forestry and river - life aiako harria · 2010. 11. 30. · of the sci aiako harria, launched in...
TRANSCRIPT
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PRESERVATION AND RESTORATION
OF FORESTRY AND RIVER SCIs
Layman’s Informative Report
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1. The Project.
1.1. LIFE Aiako Harria.
1.2. Natura 2000 Network.
2. Map of actions.
3. Results achieved.
4. Project Benefits.
4.1. For the forest habitats.
4.2. For the rivers and river habitats.
4.3. For the target species.
4.4. For Society in general.
4.5. For the private forest ownership.
4.6. For the Natura 2000 Network of Spaces and the ecological coherence of the Network.
5. And much more...
5.1. Better practices.
5.2. Lessons learnt.
5.3. Strengths of the project
5.4. Contributions of the project.
5.5. Final Conclusion.
Index
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1.2. Natura 2000 NetworkThe Natura 2000 Network is a European ecological network which arose as a result of Directive
92/43, concerning the preservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora. The mission
of the Network is to ensure the maintenance or, as relevant, the reestablishment, in a suitable
state of preservation, of various types of natural habitats as well as specific important animal
or vegetable species and/or their habitats of natural distribution.
In the Basque Autonomous Community in general, and in Gipuzkoa in particular, a significant
effort has been made to create an inventory of habitats and species of community importance,
following the guidelines of the Habitats Directive.
Today, the Natura 2000 Network is defined in Gipuzkoa, with 18 spaces integrated into it,
occupying a total surface area of around 40,000 ha, accounting for 20% of the province.
1. The Project
1.1. LIFE Aiako HarriaThe LIFE project is the main financial instrument of the European Union to support
environmental initiatives and projects. The LIFE Project Preservation and Restoration
of the SCI Aiako Harria, launched in October 2005, was developed over a period of
four and a half years in the Natural Park and SCI Aiako Harria. With an execution
budget of €2,260,318.80, European funding accounted for 50 %, with the other 50 %
funded between the eight bodies involved: the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa,
beneficiary; the Basoa and Naturgintza Foundations, partners; and the Town Councils
of Hernani, Errenteria, Oiartzun and Irun and the Offices of Water and of Biodiversity
and Environmental Participation of the Basque Government, joint backers.
The Project
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645 ha
1.012 ha
12.704 ha
1.537 ha
1.336 ha
142 ha
2.158 ha
89 ha
10.962 ha
44 ha
6.779 ha
2.434 ha
177 ha
River SCIs (6)
Arno
Aizkorri-Aratz
Izarraitz
Pagoeta
Garate-Santa Barbara
Ernio-Gatzume
Inurritza
Aralar
Ulia
Aiako Harria
Jaizkibel
Txingudi-Bidasoa
Soldanella villosa
Illustration: Iñaki Zorrakin
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2. Master map of the actionsDue to the geographic dispersal and the large amount of actions in this project (42), below there
is a master map showing the state of the actions on completing the project.
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Study of the habitat of the Pyrenean Desman.
Recovery of the habitat of the Pyrenean Desman.
Study of the physical habitat and of the retention capacity of the streams.
Project to increase structural complexity of the watercourses and monitoring.
Purchase of private land.
Increase structural complexity of 20 ha of acidophilic pollarded beechforest in Oianleku.
Improve state of preservation of 11 ha of Galician-Portuguese oak forest.
Increase structural complexity of 80 ha of acidophilic beech forest in the“Añarbe” hills.
Removal of overhead cable.
Restoration of 35 ha of acidophilic beech and oak forest.
Substitution of 30 ha of plantations of exotic non-conifers for acidophilicbeech forest.
Substitution of 30 ha of plantations of exotic conifers for acidophilic beechforest and Galician-Portuguese oak forest.
Substitution of 20 ha of plantations of exotic conifers for acidophilic beechforest and Galician-Portuguese oak forest.
Restoration of 10 ha of Galician-Portuguese oak forest.
Restoration of 2.5 ha of acidophilic beech forest.
Elimination of competing vegetation in acidophilic beech forest andGalician-Portuguese oak forest.
Restoration of 8 ha of acidophilic beech forest.
Recovery of habitat of Pyrenean Desman, Ursoko stream.
