PROIECT LIFE 08 NAT/RO/000501 „Co servarea acvilei ţipătoare ici î Ro â ia”
Main results of the LIFE project Conservation of Aquila pomarina in Romania : conclusions on key threats and conservation measures
Tamas Papp, Ciprian Fântână
Lesser Spotted Eagle (Aquila pomarina) in Romania Population: 2700-2900 pairs (Dar贸czi Sz., Zeitz R. 2006) Distribution: - mainly in Transylvania, western Romania, eastern slopes of Carpathians - small numbers in southern, southeastern and eastern Romania
LIFE07 NAT/RO/000683 playground
• 3 SPA’s: Podişul Hârti a iului RO“PA 00 , Dealurile Târ avelor Valea Nirajului RO“PA 002 , Pie o tul Făgăraş (ROSPA 0098) • App. 395.000 ha • 161-205 breeding pairs (in 2007 SPAs) – based on local census, extrapolation • 200-240 breeding pairs in 2013 – project data, based on total census
Key threats in 2010 • Conservation needs and importance of the A. pomarina as a flagship and indicator species for habitat health not acknowledged at national level • Loss and degradation of nesting areas • Loss and degradation of feeding habitat and loss of food sources • Disturbance and direct persecution at key breeding sites and migration routes • Mortality caused by electrocution
Key threats in 2013 • • • • • • •
A. Destruction/reduction of the nesting habitat B. Disturbance in the nesting area C. Degradation of the feeding habitat D. Deliberate killing E. Development of wind farms on migration corridors F. Electrocution G. Lack of knowledge
Direct conservation measures • Prevention of disturbance – from forestry activities – in the breeding season near the nest • Stabilization of existing natural nests • Construction and installation of artificial nests • Restrict access to forest roads during the breeding season and influence tourist activities to minimize disturbance in key areas • Location and insulation of the dangerous medium-voltage pylons in the key areas • Demonstrative management of pastures
Main issues to be solved Main issues to be solved • The management of forest, pastures and agricultural areas Approach: • Development of an agro-environmental scheme for Lesser Spotted Eagle • Development of a compensation scheme to be applied in the forests and general guidelines for forest management
Forest management for the LSE Key needs of the species in forest habitats 1.1. Old forest, preferably older than 80 years in the vicinity of good hunting grounds 1.2. Non-disturbance in the breeding period (1st of April 15th of August)
Key threats in forests • 1. Habitat loss/deterioration • 1.1 The percentage of the old forests is diminishing most relevant! • 1.2 Old forests only far from feeding area
Key threats in forests • 1.3 Size of the old forest patch too small • 1.4 Old tree "cover" is too small
Key threats in forests • 1.2. Disturbance during the breeding period • 1.2.1 Forestry activities in the area of the nest during the breeding period (1st of April - 15th of August) • 1.2.2. Direct persecution by forester or hunters - to avoid restrictions • 1.2.3. Sheep yard at the edge of the forest and grazing in the forest • 1.2.4. Other - off-road, hunting of mammals, tourism -
Actions taken Threat: Habitat loss/deterioration Action 1: Guidelines developed – LSEFHMG – which will be published as Ministries Order and will be obligatory in the areas with LSE: - Inside N2000 site 40% of forest should be above 80 years - 30% of every forest patch should be older than 80 years - 30% of the forest edge should consist of old forest
Actions taken Threat: Habitat loss/deterioration Action 2: Compensation system developed for buffer zones around nests If the nest is located a buffer zone (circle with 150 m radius) is set together by the forest authority and conservation body The owner can decide which system should be applied: 1.Total protection – no cutting at all, ever – 107 euro/ha/year 2.No cutting in the breeding period and keeping of 50% canopy cover all time – 41 euro/ha/year
Actions taken Threat – disturbance in the breeding period More difficult to deal with because, it’s a about enforcement, which is very weak in Romania: -Forestry activities in spring-summer anyway are forbidden by law, but the law has gaps – we tried to change the law -Direct persecution is forbidden but it happens – dilemma to make public the position of the nests or not? - There is no legislation about where a shepherd can put the sheep yard – difficult to enforce
D. The degradation of the feeding habitat
• the intensification of agriculture - crops on large surfaces that cannot be used by the species, the disappearance of solitary trees or of strips between plots in the feeding area • the degradation of the natural grasslands abandonment of grasslands, overseeding natural grasslands with fodder plants, overgrazing • the changes in the use of grasslands
OUTSIDE NATURA 2000 sites
