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LIFE Project Cover Photo

Restoration of Meadow Bird Habitats

Reference: LIFE06 NAT/DK/000158 | Acronym: REMAB

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

BACKGROUND

Meadow birds are among the most threatened bird species in Denmark and in the rest of the EU. Many species have suffered from serious decline since the 1970s primarily due to lost of suitable breeding sites: Only a fourth of the breeding sites for dunlin (Calidris alpine schinzii) remain in Denmark. Compared with the situation in the 1970s, and for ruff (Philomachus pugnax) only a seventh of the breeding sites remain. The Danish Ministry of Environment has adopted a national action plan for meadow birds covering 25 SPAs (Special Protection Areas of the Natura 2000 network). This project targeted four of the most important of these sites.


OBJECTIVES

The project’s overall aim was to restore, or enhance the conservation status of areas of habitats for dunlin and ruff at four key sites in Denmark. This would contribute significantly to the implementation of the national action plan for the threatened meadow bird species. The project actions targeted 13% of the country’s dunlin population and 9% of its ruff population. At the species’ population level, the project aimed to halt the decline of the two species at the four project sites, where their current populations are only half the size of those recorded in 1986.

A secondary objective was to restore to a favourable conservation status associated habitats/ habitat types of the species within the project areas. Targeted habitats, all listed in the EU Habitats Directive, were: Atlantic salt meadows; Hard oligo-mesotrophic waters with benthic vegetation of Chara ssp.; and areas of Botaurus stellaris, Chlidonias niger and Porzana porzana.

The actions would focus principally on practical works to: (i) restore the hydrology of the preferred habitats of meadow birds e.g. the Atlantic salt meadows; (ii) clearance of trees, reeds, scrub etc; and (iii) ensure a proper grazing regime among the targeted habitats. The project would also adopt a participatory approach through cooperation with landowners. A seminar for nature managers was also planned in order to spread knowledge of managing meadow bird habitats.


RESULTS

The project implemented all actions and successfully met its overall and secondary objectives. The main results are summarised as follows:

  • Improvements in the hydrological conditions of the targeted habitats for the meadow birds were achieved at all four sites covering a total area of approximately 1 900 ha meadows;
  • Actions focusing on the clearance of trees and reeds have resulted in the restoration of areas of habitats for the meadow birds – including 220 ha of wet grasslands and 18 ha of Atlantic salt meadows;
  • Actions were taken to reduce eutrophication in order to improve water quality on 975 ha of the Habitats Directive-listed water bodies supporting vegetation of Chara spp. This action has also helped to improve the breeding and feeding habitats for other meadow bird species, notably for the bittern (Botaurus stellaris) and Black tern (Chlidonias niger) at the Vestlige Vejler project site;
  • Appropriate grazing regimes, sympathetic to the breeding/ feeding habitats of the meadow birds; have been established on approximately 900 ha of preferred habitat. The grazing actions included the establishment of a grazing society at the Nyord site, and by the development of a management plan at the Vestlige Vejler site;
  • Artificial fox dens (25) were created and a fox- blocking gate erected at a bridge. Together these actions will help to reduce the predation by foxes on meadow birds at two project sites (Nyord and Vestamager);
  • Visitor access to view the birds at close hand has been provided at the Vestamager site with the construction of a 5 km footpath and a bird observation platform.
  • Swedish, German, Norwegian, Finnish, English and Greek nature managers (60) attended a seminar organised by the project to share experiences on improving conditions for meadow birds. This has helped to raise awareness of the management of the species’ across the EU.
Further information on the project can be found in the project's layman report and After-LIFE Conservation Plan (see "Read more" section).The project implemented all actions and successfully met its overall and secondary objectives. The main results are summarised as follows:
  • Improvements in the hydrological conditions of the targeted habitats for the meadow birds were achieved at all four sites covering a total area of approximately 1 900 ha meadows;
  • Actions focusing on the clearance of trees and reeds have resulted in the restoration of areas of habitats for the meadow birds – including 220 ha of wet grasslands and 18 ha of Atlantic salt meadows;
  • Actions were taken to reduce eutrophication in order to improve water quality on 975 ha of the Habitats Directive-listed water bodies supporting vegetation of Chara spp. This action has also helped to improve the breeding and feeding habitats for other meadow bird species, notably for the bittern (Botaurus stellaris) and Black tern (Chlidonias niger) at the Vestlige Vejler project site;
  • Appropriate grazing regimes, sympathetic to the breeding/ feeding habitats of the meadow birds; have been established on approximately 900 ha of preferred habitat. The grazing actions included the establishment of a grazing society at the Nyord site, and by the development of a management plan at the Vestlige Vejler site;
  • Artificial fox dens (25) were created and a fox- blocking gate erected at a bridge. Together these actions will help to reduce the predation by foxes on meadow birds at two project sites (Nyord and Vestamager);
  • Visitor access to view the birds at close hand has been provided at the Vestamager site with the construction of a 5 km footpath and a bird observation platform.
  • Swedish, German, Norwegian, Finnish, English and Greek nature managers (60) attended a seminar organised by the project to share experiences on improving conditions for meadow birds. This has helped to raise awareness of the management of the species’ across the EU.
Further information on the project can be found in the project's layman report and After-LIFE Conservation Plan (see "Read more" section).

ADMINISTRATIVE DATA


Reference: LIFE06 NAT/DK/000158
Acronym: REMAB
Start Date: 01/01/2006
End Date: 31/12/2009
Total Eligible Budget: 1,428,932 €
EU Contribution: 714,466 €

CONTACT DETAILS


Coordinating Beneficiary: Skov- og Naturstyrelsen
Legal Status: PUBLIC
Address: Haraldsgade, 53, 2100, Copenhagen,


LIFE Project Map

ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES ADDRESSED

THEMES

  • Grasslands
  • Birds

KEYWORDS

  • protected area
  • restoration measure

TARGET EU LEGISLATION

  • Directive 92/43 - Conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora- Habitats Directive (21.05.1992)
  • Directive 79/409 - Conservation of wild birds (02.04.1979)

TARGET HABITAT TYPES

Code Name Type Version
3140 Hard oligo-mesotrophic waters with benthic vegetation of Chara spp ANNEX1 v.2024
1330 Atlantic salt meadows (Glauco-Puccinellietalia maritimae) ANNEX1 v.2024

SPECIES

Name Version
Philomachus pugnax - Birds v.2024
Porzana porzana - Birds v.2024
Botaurus stellaris - Birds v.2024
Calidris alpina schinzii - Birds v.2024
Chlidonias niger - Birds v.2024

NATURA 2000 SITES

Code Name Type Version
Vestamager og havet syd for DK002X111 SPA and SCI/SAC v.2021
Præstø Fjord, Ulvshale, Nyord og Jungshoved Nor DK006X089 SPA v.2021
Harboøre Tange, Plet Enge og Gjeller Sø DK00CY039 SPA v.2021

PARTNERSHIPS

Name Status Type
 Skov- og Naturstyrelsen ACTIVE Coordinator
 The Danish Bird Protecting Foundation (Dansk Ornitologisk Förening-DOF- Fuglevearnsfonden), Denmark ACTIVE Participant