May 15 is launch day for 2009 call for proposals

28 January 2009 DG ENV is planning to launch its 2009 call for proposals for LIFE+ projects on May 15 2009. The 2009 applications package will be made available on that date on the LIFE website.

Since the LIFE unit anticipates that there are unlikely to be significant changes with respect to the 2008 call, it recommends that potential applicants begin preparing their applications using the 2008 applications package.

This is available to download from the LIFE website now. It is important to note however that applicants MUST submit their proposals using the 2009 application forms that will be made available on May 15.

In principle, a maximum of EUR 250 million will be available for the 2009 call.

LIFE project tracks Yelkouan shearwaters return to Malta

Yelkouan shearwater
(photo: F. Dhermain)

26 January 2009 A pair of adult Yelkouan shearwaters which was tagged by tracking devices during migration as part of LIFE project: SPA Site and Sea Actions Saving Puffinus yelkouan (LIFE06 NAT/MT/000097) in Malta in 2008 has returned to the island.

The birds were part of a group of 13 which were fitted with miniature electronic tags to record their journeys. A camera was also installed at the project site in Rdum tal-Madonna, Mellieha in October 2008 to gain an insight into the timing and behaviour of the birds on their return from migration.

As a result, unique images of the Yelkouan shearwaters returning to their burrows were obtained.

“The data obtained from the electronic leg tags will now be downloaded and analysed in conjunction with the renowned British Antarctic Survey,” project manager Helen Raine explained. "We will continue tracking more birds than ever before and our data will help the government to designate Marine Special Protection areas around the Maltese islands”.

The project has already tracked the journey of 2 juvenile birds on their return to Malta, and discovered that the birds travel as far as the eastern Mediterranean.

However, little is yet known about the migration patterns of adult Yelkouans, and project researchers hope that the leg tags will reveal where the returning adult pair has been, allowing for better protection of the species at sea.

The LIFE Yelkouan Shearwater Project is the biggest conservation initiative of its kind in Malta. It includes 4 government partners and 3 conservation organisations, with contributions from MEPA and HSBC. Visit their website.

EU Biodiversity Action Plan: mid-term review confirms need for much greater efforts to halt biodiversity loss by 2010

The eagle owl is listed in
Annex I of the Birds Directive
(photo: European Commission)

06 January 2009 This mid-term assessment of implementation of the Biodiversity Action Plan to halt biodiversity loss in the EU represents the last real stock-taking opportunity before 2010 on progress at both European and Member State levels. Published in December 2008, it summarises the current progress for each of the four main policy areas, 10 objectives and four supporting measures, set out in the 2006 Biodiversity Communication. It outlines the most important activities that have been undertaken to implement the Biodiversity Action Plan and identifies key priorities for further action.

The report reveals that it is highly unlikely that the EU will meet its 2010 target of halting biodiversity decline based on current efforts. This will require intensive efforts over the next two years, both at the level of the EU and by the Member States, if we are even to approach this objective.

The EU biodiversity policy framework will need to be further strengthened as there are still important gaps, such as addressing invasive species. There is also a need to put in place an effective legal framework for the conservation of soil structure and functions.

The integration of biodiversity considerations into other sectoral policy remains a key challenge. However, a problem encountered in many policy areas is the difficulty to obtain precise figures for the amount of money actually spent on biodiversity. This is often due simply to the inadequacy of recording and reporting procedures.

One positive EU development is the expansion of the Natura 2000 network of protected areas. Although the report says that site management and financing issues for the scheme must be further addressed, it highlights that LIFE continues to be a strategically important fund to support the development of demonstration and best practice projects for management and restoration of Natura 2000 sites throughout the Member States.

The Commission will continue to closely monitor the implementation of the Biodiversity Action Plan, with a view to providing in 2010 a full evaluation of the extent to which the EU has met its 2010 targets.

The report on the mid-term evaluation of the Biodiversity Action Plan is available at the DG Environment's Nature & Biodiversity website.