PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
The aim of the GSELIFEAboveBorders project is to sustainably improve breeding sites’ conditions and increase the Greater Spotted Eagle Clanga clanga (GSE) abundance in the EU, and to reduce threats and secure key GSE staging and wintering sites along its flyway. The project will contribute to the survival of the greater Spotted Eagle through activities aimed at increasing the number of young eagles (rescue of Abel line chicks and at reduction of the impact of predation on chicks’ survival), protection of GSEbreeding forests and bird hunting areas, individual protection of birds tracked using GSM, combating illegal shooting and poisoning, setting up secure feeding stations on wintering grounds to improve bird condition and extensive educational activities. The GSE is classified as critically endangered in 27 EU countries and is on the list of EU bird species identified as "priority for LIFE funding". The disappearance of the last large-scale marshes on the edges of the EU, essential for breeding, and population losses on migration and wintering grounds are the main reasons for its bad conservation status. The 30 years of experience in GSE conservation of the project’s coordinating beneficiary (Poznań University of LIFE sciences) and its experience in other LIFE projects will allow to put in place on a permanent basis a set of measures whose effectiveness is widely recognised. The implementation of GSE protection is only possible on the basis of international cooperation, designed in the project and consolidated by the creation of an international network for GSE protection. This is the first such broad, integrated implementation of these methods in GSE conservation on a European scale. Benefits include protection of nesting and foraging conditions for GSEs (protection of all EU breeding forests, 40 nesting platforms, 14 feeding grounds, 65 observation points - an increase by min. 4 pairs), rearing of chicks (min. 8 GSE), protection against marten (an increase of breeding success up to 60%), protection of migration routes (3 stopover sites, 20 insulated power poles), protection of GSE Above the borders, so as to ensure the conservation of Greater Spotted Eagles at breeding and wintering areas, and on its flyway.