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The LIFE CAMI project 30 October 2009 A series of ‘best practice’ presentations from the thematic workshops of the recent “Water for life – LIFE for water” Conference held on the 14-15 October 2009 are now online. Focusing on LIFE best practices, innovative solutions and ongoing challenges, the presentations cover workshops targeting water scarcity, hydromorphological alterations, eutrophication and the recently adopted Marine Strategy were presented and discussed.
View the presentations page
29 October 2009 The European Commission has approved funding for 196 new projects under the second call for the LIFE+ programme (2007-2013). The projects are from across the EU and cover actions in the fields of nature conservation, environmental policy, and information and communication. Overall, they represent a total investment of €431 million, of which the EU will provide €207.5 million.
Read the full press release and a summary of the project by country (in 22 languages).
It is also possible to contact the relevant national authorities.
Mr. Hervé Martin,
Head of Unit 23 October 2009 More than 150 delegates attended the European Commission’s LIFE Environment water conference, "Water for life – LIFE for Water" , which took place in Brussels on the 15 October 2009, providing a successful platform for transferring experience in EU water management.
The conference specifically disseminated results of LIFE projects and illustrated how the EU LIFE programme supports the implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive and the Marine Strategy Framework Directive. Good practices and experiences from 12 different LIFE water-related projects targeting water scarcity, river engineering, eutrophication and the recently adopted Marine Strategy were presented and discussed.
Issues addressed by these projects included: integrated water management at the river basin level; the application of almond trees in protecting soil; the role of water engineering in river restoration; floodplain restoration; integrated management of coastal areas; the assessment of pollution risks from wastewater discharges in coastal areas; and reducing pollution in surface and groundwater through good agricultural practices.
Opening plenary session The conference was also addressed by senior personnel from the European Commission, including Mr. Gustaaf Borchardt, Director of the Water, Chemicals and Biotechnology Directorate, Mrs Soledad Blanco, Director of the International affairs Directorate, and Mr Hervé Martin, Head of the LIFE Environment and Eco-Innovation Unit.
Other speakers included Dr Anna-Stiina Heiskanen, Research Manager at the Finnish Environment Institute, SYKE, who highlighted gaps in policy and policy implementation and defined important actions and projects that aim to achieve WFD targets in relation to eutrophication, and Mr Phillip Weller, Executive Secretary of the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR), who stressed the importance of adopting integrated planning processes in order to improve hydromorphological management.
Closing the conference, Mrs Soledad Blanco, Director of International Affairs (DG Environment, European Commission), commented the excellent contributions of the participants. She noted the strong interest in and benefit of such opportunities for the exchange of experiences and good practices and acknowledged that further initiatives in this area would be a priority for the future. “The goal,” she insisted, “is that dissemination efforts become more effective so that good practices can be replicated around Europe.”
Watch a video extract of the final speech From Mrs Soledad Blanco, Director of International Affairs (DG Environment, European Commission)
See the conference website for further information about the event’s background information and programme.
Presentations of the conference will be published next week on the LIFE website.
Manual on Restoration of 21 October 2009 Deterioration of water quality, inadequate regulation of water-flow and habitat degradation has led to the disappearance of the freshwater pearl mussel (Margaritifera margaritifera) from many waterways in Europe. A manual, which provides practical advice for restoring the species, however, was recently published by WWF. The organisation recently implemented a LIFE project (LIFE04 NAT/SE/000231) in Sweden, where the species has disappeared from around 40% of the rivers, and reproduction rates are low in most of the remaining ones. It aimed to achieve a favourable conservation status for the mussel in Sweden, which hosts a significant proportion of known populations.
Among the conservation actions successfully implemented was the reintroduction of mussels to areas where the species is no longer found, the reintroduction of host fish (brown trout and salmon) and restoration measures such as blocking ditches and the elimination of migration obstacles for host fish. On two rivers, which were selected for demonstration purposes, management of the river banks was introduced with the co-operation of a wide range of stakeholders.
Download the Manual on Restoration of Freshwater Pearl Mussel Streams
Mr. Angelo Salsi15 October 2009 Following an internal reorganisation, as from 1 October 2009 there are now two LIFE units responsible for the LIFE programme in DG Environment.
