“living lakes – sustainable management of wetlands and...

LIFE III ENV/D/000351 Layman Report

Reporting Date: 11 March 2005

“Living Lakes – Sustainable Management of Wetlands and Shallow Lakes”

Layman Report “Sustainable Management of Wetlands and Shallow Lakes“

LIFE III ENV/D/000351 2

The La Nava wetland in Spain

Project Scope and Objectives European wetlands are highly endangered ecosystems. Due to nutrient enrichment caused by agriculture and untreated sewage many wetlands are severely degraded in ecological terms. A result is the damage or even the destruction of important wetlands and therewith a loss of biological diversity. However the impact of humans and civilisation on wetland ecosystems cause more harm. Wetlands and shallow lakes are import habitats for animals and plants, they provide drinking water and nutrition, help to prevent floods and are necessary for filtering and cleaning water. They are important landscape components and favoured recreation areas. Therefore wetlands and shallow lakes must be protected.

The EU LIFE project described here focused on the restoration and management of two model areas, the wetlands La Nava and Boada in Spain and the Nestos lakes and lagoons in Greece, wetlands in two Mediterranean countries with similar problems.

The wetlands La Nava and Boada represent typical steppe lakes, ecosystems of which two thirds have been destroyed in Europe during the last 50 years. Steppe lakes are extremely important for flora and fauna because they are located in arid areas. Often they represent the only remaining natural ecosystem amidst intensive monocultures. Due to the limited water resources massive conflicts between agriculture and nature conservation often arise. As a consequence far too much water is

extracted and the groundwater is depleted. Sustainable integration of the wetlands into the land development plans at local level is almost non-existent.

In the 1950s politicians had a dream of a blooming landscape reaping rich harvests in the Spanish La Nava region. The construction and operation of 15 large and many small canals and ditches drained Lake La Nava completely, but the expected success failed. In 1990, the Spanish "Fundación Global Nature" (FGN) brought La Nava back to life. The sister lake Boada, in 14 km distance, was restored in 1998. After a remarkably short period of time, waders and other waterfowl re-discovered the lakes. At present the lakes cover over four square kilometres and are classified as two of the three most important winter resting places for central and north European greylag geese. Today, the main problem of the Spanish wetlands is the poor quality of the inflowing water as some of the tributaries are polluted with insufficiently treated sewage containing nutrients and other substances e.g. from small-scale tanneries.

The Nestos lakes and lagoons are part of the Nestos Delta, located in north-eastern Greece. Starting in the 1950s large-scale drainage measures were carried out in the delta and the River Nestos was enclosed between flood protection dykes. Thus, large parts of the delta became available for intensive modern agriculture. Today the Nestos is flowing at a length of 30 km from the end of the Nestos Gorge to the Mediterranean Sea in a natural river-bed between dams of 1 to 1,5 kilometres width. From the original 550 km2-large Nestos delta, today only about 80 km2 have a natural character. The lake area covers roughly 20 km2 and consists of 18 freshwater lakes and ponds. The 8 lagoons are situated in the north-western and southern part



The Nestos area in Greece

of the delta and cover about 21 km2. Intensive agriculture is one of the greatest threats to the lakes and lagoons. Due to agricultural subsidies more and more land is cultivated and intensively used. Farmers pump off large quantities of water from the lakes to irrigate their fields. The excessive use of fertilisers and pesticides in the delta region is causing severe problems to the lakes and lagoons such as eutrophication. The quantity and quality of the groundwater has also deteriorated.

Both, Nestos and La Nava are part of the international Living Lakes network, which was founded by the Global Nature Fund (GNF) in 1998. Together with its partner organisations Fundación Global Nature (FGN) in Spain and Society for Protection of Nature and Eco-development (EPO) in Greece, Broads Authority in UK and Lake Constance Foundation in Germany, GNF started the EU LIFE project “Living Lakes – Sustainable Management of Wetlands and Shallow Lakes” in 2001. The project was co-funded by the European Commission under the LIFE Environment programme. It aimed to demonstrate the possibilities for restoring and managing wetlands through consideration of natural, social and economic aspects.

Within the framework of the Living Lakes network the project participants benefit from the experiences of other partner organisations. Currently 35 lakes and wetlands and about 50 public and private environmental organisations on five continents belong to the network. The German Lake Constance Foundation and the UK Broads Authority contributed their experiences regarding vegetation management, waste water treatment, environmental friendly agriculture, sustainable tourism, participation of stakeholders etc. to the project. This lively technical exchange makes the Living Lakes network a successful and effective model which is constantly expanding and becoming increasingly effective.

The objective of the EU LIFE project was to protect endangered wetlands and shallow lakes by developing adapted management plans and to apply demonstrative conservation-management measures such as buffer zones, filter strips, reforestation and garbage removal. The project team aimed to demonstrate tangible examples for managing wetlands taking into account natural factors as well as the needs of the local population. Long term goals included the improvement of the water quality and the protection of biodiversity and wildlife in the demonstration areas. A central aspect was the consideration of the EU Water Framework Directive which postulates close co-operation between all partners and stakeholders in managing water bodies and ground water.

