PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
On the Iberian Peninsula, the areas with the highest biodiversity are found in the northern region, around the boundary between the Atlantic and Mediterranean biogeographical regions. Key habitats and species are present on both sides of this boundary, many of which are considered a priority under the EU Habitats Directive and the Birds Directive. But after nearly 3 000 years of land use and human activities, the environment in the Iberian Peninsula has become heavily fragmented. This has led to a complex mosaic of habitats around the Atlantic and Mediterranean boundary, with small, isolated areas of high conservation value.
The most vulnerable areas in northern Iberia are those that harbour the greatest conservation value: the coastal zone, inland wetlands and mountainous areas. They face a variety of conservation threats that are exacerbated by global climate change.
The LIFE GLOBAL project has selected 10 priority habitats and 3 priority species from these 3 environments that have an unfavourable conservation status. These habitats and species:
- are considered representative of the Atlantic and Mediterranean biogeographical regions and some of these are found simultaneously in different environments
- possess high conservation values and are therefore considered “umbrella” species/habitats, according to the Natura 2000 management plans for northern Iberia
- have small areas/populations within the European Union (EU)
- are restricted to a few biogeographical regions
- are highly vulnerable to the effects of global climate change
- are habitats that harbour high biodiversity values but are at risk of disappearing from the EU
- are species that are of great conservation concern, as they have undergone significant decline, are highly vulnerable to the effects of global climate change, and their distribution is linked to the presence of specific priority habitats
OBJECTIVES
The overall objective of the LIFE GLOBAL project is to implement a transnational restoration strategy across 31 high-conservation-value Natura 2000 sites in northern Iberia, in both Spain and Portugal.
To do this, the project will carry out small-scale actions and demonstrative and pilot measures aimed at mitigating anthropogenic pressures, implementing adaptive management, and conserving genetic diversity. Covering an area of 1 321 hectares (ha), the project seeks to enhance adaptation to current global changes, improving the conservation status and resilience of 10 priority habitats and 3 priority species.
The specific objectives of the project are to:
- increase the area occupied by targeted priority habitats
- increase the populations of targeted priority species
- control and eliminate competition from invasive alien species (IAS) that negatively impacts the conservation status of priority habitats
- enhance the structure, functionality and future prospects for priority habitats and the habitats of targeted priority species
- provide updated and standardised information on targeted priority habitats and species in northern Iberia
- raise public awareness of the significance, natural value and ecosystem services provided by the targeted priority habitats and species
- transfer the measures developed in the project to facilitate replication at the EU level
RESULTS
The expected results of the LIFE GLOBAL project are:
- increase in the surface area of 3 target priority habitats by 174.10 ha by reducing fragmentation and enhancing connectivity
- increase in the populations of Centaurium somedanum by more than 300 individuals
- increase in the populations of Eryngium viviparum by more than 10%
- control and elimination of IAS which are impacting the composition, structure, and functions of priority habitats over 562.87 ha
- improvement in the structure, functionality and future prospects of 551.60 ha of priority habitats and 32.9 ha of habitats of the 3 selected priority species
- organisation of 34 local workshops targeting private landowners, protected areas staff, travel agents, farmers, foresters and non-governmental organisations (NGOs)
- organisation of 12 training and technical capacity-building workshops addressed at protected area managers and EU competent authorities
- 6 international seminars on priority habitats and species conservation
- a manual of best conservation practices for priority habitats and species
