Actuations « Life Tremedal

A. Prepatatory Actions

This action group includes the analysis on the presence and distribution of peatland habitats for the Atlantic biogeographical region of the Iberian Peninsula, their classification and characterization. It will also make the assessment “ex ante” of the enclaves of the project and identification of the common indicators of project monitoring such as the technical projects necessary to accomplish specific conservation actions.

A.1. Diagnosis, territorial anlysis, and indicator identification

Diagnosis, territorial analysis, and indicator identification

The habitats which are covered by this project are especially fragile. Therefore a very thorough monitoring of the response that the restoration actions carried out may obtain is necessary. Consequently, this requires relying on scientific and technical data that support the management and restoration criteria of the peat land or hygrophilous habitats common to the entire Atlantic Biogeographic Region of the Iberian Peninsula.With action A1 the degree of uncertainty when establishing the details of the restoration projects should be reduced, and the deductive criteria for management of the grouping of the bio-geographic region should be established.

A.2. Technical planification of the restoration actions

Technical planification of the restoration actions

The restoration actions of habitats scheduled in section C should be previously described to define the specific details: topographical surveys, dam dimensions, details of canalconstruction, etc. The classification of technical projects that will be carried out in TREMEDAL includes the following actions:

Hydraulic restoration.
Topographical correction and reconfiguration.
Creation of infrastructures for the sustainable livestock management: mobile fences, troughs
Recovery of natural vegetation.
Elimination of exotic and invasive species of flora and fauna

B. Purchase of plots for the environmental restoration of Lake Arreo (Álava)

Since 1956 (and possibly earlier) Lake Arreo´s wetland has been reduced by at least 14%, by replacement of these habitats for agricultural crops. In addition to the occupation of the wetland, the surrounding crops generate significant pressures on the system derived from the use of fertilizers and pesticides, removal of materials which provide a protective vegetative cover, extraction of water for the use of irrigation, etc.

Restoration actions of the peat land and hygrophilous habitats in a total of 11 enclaves pertaining to 5 Natura 2000 Network sites and of 5 other enclaves which form part of Natura 2000 or contribute to increasing its ecologic sustainability.
Collection, long-term storage and conservation of germplasm necessary to guarantee the restoration actions to be implemented in this project.

Therefore, the projects to carry out the specific conservation actions C1 to C9 will be compiled in this section:

Action C.1.

Restoration, impact prevention and creation of infrastructures for the proper management in the complex of peat lands and habitats located int the Atlantic zone of Navarra

The action will be carried out in a total of 84.52 ha which includes 8 enclaves:

Alkurruntz (1,99 ha in the SCI Regata of Orabidea)
Arxuri (18,31 ha In the SCI Regata of Orabidea)
Belate (9,17 ha), Okolin (43,6 ha) y Xuriain (2,74 ha) in the SCI Belate
Lixketa (1,54 ha), Maulitx (3,06 ha) and Mendaur (4,11 ha) as “peat lands for connectivity”

Action C.2.

Restoration of the peat bog enclaves of the SCI Jaizkibel

The marshlands are distributed all around the SCI Jaizkibel in the form of small areas that areinterspersed with grassland, heathland, remains of copse and maritime pine plantations.

The marshlands appear in slopes and valleys facing the sea, close to areas where the water overflow is retained, on a terrain dominated by sandstones.

Action C.3.

Environmental restoration of the SCI Lake Arreo-Caicedo Yuso

As explained in action B1, Lake Arreo its ecosystems are subjected to diverse pressures principally related to the agrarian activity. In this sense, the land purchase and its subsequent change in use are efficient tools, but it will be necessary to complement them with the following actions: restoration of the natural vegetation, erosion prevention, non-indigenous fauna control, and regulation of public use.

Action C.4.

Restoration, impact prevention, and creation of the Usabelartza peat land

The point Usabelartza is located in Mount Adarra, some 500 m from the mouth of SCI Leizaran River (ES21200113), in a heading zone of the river network in this space.