The first is called LIFE Nature (DG ENV E3), with Mr. Angelo Salsi as Head of Unit and Mr. Joaquim Capitão as Deputy. This unit is responsible for managing LIFE Nature and LIFE+ Nature & Biodiversity projects, as well as those LIFE+ Information & Communication projects that deal with nature conservation, biodiversity and Natura 2000.
Mr. Hervé MartinThe second is called LIFE Environment and Eco-Innovation (DG ENV E4), with Mr. Hervé Martin as Head of Unit (his Deputy will shortly be appointed). This unit is responsible for managing LIFE Environment and LIFE+ Environment Policy & Governance projects, as well as those LIFE+ Information & Communication projects not dealing with nature conservation. The unit will also deal with the Environmental Technologies Action Plan (ETAP), the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (CIP) and the Environmental NGO funding programme.
Both units will collaborate closely to continue the efficient management of the LIFE programme and common issues such as the selection of new projects and communication.
Ongoing LIFE projects will not be affected in any way, except that the technical desk officer in the Commission following some projects may change. Projects will be given more detailed information as necessary in the near future.
LIFE goes on.
HRH Prince Joakim of Denmark09 October 2009 In September, HRH Prince Joakim of Denmark officially opened a new fish pass (riffle) at Bachmann’s mill (Denmark) and the wetlands Svinevads kog/Nörre Sö, both part of the LIFE project, "Urgent actions for the endangered Houting (Coregonus oxyrhunchus)" (LIFE05 NAT/DK/000153).
The project covers four Danish rivers systems. In one of these, the Vidaa, where the largest remaining population of Houting is found, work has now been completed, including the construction of fish-passes at the fish farm Rens Dambrug and at Bachmanns mill. This allows the Houting to access spawning grounds upstream.
In addition the restoration of approximately 80ha of shallow wetlands downstream from Bachmanns mill will serve as a nursery for Houting fry, allowing them to develop to a stage where they can survive when they eventually enter the Wadden sea.
About 200 citizens of the local commune of Tönder attanded the inauguration, which was also attended by the Minister of Environment, Mr Troels Lund Poulsen and the mayor of Tönder, Mr. Laurids Rudebeck
05 October 2009 Seven European environmental protection organisations have joined forces within the framework of a LIFE co-funded project (LIFE07 ENV/D/000224) to launch a new "Capital of Biodiversity" competition, which will run in five European countries. The project aims to identify and recognise cities, towns and villages with the best performance in preserving biodiversity.
The project partners met in Madrid at the end of September to finalise preparations for the competition, which will start in 2010, the UN International Year of Biodiversity. The competition will be open to municipalities in France, Germany, Hungary, Slovakia and Spain, from the smallest villages to the largest cities. Winners will be selected in different size classes, according to the population of the municipality.
In each country, participating municipalities will be supported through a training programme, jointly organised by ICLEI and IUCN. Those interested, are invited to contact the project partner in their country: NatureParif (France), Lake Balaton Development Coordination Agency (Hungary), Fundación Biodiversidad (Spain) and the Regional Environmental Center (Slovakia). Further information is available on the Capital of Biodiversity website.
450 bottles were sold 01 October 2009 The LIFE project LIFE06 NAT/F/000143 in Aix-en-Provence (France) has found a refreshing way of increasing public awareness about the Orsini Viper (Vipera ursinii), via a joint venture with a local brewery to produce a special edition organic beer.
It was during a meeting with the local mayor, who also happens to be the local brewer, that the idea for linking the image of this emblematic, but endangered species to a local product emerged. In order to improve local awareness and knowledge of the Viper, the project beneficiary and the Thorame Basse brewery teamed up to produce a special edition organic beer which features images of and information on the Orsini Viper on the label. It also includes details of the project website.
As well as representing a novel approach to communicating the activities of the LIFE project, part of the royalties from the sales of the beer will also be gifted to the project beneficiary to help sustain the important viper conservation work. Cheers!
Read more on the LIFE Orsini’s viper project or on the brewery website (in french)