Project Structure The LIFE project for the rehabilitation of wetlands in Spain and Greece was launched in July 2001 and carried out by a project team which consisted of experts from GNF, FGN, EPO, Lake Constance Foundation and the Broads Authority. Additionally representatives from two Spanish communities Boada de Campos and Fuentes de Nava and the Development Agency AENAK of the Greek regional Prefectural Authority of Kavala were part of the project team. The project team was supported by external experts as well as an Advisory Board which contributed to the project. The Advisory Board helped to guide the project through continuous evaluation of the project progress, clear advice, relevant information and provision of



Project team meeting in the Broads

important contacts. The experts from Broads Authority and Lake Constance Foundation, supported by an external expert scrutinised the situation at the project sites and gave concrete recommendations for the project implementation.

Analysis and Planning In the beginning, after a first project team meeting in Germany, experts from Lake Constance and The Broads surveyed the project areas in Spain and Greece and advised on appropriate water management measures. After the analysis of the situation and examination of existing problems they formulated recommendations for further actions and measures and discussed them with local representatives from the project areas.

Management Plans for Spain and Greece The key priority of the project was the preparation of management plans for La Nava and the Nestos taking into account the requirements of the EU Water Framework Directive. The development of a concerted management plan for the areas was part of a dynamic and ongoing management planning process. In this case the planning started with the preparation of a basic plan that met the requirements of the sites and of the organisations responsible for the management of the areas. The various drafts were kept under review and adjusted after taking into consideration the evaluation of the actual situation, requirements of environmental legislation, expert recommendations and positions of relevant stakeholders.

In the beginning, the Project Team and the Expert Group reviewed important relevant material (i.e. RAMSAR guidelines, Water Framework Directive) and drafted a comprehensive and praxis oriented framework for the management plans in spring 2002. This framework was used to structure the management plans for each of the project areas comprising three main parts: wetland restoration and management, a proposal for agricultural extensification and a concept for the development of sustainable tourism.

In a lively and dynamic participatory approach all relevant stakeholders in the

regions such as communities, regional authorities, residents, farmers, hunters and tourism companies, were involved in the elaboration of the management plans by means of interviews and round tables. In both areas it was the first time, that different stakeholder were consulted and involved in the elaboration of a plan which will have an important influence on the life and the work of many people in the project areas. For this reason it was important to inform and involve them from a very early stage on in order to ensure the acceptance of the measures and avoid conflicts. The participatory process was slow, but steady and successful. After a considerable delay in getting started, municipalities, regional authorities, the farmers unions and NGOs in the area gave constructive comments and even recommendations for measures to strengthen the sustainable approach.

It was well received that the initiative to elaborate a management plan came from environmental NGOs such as Fundación Global Nature and EPO. However, the formal approval and implementation of the plans and measures proposed lies within the



Continuously water quality monitoring in the Nestos Delta

responsibility of the regional Environmental Authority of Castilla y León in the case of La Nava, and the national Ministry for the Environment and the Regional Authorities in the case of the Nestos Lakes. In both cases the co-operation between the NGO and the responsible authorities was not always easy.

Unfortunately, in the case of La Nava and Boada it is fairly sure, that the Environmental Authority will not approve the LIFE management plan. Possibly, the plan provides a basis for the new management plan of the authority for the NATURA 2000 area “Tierra de Campos”. Under this aspect the project did not fully yield in the expected result.

Three months after the end of the project a positive development becomes apparent in Greece: Almost all areas requested in the management plan were set aside. The local services created even a new category of land use, lake-shore buffer strips. Hence, the long term conservation and management of the area around the four project lakes is ensured and one of the most difficult objectives of this project – the enforcement of the management plan measures – will be realised in both project areas – the Vassova lagoon and at the lakes. The Land Consolidation Plan including biotope corridors to reconnect natural habitats at the lakes was officially accepted in February 2005. EPO was appointed a member of the Board of the newly created management body of the Nestos National Park Vistonis-Ismarida and used the chance to present and to discuss the management plan in depth. The plan was positively received and EPO, the Prefecture and AENAK agreed on the final and official approval of the plan and the development of a timetable for its further implementation in March 2005.

Water Analysis as an Important Monitoring Instrument For the management of wetlands and lakes it is essential to carry out regular analyses of the water quality. Between 2001 and 2003 in La Nava five water analyses have been realised in different seasons. The data of the analyses showed that particularly the untreated wastewater of small family tanneries in the nearby village Villaramiel has significant negative effects to the water quality in the Boada lagoon. Apart from this illegal contamination which is known to the environmental Authorities, the Boada and La Nava wetlands show high concentrations of nitrates as well as a high oxygen demands (BOD and COD) indicating considerable organic pollution.

