous beech replanting and ringing pine up to est. Linked to the alder, there are of Pyrenean oak and their fire-re- and mixed forests on 176 ha of 10 m from the riverbeds. populations of paleo-tropical ferns, sistance, interrupting spatial con- pine and 33 of eucalyptus planta- • Exhaustive gully prospecting to Trichomanes speciosum and Wood- tinuity and favouring the growth in tions. In stands where the den- take inventory of Woodwardia radi- wardia radicans, species which diameter of branch stubs. sity and coverage of spontaneous cans and Trichomanes speciosum are also of community interest and • Help to naturally recover river- regeneration were already high, • Systematic monitoring of survival included in the Basque Catalogue bank alder by ringing pines on the the competition was regulated and growth of seedlings and trees of Endangered Species. After cen- sides. by ringing pine bases, creating through sampling, dendrochronol- turies of intense forest exploita- • Mapping and characterising the standing deadwood. In Pyrenean ogy and indicators. tion, about 60 years ago, the last Woodwardia radicans and Tricho- oaks with lack of regeneration, auctions to cut beech parcels in manes speciosum populations. the wood from pines and eucalyp- Ordunte were conducted. These • Evaluate the results of forestry tus was extracted, and restoration surfaces were planted with exotic treatments and actions. took place via planting. commercial species (Pinus radiata in particular), more productive from a commercial perspective and with shorter rotation. Some of them gave way to medium-low quality masses, Main results since they were outside their opti- • Ecological restoration of 206 ha with favourable perspectives for • Three populations of Woodwardia mum forest area. It was precisely occupied by commercial planta- future forest establishment and radicans and five ofTrichomanes in these places where the recovery tions, with the formal commit- development. speciosum were located. Mapping of semi-natural forests was sug- ment to maintain this area as a • Pyrenean oak clearing had a bene- them provides for taking preven- gested, as well as in areas which, at conservation area. ficial effect on the trees’ capacity tive conservation measures. • For plots restored through plant- to face summer water stress. The ing, beech and other leafy trees treated tress grew >15% than the the beginning of LIFE+ Sustainable ration of a habitat made of native planted show positive growth and controls during the post-treatment Ordunte, had reached or exceeded species. The owner of the land in elevated survival rates (89.1 %), period. their logging age, favouring resto- question is Karrantza Town Council. Monitoring, evaluating, ork was also conducted on esti- understanding and learning Wmated the ecosystemic services improved thanks to implementation of LIFE+ Sustainable Ordunte. Given the lack of a standardised system to Layman´s report conduct this analysis on a local and Sustainable Ordunte Conservation Monitoring Analysis Conservation Monitoring Analysis project scale, LIFE+ Sustainable Or- action indicator and rating action indicator and rating dunte applied the Toolkit for Ecosys- 11 IFE+ Sustainable Ordunte has tem Service Site-Based Assessment 12 paid great attention to monitor- C1 C1.1 Degree of substrate Expected to be functional in C4 C4.1 Evolution of the state of Variable results, but no methodology. This innovative solu- L moisture (% water volume) the least-degraded zone, but conservation of mires significant mid-term ing and analysing the ecological (restoration (Salduero pasture tion acted as an example for other a need to limit runoff in the improvements effects of conservation actions. We of the Zalama improvement) LIFE projects, and was promoted restored sector understand that the only way to blanket bog: by the European Commission itself. C5.1 Evolution of the state of Use of the road. Variable make progress in conservation is stabilisation and C5 Showing evidences about increased (road conservation of mires dama- results, but no significant regulation, supply and cultural ser- through critical evaluation of the functionality) C1.2 Retreat of eroded slope Erosion mitigated effects of treatments and resto- establishment ged by vehicle traffic short-term improvements vices is a useful argument to com- ration, which must be estimated in Salduero) municate positive messages about through standardised, measurable C1.3 Percentage of plant Demonstrable recolonization nature conservation projects. and quantitative methodologies. A cover in the perimeter zone C6 C6.1 Survival and growth of Positive responses The exchange of experiences series of indicators, directly associ- (restoration of trees planted with other technical-scientific ated with the conservation actions, beech