Recovery of habitat of Pyrenean Desman, Tornola stream.
Execution of the project to increase structural complexity of the watercourses.
Conversion to acidophilic beech forest (70 ha).
Execution plan for restoration of Kausua hill (80 ha).
Review of minimum ecological watercourses.
20 m wide buffer strip at Karrika stream.
Preservation of the habitat of the fern Trichomames speciosum.
Elimination of competing vegetation.
Monitoring of the project to increase structural complexity of the streams.
In the whole of the Natural Park
Restoration plans.
EUNIS Cartography.
Study of insects of communityimportance.
Awareness and information.
Project implementation.
Totally completed actions.
Partially completed actions.
Actions which underwentchanges.
SUMMER 2010
The actions
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3. Results achievedTo find out if the initial objectives set out for each action were achieved, the following table reflects
the degree of completion of each action as a percentage, assuming that the results of said
actions can be quantified and are comparable with those initially anticipated. In general, surface
area is taken as a reference point.
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Results
Action carried out
Restoration plan for habitats 9120 and 9230 for 241 ha of conifer plantations.
Diagnosis of state of preservation of the habitat of Galemys pyrenaicus andof the minimum critical watercourse for the species in the Tornola stream.
Project for the demolition of the dams of the Ursoko and Tornola streams,consolidation of the watercourse and recovery of the riparian vegetation.
Study of the physical habitat and the retention capacity of the watercoursesdraining into Añarbe reservoir.
Project to increase the structural complexity of the watercourses draininginto Añarbe reservoir.
Cartography of habitats in EUNIS format with scale of 1:10.000 of the wholeof the SCI.
Diversity study of saproxylic forest species of community importance in theSCI.
Acquisition of 54.2 ha of private land for its restoration to 9120 and 9230.
Increase in the structural complexity of 20 ha in habitat 9120 in Oianleku.
Improvement of state of preservation of 11 ha of habitat 9230 in the “Erlaitz-Pagogaina” and “Zaria” hills.
Increase in the structural complexity of 20 ha in habitat 9120 in the Añarbehill.
Removal of the wood of exotic conifers in 35ha for the transformation intohabitats 9120 and 9230 in Igantzi.
Restoration to 9120 and 9230 of the 35ha cut down in Igantzi.
Substitution of plantations of exotic non-conifers for 9120 in 30 ha.
Substitution of plantations of exotic conifers for 9120 and 9230 in 30ha in U -Epelerreka.
A 1
A2
A3
A 4
A5
A6
A 7
B1
C1
C 2
C3
C4
C5
C 6
C7
Degree ofcompletion
119 %
100 %
100 %
100 %
100 %
100 %
100 %
108 %
100 %
110 %
100 %
14 %
14 %
100 %
100 %
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Results
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Substitution of 20 ha of mature plantations of exotic conifers for 9120.
Restoration of 9230 in 10 ha in Erlaitz-Pagogaina.
Restoration of 9230 in 2.5 ha in Erlaitz-Pagogaina.
Elimination of competing vegetation in 15 ha 9120 and 9230 in Amezti-Untzalia.
Restoration of 9120 in 20 ha of land acquired by the Town Council of Irún.
Elimination of the dams of the Ursoko and Tornola streams in order to recoverthe habitat of the Pyrenean Desman (Galemys pyrenaicus).
Execution of the project to increase the structural complexity of the 4watercourses draining into Añarbe reservoir.
Conversion of a mixed plantation of non-conifers and conifers of 80 ha into9120.
Execution of the restoration plan for the Kausua hill in Oiartzun, in 124 ha, to9120 and 9230 (2 lots substituted for restoration in the Larrazabal hill, also inOiartzun).
Review of minimum watercourse in the Portuberri hydroelectric plant.
Establishment of a 20m buffer strip at each side and at the head springs of theKarrika stream (27.8 ha) and preservation of the habitat of Trichomanes speciosum.
Elimination of the competing vegetation following the restoration of 35 ha of9120 and 9230.
Monitoring of the results obtained following the Execution of action C15 in4 rivers.
Control and monitoring of the species of community importance and thatunder threat, of the state of preservation of the habitats and of the regulationsgoverning wildlife preservation by the protection service of the ProvincialCouncil of Gipuzkoa.
