PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
The conservation status of the Cantabrian brown bear (Ursus arctos) has significantly improved in the north of Spain. The species has gone from being in decline and at risk of disappearing in the mid-1990s, to the current situation where two population nuclei are increasing in size and connectivity. However, the population is still far from a favourable conservation status under the Habitats Directive.
The Natura 2000 network site in the Serra do Courel (Lugo, Galicia) is of strategic interest for the expansion of the Cantabria brown bear population. Some individuals have recently moved there, highlighting its potential for establishing a permanent bear presence. However, no conservation actions targeting the species or its habitat had been carried out at this site before the beginning of the project, and no work had been undertaken with local residents or farmers focusing on bear-human coexistence either. In this area of isolated, mountain agricultural communities, characterised by activities such as small-scale farming, beekeeping and hunting, if coexistence is not adequately addressed conflicts could arise in the future.
OBJECTIVES
The objective of the LIFE OSO COUREL project was to improve the long-term viability of the Cantabrian brown bear population, by promoting its south-westward expansion and its permanent presence in the Serra do Courel (Galicia). Both numerical and spatial increases are required to enable the brown bear population to reach a favourable conservation status in the long term.
Specific project objectives were to:
- Encourage the permanent settlement of brown bears in the Serra do Courel, by improving food sources availability and guaranteeing connectivity between high quality habitats, resulting in an increase in bear numbers;
- Guarantee connectivity between the main reproductive nucleus (the western Cantabrian subpopulation) and the Serra do Courel, through improvement and defragmentation actions in areas surrounding the A6 highway and other infrastructure, so that more brown bears and other large mammals cross to the south of the A6;
- Prevent and solve potential conflicts between bears and local communities, such as protecting beehives against bear attacks; and
- Increase awareness and knowledge of local residents and stakeholders of the importance of a continued and growing bear population, with increased support for bear conservation actions.
RESULTS
The LIFE OSO COUREL project improved the long-term viability of the Cantabrian brown bear (Ursus arctos) population in the Serra do Courel (Galicia, Spain), by promoting its south-westward expansion, improving habitats, raising awareness, and preventing bear-human conflicts in six municipalities.
The Serra do Courel provides good-quality habitat for dispersing bears, thanks to the presence of vegetation that offers shelter and food, especially oak and chestnut forests. To improve the quality of the habitat and the connectivity between different areas of high-quality habitat, the project team planted 142 small forests of native fruit species in the most appropriate locations throughout the territory. A total of 145 ha of habitat was restored and 107 805 trees or shrubs planted. The species planted included cherry (Prunus avium), alder buckthorn (Frangula alnus), crab apple (Malus sylvestris), rowan (Sorbus aucuparia), and birch (Betula alba). To obtain these, 792 kg of fruits/seeds were collected locally and sown in nurseries. Plantations were located within 12 collectively-owned forests and private lands, for which 20 land stewardship agreements were signed. The project team also acquired 6.8 ha of land for long-term restoration. All the soil preparation work was carried out with specialised machinery by local companies, with 10 workers hired by the project.
Beekeeping is an important activity in the Serra do Courel, carried out by many amateur and professional beekeepers, but it can come into conflict with bears returning to the territory who attack hives for the honey, and also bee larvae. The project addressed this situation in collaboration with the Galician Beekeeping Association and numerous beekeepers. The project team distributed 154 solar electric shepherds, along with cable for enclosures, and informed 168 beekeepers about the presence of the brown bear and the techniques for protecting apiaries. A lesson learnt was that providing prevention devices alone is insufficient, it is also essential to know how to properly position and maintain them. The project team therefore produced a brochure and a video tutorial on installing and using deterrent devices. They also evaluated electric fencing at 96 apiaries to offer advice and correct installation defects.
With the collaboration of the Galician Hunting Federation, an information campaign was developed for local hunters about the presence of bears, the need to identify the animals during hunting, and how to behave when a bear appears. The project established 32 agreements with 10 hunting areas (tecores) for the clearing of 229 hunting posts (62.2 ha), to facilitate the visibility and identification of the animals. This work was carried out by forest companies and cooperatives in the territory, with the active involvement of local hunters. Another information campaign was aimed at livestock breeders.
Conflict prevention was also addressed with the provision and training of a specialised intervention team made up of rangers from Xunta de Galicia (Galician Regional Government). The project organised training for technicians and environmental rangers, and provided equipment for the capture, transport, veterinary treatment, and monitoring of bears. To inform inhabitants of the likely arrival of brown bears in a new territory, the project team organised 32 meetings, attended by 384 local people, and a demonstration visit with stakeholders and neighbours of Courel to the Somiedo Natural Park (Asturias) to learn about how brown bears coexist with human activities there. In addition, an educational campaign was developed for 15 schools.
The project team worked in collaboration with local organisations and communities to achieve a more positive attitude towards the presence of brown bears, for the long-term sustainability of project actions. This included the development of a Handbook of Good Practices for sustainable tourism in the Serra do Courel, with the presence of brown bears seen as an asset to the territory. The project team conducted an inventory of 267 alvares, for example, old dry-stone structures built to defend apiaries from bears, and restored 6 alvares to the benefit of both beekeeping and tourism. In collaboration with the Neighbours Association of Seceda do Courel, Folgoso do Courel town council and the Montañas do Courel Geopark, they also designed a tourist route on bears and honey in Courel.
A detailed monitoring programme for the presence of the bear was developed during the project. The team collected data of attacks on apiaries, on observations, footprints, hairs or faeces. Camera traps were placed and DNA extracted for analysis from the collected samples. DNA from 47 samples of hair and excrement made it possible to genetically identify four different bears in the project area.
Further information on the project can be found in the project's layman report (see "Read more" section).