Because of the importance of the water analyses for an adequate management of the wetland, FGN signed an agreement with the regional water authority “Confederación Hidrográfico del Duero” in 2004 to guarantee the continuation of the analyses of water and diatoms. The Confederation agreed to bear the responsibility and the costs for continuous analysis in the future. Another positive result achieved in the framework of the LIFE project was a new agreement with the “Confederación Hidrográfica del Duero” concerning the realisation of a by-pass in summer 2005 to allow clean water from the Castilla Canal to flow to the Boada Lagoon. As a result of this by-pass the clean water of Canal de Castilla



will not be mixed any longer with water from the river Lobera which is contaminated by sewage water from the village Villaramiel.

At the four lakes at Nestos water quality monitoring was continuously carried out (12 times) and will be continued until the end of 2005. The measurements were made by the Democritos University of Xanthi and the State Fisheries Institute in close cooperation with EPO. At two of the lakes floating bridges of approximately 80 meters length have been constructed to allow access through the reeds to the open water surfaces. A diploma study further evaluating the results of the measurements is to be delivered in March 2005. The first evaluation of the results showed relatively high eutrophication levels, especially in the reed bed zones of the lakes but better conditions in the middle of the lakes. In winter and spring the water levels are higher and there is a movement of water and nutrients from the edge towards lake centres. The reed beds make a large part of the lake systems and even the catchments and are very active filters for nutrients. Mapping the exact land use in the catchment areas of the lakes and using the mathematic model LOICZ the expected nutrient influx into the lakes from joining agriculture was calculated. The latter is probably too high due to natural habitats surrounding the lakes filtering erosion and nutrients. The heavy metal concentrations in the sediments of the lake centres were higher than in the reed beds, probably because of the “terminal lake” situation (no outlets) trapping them in the deepest point.

At the Vassova Lagoon and the near main drainage canal (T1) several water measurements were carried out showing high eutrophication in the lagoon and high organic pollution in the drainage, both originated from human activities – uncontrolled agriculture and life stock farms run-off. The in and outflow of the planted filter strip were measured also repeatedly showing that the filter is beginning to work. Due to technical problems, like the very low incline of the area and conflicting land use practices additional flood gates had to be constructed to allow simultaneous irrigation-drainage functions of the adjacent rice fields and the filter. The water analyses and the management of the filter will be continued during 2005 and new projects with similar filters for other lagoons will arise hopefully soon.

Sustainable Tourism Development The implementation of a sustainable tourism concept including the improvement of required tourism infrastructure was a focal point in both management plans. The sustainable tourism concepts include the analysis of the natural assets, existing tourism infrastructures and attractions. The next step was the assessment of the current tourism development regarding quality, environmental impact and recommendations towards a sustainable development with ecological, social and economical objectives. The concept considers carrying capacities and defines appropriate infrastructure, information and economic aspects as well as the implementation process. Examples for proposed measures at La Nava and Boada are the reconstruction and refurbishment of typical clay houses, the establishment of a new guesthouse with a rural character, and improved availability of regional produce. In the Nestos area a study was carried out which summarized available tourism data, surveyed the environmental awareness of hotel owners and collected ideas for sustainable tourism development. In the plan 11 themes-proposals were developed concerning the education-training of tourism businesses, common promotion strategies and measures, involvement of local authorities into sustainable tourism development, more sustainable transportations inside the National Park, organized visitor guidance in the sensitive protected sites, bicycle trails and integrated agro-educational farms and hostels.



Extensification of Agriculture Sustainable agriculture is an essential precondition for the long term quality improvement of the wetlands and lakes in the project areas. Therefore the management plans include a proposal for the extensification of agriculture within the framework of agri-environmental programmes of the European Commission (2078/92/CEE). In the case of La Nava and Boada, the proposal comprised more than 3.890 hectares, divided in two action areas:

• In the high-priority conservation areas the goal was to completely eliminate agricultural use of the land. These areas are defined by a radius of 300 meters around the wetlands. The surface of these areas at Boada totalled at 210 hectares and 483 ha at La Nava. Those priority areas serve as buffer zones, preventing agricultural pollutants entering the wetlands.

• Areas of less priority comprising 1.057 ha at Boada and 2.140 ha at La Nava. In those areas it was aimed to carry out only agricultural practices that balance the needs of the farmers and the wetlands. The proposal focuses on the establishment of comprehensive extensification measures to protect the flora and fauna, as well as to improve farming practices on the traditional fallow land.

In October 2004 Fundación Global Nature presented the finalised agri-environmental proposal to the competent administrations, agrarian syndicates and to the media. The proposal was well received by the Agricultural Authority and now lobbying is going on to reaches the implementation of the proposal.

The Nestos area is a very fertile region with intensive production of various crops such as rice, corn and cotton in the plain near the lagoons and tobacco and wheat around the lakes that generate considerable income for the farmers. Therefore the promotion of environmentally friendly farming and agricultural extensification in Greece - at least near the lagoons - is much more difficult than in the case of La Nava in Spain. Nonetheless, a concept for the extensification of 4.000 ha agriculturally used land around the wetlands was developed by EPO. In this concept concrete measures are proposed concerning set-aside of specific areas and creation of natural biotope corridors between the small lakes in the framework of a land consolidation scheme. This was the first time that a land consolidation scheme in Greece considered conservation aspects to such a significant extent.