Usabelartza is home to samples of acidic sphagnum peat lands, interesting for its surface (larger than 5 ha) and for including peat deposits of a specific type (infrequent on a regional scale).

Action C.5.

Infrastructures for the management of livestock compatible with the conservation of habitats in SCIs Picos de Europa, Asturias, and Castile and Leon

The secular grazing, until recent times excessive, in the areas considered in this action has meant a loss for the state of conservation of its peat lands and, therefore of the Habitats of Community Interest that they represent. It makes the introduction necessary of new elements in the livestock management necessary in those enclaves that without a utilization bias of the pastures, allows the loss of peat land surface to be avoided and assures the long term functionality of these peat bog systems.

Action C.6.

Improvement of the state of conservation in the continental wetlands of the SCI Parga-Ladra-Támoga.

The growth in agricultural and livestock activity during the 20th century in the territory that the SCI Parga-Ladra-Támoga (Galicia) now occupies had, as a consequence, a drastic reduction in the natural hygrophilous environments, which were displaced in favor of farmland or the formation of more or less intensive pastures, until its complete desecration the 1950s.

In addition, the current context of the global climate change exacerbates the sensitivity and fragility of the environments depending on water, already more vulnerable, by the decreasing the extension of the surface in which they are present and the consequential prejudice for all those wild species of flora and fauna associated

Action C.7.

Habitat suitability and population reinforcement of Eryngium viviparum in the LIC Parga – Ladra -Támoga

There are a small series of depressions associated with the hygrophilous environments in the SCI Parga-Ladra-Támoga, in which seasonal fresh water environments are developed where the priority species Eryngium viviparum finds a suitable habitat for its development.

In the current climate context, the configuration and dynamic of the wetlands that are home to the priority species Eryngium viviparum have a fundamental importance for the survival of the species. These populations depend on regular cycles where conditions of inundation (autumn, and the beginning of summer) are dispersed with xeric conditions (summer). The species’ sensitivity to the hydrologic cycle is evident, and therefore to the process of global climate change, which provokes a greater seasonal irregularity. These factors, united with the growing incidence of exotic invasive species and the destruction of its habitat by human activity, are more relevant from the point of view of the conservation of the species.The fortification and augmentation of the population nuclei of the species Erynigum vivparum is an action fundamental to be able to conserve taxa of such restricted distribution and so endangered.

Action C.8.

**Improvement of the state of conservation of the priority habitats (7210; 91E0) in the SCI Parga-Ladra-Támoga**

This action’s goal is the improvement of the state of conservation of the priority peat land and hygrophilous habitats

7210* Calcerous bogs of Cladium mariscus with species of Caricion davallianae
91E0* Alluvial forests of Alnus glutinosa and Frazinus excelsior (Alno-Padion, Alnion incanae, Salicion albae)

In this type of environment the peat lands function like transition habitats between the damp forest and the lagoon. For this reason joint actions are taken on the two types of habitats, with the goal of correcting old imbalances and to permit the natural development of the ecosystems.

The action carried out in the enclave of the Ollos de Begonte where representatives of these types of habitats can be found.

Action C.9.

Improvement of the state of conservation of the higrophylous habitats on the Isle of San Roque (SCI Parga-Ladra-Támoga

Although currently the island of San Roque is under public ownership and its use is reserved for the conservation of biodiversity, it suffered anthropogenic activity in the form of nonpermanent crops which greatly modified the topography of the floodplain and therefore the configuration of the present habitats on the island.

With the change of ownership, from private ownership to public (between 2003 and 2006), intensive use was stopped and the invasive exotic species that established themselves on the island were eradicated.

Action C.10.

Collection, storage, and long term conservation of germplasm

This is a transversal action that will be carried out in the enclaves in which the Action A1 determines necessary. It consist of collecting the seeds of peat land plants and other hydrophilic areas in the different locations chosen for the project, and their long term storage and conservation in the Plant germplasm bank of Atlantic Botanic Garden (BG-JBA) whose science team is made up of personal from INDUROT (UNIOV)

The constructive projects will be accepted by the city councils who own the the lands and the competent local authorities, who in addition will be responisble for negotiating the necessary prior authorizations.

