PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
Mountain pine (Pinus uncinata) forests make up the highest belt of woody vegetation in the Pyrenees. Due to climatic constraints, these forests are scattered at high altitudes, above 1 400 m, in the mountain range. They are dominant in the central Pyrenees but absent from the Atlantic and Mediterranean ends, where climatic conditions are milder. In the Iberian system, mountain pines persist in a few small relict populations, generally mixed with Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris).
Human-related pressures such as climate change and land use changes threaten Pyrenean mountain pine forests. Climate change is expected to push them to higher elevations, likely driving a reduction in the extent of this habitat and increasing its fragmentation. In addition, due to climate change and land abandonment, the intensity and severity of wildfires are expected to increase in alpine mountains like the Pyrenees, threatening mountain pine forests which are less adapted to fire than forests in more fire-prone areas. As mountain pine forests are found in areas with prolonged snow cover, which are also used for winter sports and recreation, this puts further pressure on the habitat and its wildlife communities. On top of that, almost all patches of mountain pine forest have long been exploited for timber production, livestock grazing, hunting, and gathering of forest products (mushrooms, berries, etc.). The result is habitat loss and degradation (e.g. younger stands, overgrazing, erosion, fragmentation and over-frequentation).
In parts of the Mediterranean Pyrenees in Spain, there is no danger of mountain pine forests disappearing in the foreseeable future, but a change in management or policy is required to return the habitat to a favourable status. In the Alpine region, however, the habitat is at risk of vanishing in some areas.
OBJECTIVES
LIFE UNCINATA aims to significantly improve the ecological integrity, biodiversity, resilience and governance of mountain pine forests in the Pyrenees. The plan is to make this habitat less vulnerable to climate change and to make human activities more compatible with its conservation. One of the project’s main priorities is to increase mountain pine forests’ resilience to climate change on 430 ha and reduce the risk of fire on more than 2 000 ha, at a preliminary estimate. Another priority is to boost public awareness of climate change mitigation.
The specific objectives are to:
- Identify priority stands for conservation of mountain pine forests found on limestone, based on their extension, their contribution to habitat connectivity and ecological relevance (structure, maturity, species communities and provision of ecosystem services);
- Designate, consolidate in the long term and improve mature stands of high ecological value and low human footprint as reserves for biodiversity and recovery of natural forest dynamics;
- Promote natural forest dynamics and biodiversity in mid-sear and even-aged multifunctional stands of mountain pine forest on limestone: promote close-to-nature forestry systems in contrast to traditional forestry;
- Improve the resistance and resilience of mountain pine forests on limestone to ongoing and foreseeable large-scale environmental changes (e.g. severe droughts, forest fires, forest pests);
- Improve habitat suitability for species of conservation concern (including species listed in Annexes II and/or IV of the Habitats Directive and Annex I of the Birds Directive). Amongst others, actions will directly impact key habitat of the western capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus), boreal owl (Aegolius funereus), various species of woodpecker (Dryocopus martius, Picus and Dendrocopos species), the brown bear (Ursus arctos), European wild cat (Felis silvestris), barbastelle bat (Barbastella barbastelle), saproxylic beetles, the moth Graellsia isabellae, two orchids (Orchis spitzelii and Cypripedium calceolus) and the fungus Letharia vulpina;
- Prevent grazing/browsing activity by domestic and wild ungulates in key sensitive areas impacted by overgrazing and restore these areas;
- Enhance habitat connectivity considering habitat functionality and not only the spatial configuration (e.g. connectivity between mature stands);
- Minimise, prevent and reverse impacts from over-frequentation and unsustainable public use on wildlife and habitat structure in sensitive and critical areas within mountain pine forests on limestone;
- Disseminate and transfer results, especially to managers, owners and practitioners. There is particular interest in exchanging technical experiences with other interest groups and disseminating the need to change the current habitat conservation strategy (to establish functional units of forest ecosystems instead of promoting management in isolated stands);
- Improve the governance of subalpine mountain pine forests and protected areas containing mountain pine forests: LIFE UNCINATA will provide a valuable example for government bodies, managers of protected areas, wildlife authorities, outdoor recreational users, hunters and other forestry-related stakeholders;
- Advance knowledge and set the technical basis for sustainable forest management of the habitat;
- Compile the necessary information to help evaluate the conservation status of mountain pine forests in the Pyrenees for the period 2019-2024 and onwards;
- Enhance regulation, support and cultural ecosystem services provided by mountain pine forests;
- Communicate the environmental, functional, cultural and experiential values of mountain pine forests to the general public at regional level; and
- Disseminate new criteria for habitat management among owners and managers.
Ultimately, LIFE UNCINATA aims to protect and restore European nature and to stop and reverse the loss of biodiversity, contributing to implementation of the EU Habitats Directive. In particular, it will contribute to the development and management of the Natura 2000 network and support the achievement of the objectives of the EU for 2030, part of the European Green Deal. The project will improve the quality and resilience of mountain pine forests in the Pyrenean region, restoring natural forest dynamics and the functional balance of the communities represented and making it increasingly resistant to climate change. Studies carried out for the project will contribute to the evaluation of the habitat’s conservation status in the Pyrenees, mandated in Article 17 of the Habitats Directive. (The next evaluation is foreseen for the period 2019-2024, which coincides with the end of the project.)
LIFE UNCINATA is also in line with the new EU action plan for the circular economy, as well as the new EU forest strategy for 2030, which underlines the importance of promoting a bioeconomy not only based on wood, but also on leisure and ecotourism, to diversify income in rural areas and ensure they have positive consequences for the climate and biodiversity.
RESULTS
Expected results:
- 6 habitat conservation plans (strategic documents; 1 per Special Area of Conservation);
- Almost 9 500 ha of mountain pine forests on limestone managed under habitat conservation plans;
- 10 landowner agreements (public and private);
- 150 ha of habitat oriented to long-term natural evolution;
- 150 ha of multifunctional (productive) mountain pine forests with enhanced biodiversity;
- Reduction of wildfire risk in more than 2,000 ha of habitat;
- 80 ha of habitat with exclusion areas for domestic herbivory (consumption of plant material by animals);
- More than 3 ha of habitat with exclusion areas for wild herbivory;
- 100 ha of habitat with improved pasture areas close to habitat; and
- 1 000 ha of habitat with reduced impact from frequentation.