Development and maintenance of a specific website for the project.
3 press conferences.
Leaflets, information booklet and 10 information panels.
Travelling exhibition.
Issuing of final technical and informative reports.
Not executed.Justification acceptedby Commission (Dec 08).
100 %
100 %
100 %
100 %
100 %
100 %
100 %
89 %
100 %
100 %
14 %
100 %
100 %
100 %
100 %
100 %
100 %
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C8
C 9
C10
C11
C12
C13
C19
C20
C14
C15
C16
C17
C18
D1
D2
D3
E1
E1
E2
E2
E1
E3
Action carried outDegree of
completion
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Action carried out Degree ofcompletion
Articles in journals.
Attendance of conferences.
Educational units on river and forest ecosystems: Interactive Game.
Lectures in the Technical Conference on preservation, recovery andmanagement of forestry SCIs. Published document.
Regular dissemination in the journal Euskadi Basogintza-Forestal.
Hiring of staff for coordination.
Office given the task of the technical management of the project.
Specific project monitoring procedure, definition of monitoring indicatorsand verification sources.
Financial audit.
Post-LIFE Preservation Plan.
E4
E5
E3
F1
F2
E6
F4
F5
F3
Results
Picture: Marta OlaldePicture: Marta Olalde
E3
100 %
100 %
100 %
100 %
100 %
100 %
100 %
100 %
100 %
100 %
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4. Benefits from the projectThe project has contributed to re-establishing or improving the state of preservation of some
of its target habitats and species; generally it has done so approaching the results initially
envisaged. In the following paragraphs we analyse to what extent the achievements can be
considered a success. A large part of the results obtained and therefore the benefits achieved
thanks to the project (which without the LIFE project would have scarcely been possible), can
be outlined simply in the following blocks:
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Benefits
4.1. For the forest habitats.Acidophile beech forests (9120): 236 ha increase in surface area (38% more than the initial
surface area of the habitat in 2005) starting from mature plantations of exotic conifers at the
end of their cycle. Protection of native undergrowth in 22.5 ha of mature plantations of exotic
non-conifers. Improvement of its state of preservation through an increase in the structural
complexity in 32 ha. Restoration plan drawn up for additional 64 ha, currently under execution.
Achievement of natural regeneration of 20 ha of pollarded beech forest in Oianleku. Elimination
of other competing species in young habitat of acidophilic beech forest, of around 15 ha.
Monitoring of different biological groups following treatments to increase structural complexity:
vertebrates, invertebrates (parallel to the project: natural regeneration, lichens and lichenicolous
fungi, bryophytes, fungi, chiroptera. Monitoring also carried out for the habitat of the acidophile
oak forest).
Pyrenean Oak Forests (9230): 12 ha increase in surface area (over 50% of the surface area
mapped out in 2006). Improvement in the state of preservation of 3.3 ha through the creation
of an anti-fire protection ring. The strategy of natural expansion in the SCI Aiako Harria was
better understood.
Picture: Ibai PortuPicture: Ibai PortuPicture: Gemma ArrugaetaPicture: Gemma Arrugaeta
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4.2. For the rivers and river habitats (91E0*).700 m linear increase in the structural complexity of habitat (400m in Añarbe, 100m in Atseginsoro,
100m in Latxe and 100m in Malbazar). Increased awareness of the ecology of the habitat, its
structure, workings and orientative measures in its management. Increase in the reproductive
biomass of fishes, density of invertebrates and retention capacity of dead leaves and sediments.
Contribution to the improvement of water resources of the Añarbe reservoir. Action C15 and
its monitoring presented on television, guided tours carried out and exhibitions at international
conferences.
Benefits
Picture: Inma LizasoPicture: Inma LizasoPicture: Ibai PortuPicture: Ibai Portu
Picture: Mikel SarriegiPicture: Mikel Sarriegi
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4.3. For the target species.Study of assessment and diagnosis of the state of preservation of the habitat of the Iberian Pyrenean
Desman (Galemys pyrenaicus) in Aiako Harria. Study of the minimum critical watercourse for the
species in the Tornola stream. Diversity study of saproxylic forest species of community importance in
the SCI. Response of Rosalia alpina to the treatments carried out.