grove, teams, interested in the same is- C2.1 Survival of the introdu- Positive response, especially sues, was a fruitful mechanism for was designed, defining the in-field C2 replacing pine C6.2 Dynamic of regenerated Positive responses in ced plant and % of coverage from Eriophorum vaginatum learning and training. Some of the data collection protocol and the (restoration plantations) tree species survival, growth and reached in the restored and most noteworthy collaborations have thresholds for reaching objectives. of the Zalama recruitment replanted quadrants been with the University of Notting- blanket bog: ham Trent, BirdLife International, recolonization) C7 C7.1 Survival and growth of Positive responses trees planted Europarc, the Regional Government C2.2 Presence of typical Increased coverage, year (restoration of of Cantabria, the Regional Goven- species and their coverage after year beech grove, ment of Castilla y León, LIFE+ replacing C7.2 Dynamic of plant Positive responses in Tremedal LIFE+ Miera, LIFE+ Coast eucalyptus community density reduction and Benefit, LIFE+ Making Good Natura, C3.1 Presence of livestock Positive response C3 plantations) limited eucalyptus LIFE+ Moors for the Future, LIFE+ (livestock around new infrastructures, regrowth Econnect, LIFE+ Viva Grass and and their use of them infrastructures LIFE RedBosques. The networking in Salduero) C8 C8.1 Physiological response Much greater increase in activities, visits and contacts will (structural of Quercus pyrenaica thickness on plots where C3.2 Evolution of the state of Variable results, but no definitely drive future initiatives, improvement in action was taken than on some of which are already underway, conservation of mires significant mid-term control plots improvements Pyrenean oak) such as protection of ground cover peat bogs in neighbouring regions. Documentary Disseminating conservation video What about after LIFE? Didactic unit for Layman´s report primary Merchandising Sustainable Ordunte education students 13 IFE+ Sustainable Ordunte has and long-term, reinforcement of To guarantee that the results obtained are long-last- 14 Lattempted to share initiatives and Ordunte’s symbolic identity with the ing, and to maintain Ordunte’s natural and land- knowledge with individual collec- local public improves opinions of scape capital, partners of LIFE+ Sustainable Ordunte tives associated with Ordunte, and habitat and species conservation, have committed to keeping certain lines of work. with the general public. A special which depend on society’s view of Technical Presence in the They are all included, in one way or another, in the effort was made to promote organ- them. The synergies entered into forestry and general media, Ordunte Special Area of Conservation Management ised public use, to facilitate nature with local teams acted as essen- capitalising through press Plan, stemming from the site’s inclusion in Natura interpretation and to raise aware- tial support for LIFE+ Sustainable workshops releases and 2000. ness of Ordunte and the Natura Ordunte’s communication strategy, conferences Articles in • Analysing the extension of the protective fence and 2000 network’s natural values. Mid based on the elements that follow: Publication of a technical and evaluating functionality (peat loss/accumulation) of monographic book on dissemination the Zalama blanket bog. peat bog conservation magazines, • Continue repopulating Eriophorum vaginatum and and restoration regionally and other species, such as Eriophorum angustifolium nationally and Sphagnum spp. in restored areas. • Install small dams to correct slope in the runoff areas, to favour peat accumulation and Sphagnum colonisation. Campaigns with • Monitor evolution of Salduero-Pozonegro mires, Information photographic and adapt conservation measures. stand at • Maintain and keep watch over the state of planta- Webpage exhibitions, field local and trips, children’s Brochures tions with native species and naturally-regenera- Boosting ting sectors. agricultural- workshops, contests communication • Promote new awareness actions, preferably through livestock fairs and talks Equipping and “Good practises” resources Celebration signposting the Armañón-Ordunte interpretation centre. workshops with available at the of “Natura a 30-km farmers Armañón-Ordunte 2000 Day” interpretative interpretation centre path (the “Guarda path”) To visit Ordunte:

Armañón and Ordunte Mountains Interpretation Centre Ranero, Karrantza (Biscay, Basque Country)

http://web.bizkaia.eus/es/-/ centro-de-interpretacion-del- parque-natural-de-armanon Tel. +34946560076

www.bizkaia.eus/lifeorduntesostenible

Photographs: M. Sabino, Hazi Fundazioa, Amador Prieto, Guaduneth Chico

With the contribution of the LIFE financial instrument of the European Union