Several of the management proposals are based on the existing five programmes of the Greek Ministry for agriculture that can be applied for the extensification of agricultural land use:

• A special programme (measure 3.9) that is only for the Nestos-Vistonis-Ismarida National Park, aiming on the extensification of a 2 km zone around the protected wetlands,

• A programme for the re-introduction of the water buffalo and other rare livestock breeds (measure 3.7),

• For biological livestock rearing (measure 3.2), • And for biological farming practices (measure 3.1), • And for reforestation of agricultural land (measure 4).

The concept includes proposals for ecological management of drainage canals, better fertilization and plant protection techniques, better irrigation and drainage management and better crop rotation. Also in the case of Nestos, the proposal has been submitted to the regional agricultural administrations with an invitation to include the proposed measures in the regional or national CAP-strategies and to start implementing concrete agri-environmental programmes in the regions. Again, the biggest problem is the attendance of the regional administrations to accept the proposal, to set up an agri-environmental programme for the region, to inform the farmers and to participate active and motivated in the process. National



Construction of pilot filter system at Vassova lagoon in Greece

and regional authorities need to co-finance the costs of an agri-environmental programme with 12,5 % each; therefore up to only a few of this programmes were realised up to now.

Installation Measures Buffer Zones and Green Filters Vegetation strips, so called Buffer Zones, consisting of various elements such as reed, hedges or trees are extremely important habitats for birds and small animals such as insects and mammals. The strips increase the biological diversity, reduce the wind speed and regulate the temperature by creating shaded areas. Many species vitally rely on refuges from direct sun exposure especially in hot summer months. In the wetlands area the root system of the buffer zones plays an important role in reducing agricultural pollutants and erosion.

In Spain the project partner FGN created in total 24 hectares of new buffer zones around the lakes La Nava and Boada. In the winters between 2002 and 2004 in total 16.460 trees and shrubs were planted. On two plots FGN planted thistle species because those plants have a deep and widespread root system that collects and eliminates nutrients and pollutants. Some areas close to the wetlands have been left uncultivated. On those temporarily flooded set-aside areas natural succession is used to restore the natural vegetation.

In order to improve the water quality of the Boada Lagoon, the Hydrographic Authority and the Expert Group proposed the installation of an innovative Green Filter system developed by the Madrid School of Agricultural Engineering. The new system is based on floating water plants with a dense root system effectively eliminating nutrients and showing low installation and maintenance costs. FGN realised the technical part of the Green Filter activity including all necessary permissions and assisted the Municipality of Boada de Campos in presenting a request for financial support to the national Ministry of Environment. The application was approved, but up to now the national Ministry did not implement the measure, because of a negative assessment by the regional environmental administration of Castilla y León, arguing with not favourable “current social conditions”. Critical media reports, interventions from the water authority and objections from the Mayor of Boada to this decision have unfortunately not contributed to a solution of the “blockade” by the regional environmental authority up to date. To solve the contamination problem, FGN proposed an alternative solution to the Confederación Hidrográfica del Duero (Water Authority). The water authority agreed and signed an agreement concerning the realisation of a by-pass in the Lobera stream in summer 2005. Thereby the contaminated sewage of the village Villarramiel with no longer pollute the clean water of the Castilla canal.

The Greek partners carried out very similar mitigation activities. A main source of water pollution in the Nestos project area is agriculture. In order to deal with this nutrient input, EPO planted in total close to 10 ha of buffer zones between the fields and the wetlands. Between the lakes various tree species were planted in order to avoid erosion and offer important “corridors” for wildlife species that migrate between the different lakes.

Before the Nestos River was straightened and dammed it provided the necessary quantity of freshwater to the lagoons. After the water “amelioration” measures a lack of fresh water



occurred at the lagoons and the fishermen used drainage water from adjacent areas to reduce the salinity in the coastal lagoons. Unfortunately this drainage water was enriched with nutrients and caused massive eutrophication in the system. At the Vassova lagoon a pilot filter system with a surface area of more than six hectares was created in autumn 2003 in order to remove nutrient loads from the water in the inflowing canals. The “constructed wetland” was planted with more than 50,000 autochthonous (native) water plants (Typha angustifolia, Typha latifolia and Phragmites sp.) in three adjacent basins. Between the basins, earth-gravel filters were installed in order to regulate the flow velocity. Between the last basin and the lagoon, an overflow in combination with an additional earth-gravel filter was constructed. The used water comes from one of the main drainage canals and remains for about two to three days inside the filter system.