Increased knowledge of the management of the habitat of the
species Rosalia alpina, having at our disposal one of the most in-
depth and continual studies, at community level, of the species and
its response to the handling of its habitat. The preservation of the
habitat (1ha) of the species Trichomanes speciosum has been ensured
and a 20m strip at each side of the headwaters of the River Karrika
(27 ha) has been placed for the protection of Soldanella villosa.
Benefits
Pictures:
Ibai Portu
Ioseba del Villar
Marta Olalde
Tomas Aierbe
Pictures: Santiago Pagola-CartePictures: Santiago Pagola-Carte
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4.5. For the private forest property of the region.The species Iberian Pyrenean Desman (Galemys pyrenaicus), Soldanella villosa, Trichomanes
speciosum, Cerambyx cerdo, Lucanus cervus, Elona quimperiana and Rosalia alpina are today
better-known among the human population resident in the SCI and in its immediate surroundings.
Awareness has also been raised regarding their preservation problems, as well as the existence
of a Europe-appointed figure known as a SCI for Aiako Harria. Information has been made
available in the magazine of the association of private forestry owners, leading to requests from
private groups in other provinces for visits to the
actions of the project, materialising in a reflection
on the management of forest habitats among the
group of private owners. In short, although still
modestly, the awareness of the private sector has
been raised as regards the management of forest
habitats for the maximisation of biodiversity and to
obtain products other than exclusively timber.
4.4. For society in general, schoolchildren, users and local residents.Exhibition travelling around all the municipalities that make up the SCI, with a natural platform-
compartment which continued at the interpretation centre of the centre for the visitor to enjoy,
with the intention of it remaining in the future. Interactive game used as scientific teaching
material by teachers of Natural Sciences in Primary Education, even outside the context of
the project. Development of the website with over 50,000 visits, field-level information panels,
technical talks, organisation of European Conference on Management of River and Forestry
Spaces of the Natura 2000 Network, guided field trips to see
different actions of the project, dissemination of the project in
municipalities and tourist offices. Presentation of the project and
its experiences at European level at thematic LIFE sessions in
Brussels. Visits from technicians from United Kingdom, Sweden and
university students from United States, among others. Presentation
in scientific press and journals (Europarc, Quercus, Sustrai, etc),
calendars and other informal documents, three press conferences.
Benefits
Picture: Aitor OnaindiaPicture: Aitor Onaindia
Picture: Ibai PortuPicture: Ibai Portu
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4.6. For the Natura 2000 Network of Spacesand the ecological coherence of the Network.Some of the plots purchased and earmarked for preservation by the
partner, the Town Council of Irún (specifically, 3 of them) are located
in the buffer zone of the ecological corridor Aiako Harria-Jaizkibel,
contributing to lessen the border effects resulting from human activity
carried in the main matrix. Although a very modest one, it is the first
step towards guaranteeing not only the integrity of the network of
spaces, but also of the ecological corridors, of the material and energy
flows, as well as the genetic exchange between populations.
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Benefits
Picture: Ibai PortuPicture: Ibai Portu
Picture: Marta OlaldePicture: Marta Olalde
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5. AND MUCH MORE...
5.1. Better practices.A large part of the information generated by the project has been used as a basic source to
promote the project, publishing it, for example, on the website. Therefore, all these actions have
contributed to the project, its actions and its way of focusing on different problems of the
management, preservation and restoration of biodiversity, has been able to result in new trends.
The demonstrative and “better practices” values of its actions, faced with a range of different
determining factors, is what has allowed it to go into greater detail in the awareness of the
mostsuitable procedures and the most advisable practices
to empower the ecological functionality of the forest and
river habitats, setting the basis for a future management more
tailored to the individual biological needs of the species. These
practices, which have worked in the context of the reality of
Aiako Harria, are beginning to be regarded as a reference
point by different administrations and bodies and it is hoped
that they bear similar results in other similar contexts of other
spaces of the Natura 2000 Network or in its linking corridors.
