LIFE supporting dunes habitats management and restoration João Pedro e Silva Neemo - LIFE programme Communications Team #SandDuneRestoration @LIFE_programme
LIFE supporting dunes habitats management and restoration Since 1992, 172 projects co-funded by LIFE programme (coastal and inland dunes) More than 250 Natura 2000 network sites across 6 biogeographical regions 21 Member States More than 220 million euros total investment
LIFE Dunes by Member State 40 (1992-2014) n=159 35 30 35 32 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 10 10 9 8 8 6 5 4 4 3 3 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 ES IT BE NL DK FR FI GR DE LV EE IE PL PT HU LT RO BG SK UK SE
45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 41 Fixed coastal dunes with herbaceous vegetation ("grey 35 35 Embryonic shifting dunes Shifting dunes along the shoreline with Ammophila Annex I Dunes Habitats Targeted by LIFE (2000-2014) n=124 33 Inland dunes with open Corynephorus and Agrostis 26 25 Coastal dunes with Juniperus spp. Humid dune slacks 21 Dry sand heaths with Calluna and Genista 19 Wooded dunes with Pinus pinea and/or Pinus pinaster 16 15 14 14 "Wooded dunes of the Atlantic, Continental and Boreal region" Decalcified fixed dunes with Empetrum nigrum Malcolmietalia dune grasslands Crucianellion maritimae fixed beach dunes 11 Dry sand heaths with Calluna and Empetrum nigrum 9 8 7 Cisto-Lavenduletalia dune sclerophyllous scrubs Dunes with Hippophaë rhamnoides Dunes with Salix repens ssp. argentea (Salicion arenariae) 5 4 3 3 3 Brachypodietalia dune grasslands with annuals Atlantic decalcified fixed dunes (Calluno-Ulicetea) Dunes with Euphorbia terracina Pannonic inland dunes Machairs (* in Ireland) 2130 2110 2120 2330 2250 2190 2310 2270 2180 2140 2230 2210 2320 2260 2160 2170 2240 2150 2220 2340 21A0
Heath and scrub: 2150,2260,2150,2140, 2160, 2320,2310 100 2130,2230 and 2240 80 60 40 20 2110, 2210 and 2220 52 2120 35 60 2170 and 2190 32 94 2180 and 2270 35 0
Dunes projects by EU Biogeographical region PAN 3 BLS 1 BOR 14 CON 21 MED 34 ATL 46 ATL MED CON BOR PAN BLS
Threats addressed by LIFE Dunes projects Art 17 report Code E01 G05 G01 B01 I01 G02 K02 J02 A04 C01 D01 M01 K01 E04 H04 H05 Threat Urbanised areas, human habitation Other human intrusions and disturbances Outdoor sports and leisure activities, recreational activities forest planting on open ground invasive non-native species Sport and leisure structures Biocenotic evolution, succession human induced changes in hydraulic conditions grazing Mining and quarrying (sand extraction) Roads, paths and railroads Changes in abiotic conditions (sea level) abiotic (slow) natural processes (erosion) Structures, buildings in the landscape Air pollution, air-borne pollutants (nitrogen deposition) Soil pollution and solid waste (excluding discharges)
Measures LIFE Dunes projects Art 17 report Code Measures 1.2 Measures needed, but not implemented 2.1 Maintaining grasslands and other open habitats 4.0 Other wetland-related measures 4.1 Restoring, improving water quality 4.4 Restoring coastal areas 6.0 Other spatial measures 6.1 Establish protected areas or sites 6.3 Legal protection of habitats and species 6.4 Manage landscape features 6.5 Adaptation, abolition of military land use 7.4 Specific single species or species group management measures 9.1 Regulating, management exploitation of natural resources on land
Dunes Project s actions - Management and restoration Applying Best practices Preventing Erosion, Promoting Accretion; Ammophila spp. planting Fencing Beach Cleaning Beach Nourishment (not that many projects) Restoring Vegetation on Eroding Dunes (inc. inland) Dune Grassland, Heath (including Juniper), and woodland (eg.pinus) Modifying Trends in Succession Dunes slacks restoration (water level, water quality); Invasive plant species and Alien plant species Control Managing Grazing
Dunes Project s actions - Management and restoration Applying Best practices Managing People access to Dunes: Signage and Walkways Zonation (management plans and its implementation ) Awareness raising
Impact of LIFE Dunes habitats EU policy contribution EU Biodiversity 2020 strategy Protect species and habitats - Target 1 Improving conservation status of habitats (Biogeographical process, PAFs) Natura 2000 network Maintain and restore ecosystems - Target 2 dunes ecosystems and their services are maintained and enhanced (establishing green infrastructure) and restoration of degraded coastal ecosystems Combat invasive alien species - Target 5 Invasive Alien species control and eradication in dunes areas (mainly plants)
Impact of LIFE on Dunes habitats Conservation Status Impact is normally geographically limited buy very relevant (e.g 2250*) difficult to measure and patchy Best practices approach works for dunes (problem of scale and sustainablity) Bottlenecks: Transferability and replicability of the LIFE projects best practices contribution to Biogeographical process (establish habitats management and restoration guidelines for all Bioregions) LIFE projects are result based more evidence and science based actions and link to innovative restoration methods Mainstreaming with other sources of funding Link to ecosystem services (eg. climate change adaptation)
Thank You! #SandDuneRestoration @LIFE_programme