The filter system rapidly showed positive results and generated a high interest for additional installations at other lagoons. The fishermen of the local co-operatives and the water management board, responsible for the management of the lagoons and the irrigation-drainage system in the Western Nestos Delta, were intensively involved in the realisation of this measure and recognised the opportunity to solve long-term eutrophication problems. With their collaboration two flood gates were constructed to avoid negative impacts on neighbouring fields. Another important effect was that the new filter showed very positive results with respect to biodiversity. Already in the first few months four different amphibian species occurred and reproduced in remarkably high numbers in the filter. Hundreds of egrets, herons, waders and warblers and even very rare bird species such as Glossy Ibis were observed.

Long Term Measures The management plans include a 5-year action plan with a number of long term measures such as the extensification of agriculture and the concept for sustainable tourism development. Another objective was the enhancement of the legal protection status of the areas. FGN has prepared a proposal for the recognition of La Nava and Boada as RAMSAR sites. La Nava was officially nominated and approved by the RAMSAR Commission at the Conference of the Convention parties at Valencia in November 2002. Unfortunately Boada was not included in the application of the regional government. Up to now the wetland is not even catalogued as important wetland on regional level. FGN sent an objection note to the regional government and to the Spanish Ministry of Environment and provided again the relevant data and forms required for the RAMSAR designation of Boada. In his resolution regarding the blockade of the green filter, the Ombudsman of Castilla y León referred also to the protection of the Boada lagoon and requested the same protection status as for La Nava. This decision will be an important legal argument to insist on the RAMSAR declaration for Boada.

During the project period in Greece finally the required (by EU Law) “Management Body” for the Nestos-Vistonis-Ismarida National Park was set up by the Ministry for Environment, and the position of the NGO-representative in the board is occupied by EPO giving great opportunities for direct information exchange about the LIFE project such as the proposed management plan and the inclusion of the project areas (lakes and lagoons) into the National Park territory.



Environmental education in Greek school classes

Information panels in La Nava

Environmental Education in Schools In Greece the EPO has chosen a very direct and practical approach to carry out environmental education activities involving school children and developed a diverse education programme for local schools. The region was introduced with slide shows, videos, leaflets, posters and photos. In a second step the children were guided to the biotopes in the Nestos Delta. EPO actively involved the pupils by conducting competitions, exhibitions, theatre plays, painting contests and so on. The programme of the Greek partner organisation involved 52 schools and more than 2.000 pupils and 120 teachers in the project.

The approach of the Spanish FGN was very similar. In order to raise the environmental awareness of the children they organised many lessons in local schools. The lessons highlighted the importance of wetlands and measures realised in the framework of the LIFE project using banners and slides for illustration. In total 317 school-children between 8 and 13 years were reached. FGN prepared an environmental education offer between one and three days for school classes including a visit to the lagoons.

Visitor Management Another important issue with a long term effect was the improvement of the visitor management in the project areas. The installation of tourism infrastructure such as education trails, observation platforms or information panels in different languages was a first step to develop visitor management as one important element of sustainable tourism development. These measures help to reduce the negative impacts of visitors on sensitive areas around the wetlands. About 10.000 people visit the Boada and La Nava every year. In order to provide more information about

the natural values of the region to the tourists, a nature trail from the village Boada de Campos to the lake was constructed. Four large panels give visitors information on historic clay architecture, traditional agricultural practices, birds, mammals, amphibians and reptiles. At the Nestos Lakes the installed interpretation trail leads visitors to a new bird watching tower. To enhance the value of the recreation areas an extensive litter and rubble collection campaign was realised.

International Work Camps The term „Work Camp” does not accurately describe what participants can expect from such conservation holidays. Nonetheless, the activity with a combination of nature protection activities, leisure and cultural aspects is a very successful and attractive environmental education tool. Both project partners are very experienced in the organisation of such youth-exchange programmes. Within the framework of the LIFE project the FGN has been carrying



Greek boy-and-girl-scouts during work camp activities

Exchange of know-how during the Nestos workshop

out six work camps with young people from Spain and other European countries. Groups of some 20 young people spent a few weeks in the region to contribute towards nature protection projects and to learn about the country and culture at the same time. The participants of the work camps were informed of the LIFE project and assisted in project activities such as the construction of a wooden observation platform for bird watchers. In the beginning the local population was rather surprised that young people from all over Europe sacrificed their holidays in order to work on conservation issues in "their" wetland. This contributed to increase the appreciation of the population for the value of the natural areas. In the Nestos Area four work camps were organised in the framework of the LIFE project, two of them in cooperation with the Greek boy-and-girl-scouts organisation and a centre for former drug addicted young people from Athens.

Exchange of Know-how Continuous information on two websites (www.living-wetlands.org, www.globalnature.org), workshops, two publications in each project area and a comprehensive manual about the preparation of management plans were important elements of the communication and dissemination strategy. All materials are available in Spanish, Greek and English and were circulated using the international Living Lakes Network as a primary vehicle involving other European and international institutions and networks such as the RAMSAR Secretary and EUROPARC.