5.2. Lessons learnt.Among the lessons learnt would be that actions aimed at
an increase in the structural complexity of the forest habitats
(beech forest-oak forest) and river habitats tend to boost
the ecological functionality and associated biodiversity,
contributing to an improvement in its state of preservation,
as well as providing other social benefits, most notably in the
river habitat project. However, it was surprising to see the
active dynamism and the rapid changes undergone by the
river habitat and all the associated biological community,
including vertebrates (trout and minnows), on altering their
physical and structural conditions, as occurs on adding large
quantities of dead wood in river courses which are depleted
in this resource.
On the other hand, perhaps a faster response was expected from the biological vertebrate
community following the treatments carried out in the natural habitats of beech forest and oak
forest, but it is true that said changes may be imperceptible or very slow, as has occurred in
the case of vertebrates in some experimental plots when compared with the control plots.
And much more...
Picture: Ibai PortuPicture: Ibai Portu
Picture: Shole MartínPicture: Shole Martín
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In addition we should consider a limiting factor: surface area. For
an insect a hectare with treatments to maximise structural
complexity may mean a whole universe of possibilities; ecological
niches to exploit, refuges and locations for reproduction. On the
other hand, for the groups of indicator vertebrates selected as
indicators of change and improvement in the state of preservation
of the habitat, salamanders, nesting passeriformes and micro-
mammals, hardly anything has changed four years after the
treatments carried out, although early trends pointing to an
increase, especially among the latter two groups have been
observed. In this context, there has been a noteworthy increase
in the sightings of the Eurasian Nuthatch (Sitta europaea) within
the treated plots compared to the control plots, without this
upturn having been noticed in other species.
Therefore, we have learnt that, while 3 years following treatments to maximise structural
complexity in plots of 1 ha is a sufficient time period to provoke a clear response in the
invertebrate community (both as regards abundance and a specific presence, such as a
target species such as Rosalia alpina), this is absolutely not true for such as trend to show itself
in the vertebrate community. The most likely is that both the time passed since the actions
(degree of wood decay reaching 1-2 out of 5) and the plots acted upon (1ha), are not enough,
in general terms, for these biological groups. Clearly, this effect is tempered even more the
greater the mobility of the animal. In order to discern trends in vertebrates, it is highly likely that,
were these experiences to be applied again in a new project, much larger surface areas would
be recommended in order to achieve long-term maximising of the biodiversity associated with
the habitat. The recommended time limits would also be longer, although here we would clash
with the limited timeframe of the LIFE projects.
As regards one of the priority species at community level and
preservation objectives for this LIFE project, Rosalia alpina, we have
began to between understand its biology and to transfer this
knowledge to the practical management of its habitat. It has been
discovered that if, at some time in July or August, a female has possibly
laid her eggs in a pile of logs at the edge of the track (and, we
suppose, in the sun), then, due to the prolonged larval process of the
species, it would be unadvisable to remove this wood for the next
three years, giving that we would run the risk of spoiling the complete
laying process. These are highly subtle, tiny details that may, therefore
contribute to maintaining a whole population of a priority species in
a favourable state in a Natura 2000 Space, details which, without
this project, would have never been discovered and begun to be
applied in other places with Atlantic biogeography, as is the case.
And much more...
Picture: Ibai PortuPicture: Ibai Portu
Picture: Esti ArbelaitzPicture: Esti Arbelaitz
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As for forest habitats, we would point to the speed with which standing dead
wood is created in the case of oak trees compared to beeches, the latter
generally trickier due to the recurring pollarding practices in the past. Also
notable is the strategy of expansion and survival of the habitat of the Galician-
Portuguese or Pyrenean Oak forests seen on the Zaria hill in Aiako Harria (an
ecological process illustrated by photos in the report on Activities in the third
year), via which the young examples (at least their upper parts) of Quercus
pyrenaica are sheltered from the teeth of the cattle and are able to develop
within the spiny clusters of Ulex sp., until their tops emerge above the clusters
themselves. Human logic would possibly tell us to eliminate the thickets to
enable the growth of the Pyrenean Oak, but reality seems to insist on showing
us that non-intervention may often ensure an improvement in the state of
preservation of this type of habitat in some parts of Aiako Harria.
