PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
The aquatic warbler (Acrocephalus paludicola) is the rarest migratory songbird in Europe, and the only globally threatened passerine bird found in mainland Europe. It is listed as ‘vulnerable’ in the IUCN Red List of globally threatened species. In Lithuania and Latvia, aquatic warblers are found in habitats that depend on human management (i.e. the mowing and burning of vegetation). If suitable habitats are abandoned, they become overgrown with vegetation and unsuitable for breeding, and the birds disappear within a short time. In eutrophic habitats even the timing of land use can be crucial: if mowing is too late, breeding habitats may deteriorate; if mowing is too early it will destroy the broods of aquatic warblers along with other endangered breeding birds. Conservation of these birds requires adjusting mowing to the occurrence of aquatic warblers, which may not always meet the interests of land users. Adjustment of land use is currently difficult to achieve because of the lack of incentive for farmers. Moreover, areas that have already been derelict for many years (10 or more in some project sites), special restoration activities (extermination of bushes and the growing of reed stands or a full-year grass layer) should be implemented in order to restore meadows for further common or specific management.
OBJECTIVES
The main project objective was to ensure the favourable conservation status of the aquatic warbler (Acrocephalus paludicola), which breeds in wet meadows and open fens dominated by sedge grasses. The project also aimed to bring added value to the conservation of other rare species that breed in similar habitats, namely the great snipe (Galinago media) and the corncrake (Crex crex). Conservation of the species would be achieved by: restoring important habitats; applying measures to create economic and social incentives for maintaining management of important habitats in the long-term; applying demonstration measures to increase the area of suitable habitat; and raising awareness about conservation needs and initiatives as well as species ecology to increase public acceptance of the project. The proposed project would not be limited itself to focusing on single conservation measures, but would address conservation of targeted species in a holistic way. The project’s approach would include the capacity building of nature conservation authorities and the strengthening of scientific practice in new management methods (e.g. reed burning). The aim was also to influence the legal framework for establishing suitable conditions for agri-environmental management of the Rural Development Programme in the project sites. It would learn from the experience of other countries and replicate best practices in the surrounding areas that could be a valuable habitat for the target species.
RESULTS
The Baltic Aquatic Warbler project achieved all its objectives, restoring around 1400 ha of habitat for the target species in existing and potential breeding grounds. Management practice was demonstrated on an additional 115 ha, while land plots covering 348 ha of key habitats for the aquatic warbler were acquired. The project also introduced special an agri-environmental measure for the restoration and maintenance of key habitat areas, while supporting late mowing in breeding areas. To this end, the necessary machinery was purchased and roads repaired to allow access to the sites.
The project team focused moreover on establishing the cooperation and active engagement of local stakeholders as part of its efforts to improve breeding success rates. It built up the required infrastructure for attracting and managing visitors to the sites and produced publications explaining and promoting the project’s activities. Persuading farmers to postpone mowing, along with the habitat restoration, led to an increase in the aquatic warbler population, which reached the critical number of 50 singing males in 2013. The population steadily increased to 250 singing males in 2016.
Another main achievement for future of aquatic warbler conservation was the introduction of a special agri-environmental scheme under the Rural Development Programme in Lithuania. Around €11.4 million has been allocated for the implementation of the scheme’s measures, which focus on maintenance of habitats, late mowing in breeding locations and the restoration of suitable habitat areas.
However, the population remains fragmented and therefore cannot be considered secure. For this reason, a follow-up LIFE project, Stepping stones towards ensuring long-term favourable conservation status of Aquatic warbler in Lithuania (LIFE15 NAT/LT/001024) is being carried out.
Further information on the project can be found in the project's layman report and After-LIFE Conservation Plan (see "Read more" section).