Regional and International Workshops Within the framework of the project three international workshops were carried out offering the opportunity for intensive discussions between experts, scientists, decisions makers and wetland managers. The workshops also aimed to improve managing methods. The results were widely disseminated. More than 130 people mainly from the Nestos region participated in the workshop in October 2003 in Greece. Several experts delivered presentations on the following four thematic units: “Sustainable Development, International Experiences”, ”Sustainable Tourism and Conservation”, “Wetland Management and Agriculture“ and “Conservation & Restoration of Wetlands, Greek Experiences”.

The workshop in Palencia, Spain was attended by over 60 participants from Germany, Greece, Great Britain and Spain and was structured in four thematic blocks: • Co-operation between regional administrations and private organisations in Europe • Co-operation between governments and private organisations in Spain • Existing wetland management plans in the EU • Implementation of the management plan at Boada and La Nava.



Training course in the Broads: Practical aspects complete the theoretical lessons

The representative of the national environmental ministry supported the initiative of FGN regarding management plans for La Nava and Boada. Unfortunately no representative from the regional environmental administration participated in the workshop. The workshop participants agreed on a set of conclusions regarding the need of co-operation between NGOs and administrations and the difficulties to realize this in practice. In September 2003 an international workshop was carried out in the framework of the 8th Living Lakes Conference in Norwich, UK. The workshop “Planning and Implementation of Wetland Management” was attended by international experts and focused on management examples from the English Broads and the project results in Spain and Greece. Field trips to the Broads area showed methods of practical fen management. All three workshops received a positive evaluation by the participants regarding the quality of the presentations, the organisation and the own expectations.

Training Courses In June 2002 a first training course at Lake Constance in Germany was organised by the Lake Constance Foundation. The course “Sustainable management of Wetlands and Shallow Lakes” was attended by 20 wetland managers and decision makes from all over the world. The training course focused on presentations and field trips regarding management and rehabilitation of small lakes, biological waste water treatment plants, sustainable tourism and agriculture. In the same year a second course on wetland management and restoration “Wetlands for life” was offered in England by the Broads Authority. 25 wetland experts discussed issues such as hydrology, water quality, management of fens and marshes and the co-operation with local communities and visitors in wetland areas.

In June 2004 a further training course took place at Lake Constance. The training course was again geared towards wetland managers and decision makers from Europe. The major focus of the course was on presentations and excursions covering issues of management of small lakes using agri-environmental measures, use of biomass as regenerative energy source on farms, sustainable tourism and promotion of organic agriculture, management of protected areas and sustainable land use planning. The fieldtrips included visits to an organic farm and a farmers market for regional produce, to an Eco-Camping site and to protected wetland areas at Lake Constance. Another four-day training course about wetland management and restoration was held in April 2004 in Norwich and attended by 19 participants.

In total more than 100 wetland managers and decision makers participated in the four training courses on wetland restoration and management carried out at Lake Constance and in the Broads National Park. The training courses offered an interesting and attractive mixture of theoretical and practical aspects with a lot of space for discussion. The feedback from the participants was very positive and they assessed this type of capacity building as being very effective.

The events attracted large interest from people from Third World Countries and Eastern Europe but the possibility to offer financial support regarding travel and accommodation costs was not part of the projects budget. Even though the organisers offered to partially support



Dr. Helmut Blöch, Head of the Water Unit of the European Commission at the Final Conference

participants from Africa, South America or Eastern Europe the remaining costs were too high. In future projects it would be helpful if more financial support for people from Third World Countries or Eastern Europe could be provided.

Manual and Video In addition to various project information brochures in Spanish, Greek and English and the mobile exhibition in the three languages about the aims and measures of the project, a comprehensive brochure “Reviving wetlands – Sustainable Management of Wetlands and Shallow Lakes” was published. The 134-page manual is a very important instrument to disseminate the transferable results of the project to experts in administrations, NGOs and other institutions and to mayors of local communities. The brochure focuses on the preparation of management plans for wetlands. It

explains the structure and content of a management plan as well as the process how to develop such a plan in a step by step approach. A comprehensive overview concerning all EU directives relevant for the management of wetlands and lakes such as the EU Water Framework Directive, EU Habitat Directive, EU directive on Strategic Environmental Assessment SEA, Nitrate Directive and Urban Waste Water Directive. As a prime and transferable example for management structure the EMAS Directive is explained. A detailed description of the LIFE project and the results as well as a number of tangible examples from the two project areas and other wetlands in Europe ensure a good balance between theoretical knowledge and practical approach. The handbook was produced in four languages (English, Spanish, Greek and German) and is widely disseminated to institutions and organisation in Europe. A multilingual 45-minutes video documentation illustrates the information given in the manual and documents all important restoration and management measures in the two project areas.