D. Monitoring the impact of the actions

Monitoring the project activities and their impact is accomplished by monitoring the restoration actions in the habitats , monitoring the species and monitoring socioeconomic impact.

D.1. Monitoring the affects of the habitats project

Monitoring the affects of the habitats project

This action proposes to monitor the impact of restoration actions carried out in the project. It consists of measuring and documenting its efficiency and assessing the extent to which the expected results have been achieved.

D.2. Monitoring the impact on the species

Monitoring the impacts on the species

This action includes monitoring the impacts of actions C1 and C7 on the species. In the case of Action C.1 the endangered species covered by propagation and population reinforcement will be tracked: Carex hostiana (in Belate and Arxuri), Rhynchospora fusca (HCI 7150) in Arxuri and Spiranthes aestivalis, (Annex IV of the “Habitats” Directive) also in Arxuri.

In the case of Action C.7 the effective increase in viviparum Eryngium individuals in the population nuclei of the priority species within the action sites of SCI Parga-Ladra-Támoga (Cospeito Lagoon and the Isle of San Roque) will also be checked.

D.3. Monitoring the socio- economic impatc of the project

Monitoring the socio-economic impact of the project

This project, in addition to contributing to the conservation of peat lands and other wetlands and greater social awareness about the valuable characteristics they possess and its importance in the overall management of the territory, the project aims to have a positive impact on the population and the local economy.

E. Communication Plan

Regarding the field of communication, LIFE + Tremedal is looking “to inform and sensitize the general public about the values and environmental services provided by continental wetlands in general and peat land habitats and hygrophilous environments in particular.”

F. Management and coordination of the project

Includes an management and coordination of the project, the creation of networks with other projects, an external financial audit, and of the after LIFE Conservation Plan.

F.1. Management and coordination of he project

Management and coordination of the project

The coordinating beneficiary (GAN) should ensure proper planning, organization, communication and management of the TREMEDAL project and to achieve it, establish a structure that will work with the following management bodies:

Management Committee / Navigation, maximum responsibility for the project implementation. It will be comprised of the project manager of each beneficiary. It will meet at least three times coinciding with meetings of the Technical Committee (beggining, middle, and end of the project).
Technical Committee, responsible for the proper execution of the actions. It shall be joined by a technical representative of each beneficiary. This committee will meet physically on seven occasions during the project (Consortium Meetings).
Management teams of each beneficiary: Each beneficiary will have a project manager and technical and administrative staff.
External Coordination Team. Its function is to support the coordinating beneficiary in their project management tasks. For this an external team will be subcontracted – with proven experience in project management – It will be under the direct control of the coordinating beneficiary. It will be in charge of forwarding the reports to the Commission and will be the means of communication with this.

F.2. Networking with other projects

Networking with other projects

TREMEDAL proposes to organize a network for information and experience exchange with other projects (LIFE III, LIFE +, or others relevant to the objectives and proposed actions). This network will also include organizations with experience in the restoration and management of habitats targeted by the project

F.3. External financial auditing

External financial auditing

An independent auditor must verify the financial statements submitted to the Commission in the final project report. They will check that it has been complied according national legislation and accounting standards, and certify that all expenses incurred respect the Common Provisions for LIFE +.

F.4. Conservation plan after LIFE

Conservation plan after LIFE

The final TREMEDAL report will include as a separate chapter, Post-LIFE Conservation Plan, explaining how it intends to continue the actions undertaken during the project in later years, once it is finished.

The Post-LIFE Conservation Plan will include details of the necessary actions to ensure the long term management of these enclaves (when, who will execute them and what the sources of funding are available for it).

Notably, all areas included in the project are under the management of the competent authorities in Natura 2000, and that the knowledge acquired during the project and the results of the monitoring arrangements facilitate the writing of this Plan.