• the intensification of agriculture - crops on large surfaces that cannot be used by the species, the disappearance of solitary trees or of strips between plots in the feeding area Actions: - 10% by the surface of every parcel will remain uncultivated (agroenvironmental scheme) - 10% by the surface of the parcel will be left uncropped until the end of February (agro-environmental scheme) - On the parcels with 10-20 ha will be cultivated at least two types of different crops and on the parcels bigger than 20 ha will be cultivated at least four types of crops. The main crop will not exceed 70% from the surface of the parcel while the remaining crops will not cover less than 5 % from the surface of the parcel. (agro-environmental scheme) - It is not permitted to cut down solitary trees and/or group of trees from the agricultural fields (GAEC 9)
• the degradation of the natural grasslands - abandonment of grasslands, overseeding natural grasslands with fodder plants, overgrazing Actions - accepted grazing pressure will be less than 0,5 livestock unit (agro-environmental scheme) - it is prohibited to apply over-seeding and surface seeding (agro-environmental scheme) - it is prohibited to perform drainage (agro-environmental scheme) - the pastures will be maintained ensuring a grazing pressures of at least 0.3 LU and/or will be mowed at least once per year (GAEC 7)
Inside NATURA 2000 sites
• Proposed measures to be included in managements plans Meadows - in the parcel there must be an area with uncut grass (min. 10% - max. 20%), but grass should be cut twice a year to maintain the meadow-specific structure (agrienvironmental requirement); – a grass cutting scheme should be developed, by agreement between the farmers in each area so that the parcels with uncut grass alternate throughout the nesting period (May-August) with those where grass has already been cut (requirement applicable for NATURA 2000 compensatory measures for Aquila pomarina).
Inside NATURA 2000
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• •
Pastures it is prohibited to drain wet pastures - the adjustment of the number of animals on the pasture and a rigorous control where there is a massive degradation due to overgrazing (making up one of the objectives of the agri-environment measure); - the grazing will be at a maximum of 0.7 LSU per hectare - 10% of the pasture will remain ungrazed. On this surface the grass will be cut annually. The grass cutting will be done manually, after the end of September; - an area of at least 10% per hectare will be preserved as bush area, without any cleaning works (cutting the bushes that invade the pasture), and thus, by natural regeneration, a bush habitat will be created, In this area only bush maintenance works will be performed to prevent the excessive expansion of bushes. This area will not overlap the area where grazing is not allowed and where grass will be cut annually; - the eradication of invasive plant species is necessary; - the application of methods other than fire to eradicate invasive non-native species (Solidago sp.) or native but problematic species (Pteridium aquilinum).
INSIDE NATURA 200
Agricultural fields • The agricultural lands in the hunting territories of the species should not extend to the detriment of meadows and pastures used extensively; • The agricultural land should to be cultivated on a mosaic basis, in small parcels. In order to maintain the mosaic of agricultural lands, we suggest that cereal crop parcels (rapeseed, corn, sorghum, soybean, sunflower) and alfalfa do not exceed four hectares. Where the same crop is grown on several adjacent parcels, the combined monoculture area should not exceed four hectares;
INSIDE NATURA 2000
Agricultural fields • parcels planted with corn, sorghum, soybean, sunflower or vegetable do not exceed one hectare and the combined area of adjacent parcels to be cultivated with the same crop do not exceed two hectares. • 10% should be left uncultivated each year, but a parcel should not be left uncultivated more than 1-2 years. • Grassy edges of the parcels should not be ploughed or cultivated, but the grass must be cut once a year. it is not recommended to set up wind farms or photovoltaic panels in the hunting territories of Aquila pomarina, regardless of whether they are located on grasslands or in agricultural crops.
Conclusions from the project • The species is difficult to protect - it needs old, undisturbed forest near good feeding areas - management is essential! • It has a quite large distribution in Romania, so most effective actions are country-wide measures – like: - general measures in the forests, - compensation for buffer zones when a nest is known - agri-environmental schemes available for the whole distribution area Setting out artificial nests, etc. helpes on the local level but can‘t save the species on the long term.
What still needs to be done • Put in practice the buffer-zone compensation system in (at least) the 10 most important SPAs • Put in practice the agro-environmental scheme developed for the species • Elucidate the causes of nest failures • Elucidate threats in migration route and wintering areas – wind farms, deliberate killing, etc.
Thank you!