Final Conference The final LIFE project conference was held in Friedrichshafen, Germany, in October 2004. Dr. Helmut Blöch, Head of the Water Unit of the European Commission started the conference with an overview of the EU Water Framework Directive, the new innovative European water policy with the ambitious and binding objective to protect all European waters and to achieve a “good status” for all rivers, lakes, coastal waters and ground water until the year 2015. Dr. Blöch underlined the importance of the involvement of all stakeholders, the important role of environmental NGOs regarding the implementation of the WFD and the pioneer work done in the context of the LIFE project. More than 70 international and national experts participated in this event. The main topics were the implementation of management systems to restore wetlands, the Water Framework Directive, practical examples from Spain and Greece and transferability of the project results to other regions. The conference addressed the problems, challenges and solutions in the implementation of management plans in wetland areas as well as the role of NGOs regarding



management of protected areas such as wetlands and lakes. Case studies from the Lake Constance region completed the conference.

Dissemination to a Wide Public Project results were presented on more than 50 conferences and events (15 of them international conferences) to a wide audience. An extensive media report comprising more than 200 articles and radio and TV reports demonstrate the positive media attention the project generated.

Assessment of the Environmental Impacts and Benefits of the Project Forty months is a relatively short time for the realisation of such a complex model project and some of the specific environmental benefits could not be evaluated within the project duration. Based on the first project results the partner organisations made a tentative assessment of the environmental benefits that can be expected.

Integrated Management Plans As a result of the project, integrated demonstrative management plans for the two representative wetlands in Spain and Greece have been developed to manage a wetland zone with a size of over 1,000 ha in La Nava, Boada and the Nestos area. The management plans include a concept for the extensification of 8,000 ha agriculturally used land and a concept to foster sustainable tourism in the regions. Aims and specific measures of the management plans are the result of an iterative and integrative process involving the relevant stakeholders of both areas.

In both regions it was the first time that a management plan with a vision, aim and a concrete action plan have been developed in a participatory process. Not only the management plans as a final result, also the participation process was very successful. Except the competent regional environmental administration in the case of Castilla y León and the competent national and regional environmental administrations in the case of Nestos, all stakeholder groups supported the initiative of the NGOs und gave positive feedback. The participatory approach showed that many stakeholders - especially local communities - have a profound lack of knowledge concerning the EU Water Framework Directive.

The central role of the NGO project partners FGN and EPO was to develop the management plans and concepts in close co-operation with all relevant stakeholders. Nevertheless, the formal approval and implementation of the measures proposed in the plans is in the responsibility of the regional Environmental Authority of Castilla y León in the case of La Nava, and the national Ministry for the Environment and the Regional Authorities in the case of the Nestos Lakes. In both cases the co-operation between an NGO and the authorities was difficult. From the NGOs point of view the following reasons are responsible: • The authorities did not want to share their planning sovereignty • Competition aspects • No tradition in co-operation with NGOs • Conflicts in other activity fields • Different priorities and objectives with respect to nature and the environment

Three months after the project end it is foreseeable that the management plan for La Nava and Boada will most likely not be officially approved and implemented by the Environmental Authority of Castilla y León. However, hopefully the plan will provide the basis for the new obligatory management plans to be developed by the authorities for the NATURA 2000 areas and under the Water Framework Directive. In the case of Nestos a promising process has started and the management plan will be finally approved by the Management Body for the



Planting activities in La Nava

Nestos National Park and the Prefecture in March 2005. In addition it was an important learning curve for the services and NGOs and the project results provides useful experiences for the European Commission regarding the implementation of the Habitat Directive and the Water Framework Directive. In both directives the EU pays important attention to the development of management plans with active participation of all relevant stakeholders. The experiences from this project showed, that not all competent authorities in both regions were willing to accept a participatory process with the environmental organisations and other stakeholders despite of the demands of the EU Water Framework Directive and the Agenda 21. It would be very helpful for similar projects if the European Commission supports the executing organisation by calling for more cooperation of the authorities.

Restoration and Management Measures Regarding restoration and management measures, all proposed measures could be realised and it is very likely that the expected results will be achieved. The installation of buffer zones on 57 ha of which 20 ha are newly planted will contribute to the reduction of nitrogen and phosphorus loads from effluents. At Nestos in total an area of 19 ha of valuable biotopes was cleaned from refuse, an area of 5,9 ha cleared from rubble and heavy litter and old river lake banks were restored. Only some first restoration and protection measures could be realised in this pilot project but the results show the use of buffer zones, reforestations and green filters.

Apart from the „Floating Macrofite Filter“ not the innovative aspect of the concrete restoration measures but rather the demonstration effect was the main focus. The measures helped to obtain support and acceptance from various stakeholder groups. The aim of the selected activities was to show positive outcome not only for the wetland sites but also for the involved communities. For instance the buffer zones around Boada reduce conflicts provoked by the temporary flooding of agriculture fields. In the Nestos area the improvement of the water quality in the Vassova lagoon directly improved the income of the fishermen. This is also an

example how with the whole project the relationships between environmental NGOs and other stakeholders that sometimes even had negative attitudes towards nature and environment was substantially improved.

