PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
Grassland habitats have disappeared during the 20th century due to the ending of grazing and manual mowing on poor, steep or wet soils. This is because such actions were no longer profitable and access to payments from the Common Agricultural Policy is restricted to intensive farming. Followed by planting of conifers and poplars or scrub encroachment, this leads to a significant fragmentation of grassland species populations, resulting in genetic loss. The area of meadow habitats protected at EU-level, including calcareous grasslands, semi-natural dry grasslands and scrubland, and species-rich Nardus grasslands, in Wallonia (Belgium) and the Great East region (France) shrunk by more than 90% in the past century. They degraded into species-poor meadows due to infrequent mowing, overgrazing, non-organic N and P fertilisers and/or ploughing to convert into maize or ryegrass fields. If located in Natura 2000 sites, these habitats are protected, but biodiversity is still decreasing due to population fragmentation, lack of a seedbank, and soil eutrophication. The targeted forests - bog woodland and alluvial forests - were mainly drained or substituted by planting exotic trees. These trees naturally spread, affecting the habitat quality by bank erosion, water acidification or light competition.
The freshwater pearl mussel (Margaritifera margaritifera) is in a bad conservation status in the targeted sites because they are too old (60-80 years) and reproduction rate is too low. This results in unviable populations. Water quality is good or very good and host fishes are not rare, but old drainage ditches still release sediments in the targeted rivers.
The violet copper butterfly (Lycaena helle) is in a bad conservation status because wet meadows with its host plant common bistort (Persicaria bistorta) degrade due to their abandonment or their transformation into spruce plantations. This leads to contraction and fragmentation of the species range, progressive isolation of the populations, genetic impairment and local extinctions.
OBJECTIVES
The LIFE Connexions project aims to improve the conservation status of a number of grassland and forest habitats listed in the annexes of the Habitats Directive, in both quantity and quality, on at least 500 ha (including 260 ha of priority habitats). This will help prevent the local extinction of species typical to the target habitats, which are most sensitive to fragmentation, by strengthening their populations while restoring their habitat.
Specifically, the project aims to:
- Prevent the extinction of Margaritifera margaritifera by improving knowledge, applying innovative techniques, restoring mussel and host-fish habitats, and by breeding and restocking populations with 2 000 young post-parasitic mussels;
- Improve the conservation status of Lycaena helle by restoring more than 30 ha of wet meadows with its host plant Persicaria bistorta, ensuring better connectivity between populations, extending breeding sites, consequently resulting in more viable metapopulations;
- Improve the efficiency of restoration and management (cost/benefit ratio) with regard to the biodiversity associated with habitats (especially wild bees and soil biodiversity) and their resilience to climate change, which will be supported by monitoring actions; and
- Communicate about the Natura 2000 network and LIFE project results to the public and stakeholders, and transfer and replicate the results and expertise to other regions/countries.
RESULTS
Expected results:
- 500 ha of Habitats Directive Annex I habitats restored and reconnected, including 260 ha of priority habitats: 70 ha of Xeric sand calcareous grasslands (6210*); 85 ha of Species-rich Nardus grasslands, on silicious substrates in mountain areas (and submountain areas in Continental Europe) (6230*); 5 ha of Semi-natural dry grasslands and scrubland facies on calcareous substrates (Festuco-Brometalia) (*important orchid sites) (6120*); 35 ha of Bog woodland (91D0*); 65 ha of Alluvial forests with Alnus glutinosa and Fraxinus excelsior (Alno-Padion, Alnion incanae, Salicion albae) (91E0*); 15 ha of Molinia meadows on calcareous, peaty or clayey-silt-laden soils (Molinion caeruleae) (6410); 40 ha of Hydrophilous tall herb fringe communities of plains and of the montane to alpinelevels (6430); and 185 ha of Lowland hay meadows (Alopecurus pratensis, Sanguisorba officinalis) (6510);
- Conservation status and connectivity of some 25 plant species, typical for most of the targeted habitats, improved;
- 250 ha of private land purchased or leased to receive the status of natural reserve;
- Pearl mussel population with at least 20% of young individuals in the Anlier and Rulles rivers, providing a basis for repopulation of the rivers in the medium term;
- Violet copper butterfly conservation status improved, with > 30 ha of its wet meadow habitat restored; and
- Contribution of 7% up to 36% to the conservation objectives in the Continental part of the Walloon Region, as included in the regional prioritised action framework (PAF) 2020-2027.