5.3. Strengths of the project.One of the strengths of this LIFE Project has been to appear as a set of experiences from which
other bodies, communities or organisations in other places, but with similar contexts might be
able to draw conclusions. For instance, the practical example of the depleted river habitat
with a poor retention capacity of sediments, dead leaves and organic material, which were
taken downstream, reducing the water quality. The actions carried out are not the definitive
solution, but they are a step in the right direction. In fact, different people, agencies and
universities around Europe have expressed an interest in this river habitat project, with a view
to solving relatively similar issues in distant areas, but in a fairly similar setting. The same might
be said, for example, of the actions carried out to improve the state of preservation of the
habitats of beech forests or oak forests to increase their structural complexity, using the hypothesis
that a greater structural complexity leads to a richer associated biodiversity.
And much more...
Picture: Lorentxo PortularrumePicture: Lorentxo Portularrume
Picture: Gemma ArrugaetaPicture: Gemma Arrugaeta
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5.4. Contributions made by the projectThe project’s contribution to the preservation of the world population of Soldanella villosa has
been vital, guaranteeing the protection of its largest populations on a global scale. To preserve
the river ecosystems of the head springs of the River Karrika (area of special importance for the
Iberian Pyrenean Desman according to the Management Plan for the species in Gipuzkoa) this
project has also been vital in guaranteeing the preservation of 28ha of riparian habitat. The
contribution of the project for the preservation of the Pyrenean Oak forest (9230), scattered
and generally scarce in Gipuzkoa, is also highly valued, enabling the defragmenting of this type
of habitat in the space. For the other habitats and especially for the target species, we cannot
talk in quantitative terms, especially when we lack pre-project measurements at provincial level.
We should highlight the highly-valuable findings
made by the entomologist Santiago Pagola-
Carte; thanks to the studies of the evolution of
invertebrates carried out in Oianleku and
Añarbe two new species of fly have been
discovered: Megaselia lobatafurcae Disney,
2009 and Megaselia parspallida Disney, 2009,
both linked to the habitat of the beech forests.
It is clear that the LIFE-Naturaleza funding has
had an encouraging ‘knock-on’ effect on the
preservation of the space, giving rise to other
initiatives in favour of the species/habitats by
other entities, with the possible implementation
of similar actions in other places, such as
Sweden, the United Kingdom or the United
States. Different technical groups visited the project from Italy, for whom, as we saw, the “brand
of the European Union” was, to a great extent, an attractive factor in favour of the project, with
a rich exchange of experiences related to other similar schemes, especially with reference to
the increase in the structural complexity of forest and river habitats.
It could be said that the project has contributed to awakening a process of change in attitude
in the local communities in favour of the preservation, not only of this place, but also of other
nearby places belonging to the Natura 2000 Network of Gipuzkoa, without forgetting what has
occurred in those areas which work ecologically as connections between these places; in fact,
private owners of forestry plots and of old pollarded oaks and beeches are gradually returning
today to re-pollard these great trees in order to maximise the biodiversity. This group has begun
to see that a great tree on the forest floor can be ecologically as important as if it were seen
standing majestically upright.
And much more...
Picture: Asier ArresePicture: Asier Arrese
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This process of raising awareness, begun largely thanks to this project, would seem to be of
huge importance with a view to the future, given that almost 80% of the province of Gipuzkoa
is in private hands; and that it lets us value the efforts of the beneficiary in teaching us about
the preservation and restoration of the woods of great ecological value throughout the province,
backed by the experiences and dynamics that LIFE Aiako Harria has reaffirmed.
Beyond the need to carry out an itinerant exhibition using the contents of the LIFE project, a
natural compartment has been made to store and transport them to the five locations previously
arranged. In all cases, it has been installed in central urban spaces so that a "magical forest
moment" has found its way into everyday town life. The compartment has meant a challenge
in itself, since it was made by craftsmen using traditional basket-weaving, a dying activity.
5.5. Final conclusionTo summarise, the project has outlined the path to be followed in the future as regards the
management of this space. Some of the threats that existed at the outset will persist and the
continuity of the actions will have to be promoted through elements such as the PostLIFE Plan,
whose mission is to clarify how this path should continue on conclusion of the LIFE-Naturaleza
funding that has been available up to now.
Picture: Soledad Martín
And much more...
Picture: Soledad Martín