Long term effects will be accomplished if the agri-environmental proposals will be implemented. The agri-environmental programme in the La Nava/Boada region proposes to transfer 700 hectares around the lakes from agricultural land into buffer zones. The demand for extensive agriculture practices on 3.200 hectares will improve the living conditions of steppe birds and other animal species prevent soil erosion and significantly reduce the non-point nitrate immissions to the ground water and rivers. The key to realise and leverage those measures is the willingness of the regional authorities to implement agri-environmental programmes in the region informing and involving farmers in the process.

The European Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) includes various measures to support and implement the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD). Agri-environment aspects seem to be the most useful tool to support the implementation of the WFD. Within the specific



Mobile exhibition shown at the RAMSAR conference in Valencia, Spain

environmental requirements for direct subsidies to farmers the following stipulations should be included: reduction of water consumption, protection of water bodies and ground water, environmentally friendly irrigation techniques, crops with lower water demands, state-of–the-art equipment to reduce ammonia emissions and nitrates run-offs, reduction of fertiliser and pesticide use, low-intensity grazing systems, buffer strips at surface waters bodies, etc..

The positive results of the land consolidation scheme at Nestos Lagoons showed how those procedures can be used to install new buffer zones and to improve the long-term protection of wetlands and lakes. Critical however is the discrepancy between intensive agriculture and its economical benefits versus sustainable land use with lower subsidies.

Visitor Management The installation of visitor infrastructure such as an interpretation trails, observation platforms and brochures in different languages are important steps in order to foster sustainable tourism development in the areas. It will help reduce negative impacts of visitors on sensitive zones around the wetlands. Visitors and nature conservation will benefit from these measures as this infrastructure will make it easier to experience nature while visiting the wetlands and their surroundings.

Exchange of Experience – Working Together The exchange of experience and information was an important objective of the project. More than 100 managers and decision-makers participated in the four training courses on wetland restoration and management carried out at Lake Constance and in the Broads National Park in England. Some 100 young people from six European countries participated in the international work camps and actively supported the nature conservation organisations with practical work and at the same time gained various experiences and insight into the culture and nature of the regions. Another important measure regarding environmental education was the work with school classes at Nestos and La Nava. The manual "Reviving Wetlands - Sustainable Management of Wetlands and Shallow Lakes" and the demonstration video are outcomes of the project and are used to disseminate the results and the experiences of the project.

The project and the progress were presented to a world wide public on numerous conferences and events such as the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg in South Africa in September 2002, the RAMSAR conference in Spain in November 2002, the World Water Forum 2003 in Japan and the annual international Living Lakes conferences, to name a few. Thousands of visitors were recorded on the continuously updated project websites providing many important information and documents for download. A large number of interested people directly approached the project partner organisations and asked for written information and brochures. The workshops and training courses offered opportunities for



intensive discussion and the spreading of relevant information to wetland experts, authorities, environmentalists and other stakeholders. Work camps at the project sites for young people from Europe made it possible to transfer the idea of sustainable wetland management to the environmentalists of tomorrow. Multilingual mobile exhibitions were developed as a tool to inform local people as well as an international audience and experts. The exhibitions were displayed in regional communities, environmental education centres, schools and at international events and were also offered for download on several websites. In both areas brochures and information leaflets were designed in order to describe the measures and the results of the project. The target groups of those brochures were local residents as well as guests and an international audience. The brochures and leaflets were disseminated via partner organisations, schools, municipalities and through information centres and tourist information offices. Many of those activities are part of the long-term strategy of the project partners to help the local residents to understand the role and function of their wetlands.

The manual and the documentary are other tangible outcomes of the project and were intensively used to disseminate and transfer the results and the experiences of the project. What is important to note however, is that the manual will not provide a comprehensive set of answers to all wetland and shallow lake problems. But it shows a good balance of theory and practical experiences and in some chapters such as “Who these guidelines are destined for” or “Participatory approach” the point of view of an NGO is well reflected. The manual offers a comprehensible overview of current EU legislation regarding protection of wetlands and lakes and water in general and shows the relation between wetland management and the EU Water Framework Directive. The large number of articles in newspapers, newsletters and magazines, radio interviews and TV reports about the EU LIFE project that have been published in Spain, Greece and on international level show the importance and wide publicity of the LIFE project activities.

In both project areas, the project partners Fundación Global Nature and EPO will continue with the activities initiated within the project and will follow the efforts to reach a good status of the wetlands and the lakes, their long term and efficient legal protection and sustainable development according to the aims of the management plans. FGN and EPO will still have the support of the Living Lakes Network and its members. Therefore, the project activities will not finish with the end of the LIFE project period. The results and experiences will have a follow up and will be also in the future an important contribution to the protection of wetlands and lakes in Europe and all over the world.

Further information:

Global Nature Fund, Fritz-Reichle-Ring 4 78315 Radolfzell, Germany Tel: +49 7732 9995-80; Fax: +49 7732 9995-88 E-mail: [email protected] Web: http://www.globalnature.org; http://www.livingwetlands.org; http://www.livinglakes.org

“living lakes – sustainable management of wetlands and...

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