PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
Migratory and grassland breeding birds are negatively impacted by intensive agricultural land use practices across Europe and, more recently, also in their wintering grounds in Africa, leading to a dramatic and ongoing decline of grassland breeding birds.
According to the current EU Red List, grassland breeding birds and migratory birds have experienced 40% and 30% population declines respectively, with alarming ongoing trends. The taxonomic group of waders, which make up a high proportion of grassland breeding birds, includes one of the highest proportions of endangered species. Additionally, among the main habitat types of Europe, farmland and grassland habitats include the highest number of associated Threatened and Near Threatened bird species (based on the IUCN species classification).
The breeding hotspots of the western population of the black-tailed godwit (Limosa limosa) are located in the Netherlands and north-western Germany. A decline of two-thirds of the entire breeding population of this species has taken place within the last 30 years, and is continuing today, as a direct consequence of agricultural intensification, habitat loss and increasing predation resulting in low reproductive success and chick survival rates.
Reversing this trend is crucial for maintaining healthy populations of this umbrella species, and will benefit many associated wet-grassland breeding birds. The effective conservation of migratory birds and their associated ecosystems requires a flyway approach, to ensure connectivity between sites used across the distribution range, and a consideration of the entire lifecycle of the targeted species (i.e., breeding, staging and wintering grounds).
However, currently, there is a lack of effective and sustainable bird conservation measures on a transnational and even more so on transcontinental scales. This project builds on the expertise of a consortium of ecologists and conservationists in Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal and The Gambia. LIFE Godwit Flyway is designed to complement ongoing European actions, including the LIFE IP GrassBirdHabitats project.
OBJECTIVES
The LIFE Godwit Flyway project aims to create a safe haven for the European black-tailed godwit (Limosa limosa) along the East Atlantic Flyway.
It is articulated around 10 work packages, with actions aimed at:
- Strengthening and expanding the capacities of core breeding areas in Lower Saxony, Germany, through optimising breeding habitats and predation management.
- Improving wetland bird habitats in staging sites in the Tagus Estuary in Portugal, which is considered a migratory hub along the East Atlantic Flyway. Actions will include restoring saltpans and coastal lagoons, and implementing bird-friendly rice farming practices.
- Implementing climate-adapted and bird-friendly rice farming practices and wetland restoration in The Gambia, to provide suitable wintering habitat for the black-tailed godwit. These measures will include the restoration of rice fields, river floodplains, wetlands and mangroves. The aim is to develop hot spots with optimal resting conditions all year round to double the resting population in the critical summer period. The aim is to stabilise the returning rate of the juveniles and give an important impetus to the global population.
In addition, the project will support the designation of a 176,750-hectare (ha) UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in The Gambia.
RESULTS
The project’s expected results are:
- Increase of breeding pairs population of European black-tailed godwit from 230 (in 2021) to 440 (in 2030) in the Dümmer area, and from 220 (in 2021) to 310 (in 2030) at the Lower Elbe. These correspond to an annual population growth of 7.5% and 4% respectively.
- Increase in the conservation area suitable for black-tailed godwit by 1,188 ha and 704 ha in the core breeding habitat at the Dümmer and the Lower Elbe Natura 2000 sites in Lower Saxony respectively.
- Increase in the reproductive rate of black-tailed godwits of above 0.6 juveniles per breeding pair through large scale predation management programmes in target conservation sites and surrounding areas.
- Implementation of a winter-flooding scheme over a total of 392 ha in the Tagus Estuary in Portugal, to provide suitable staging habitat for migrating black-tailed godwits.
- Restoration of 21 ha of saltpans and recovery of an additional 71 ha of coastal lagoon in the Tagus area, to be managed as roosting and feeding habitats for migrating black-tailed godwits and associated wetland bird species (including breeding waders).
- Preparation for the designation of the Niumi Biosphere Reserve in The Gambia, in which 176,500 ha will be protected, and instigation of long-term cooperation between the Biosphere Reserve and the Federal State of Lower Saxony.
- Restoration of 675 ha of wetlands in the Niumi Biosphere Reserve.
