PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
The brown bear (Ursus arctos) is an endangered species included in Annexes II and IV of the Habitat Directive. The current distribution area of this large mammal in the Cantabrian mountains includes four autonomous administrative regions: Asturias, Cantabria, Castile and León and Galicia. The area is mountainous with forests of beech, oak, birch and chestnut mixed with open grassland and crags.
The bear population is divided into two apparently unconnected subgroups: the eastern one contains about 20 individuals; and the western one around 50-70. Together they represent 30% of the wild brown bear population in the EU. The main threats to this endangered species have been identified as habitat degradation, illegal hunting, disturbance and death from things such as traps and poison, and loss of genetic variability.
This project is part of an overall multi-beneficiaries, multi-annual approach involving four regional governments and a bear conservation NGO. The relevant projects are:
LIFE92 NAT/E/0014500, LIFE94 NAT/E/004827 & LIFE95 NAT/E/001155 (Asturias)
LIFE92 NAT/E/0014501 & LIFE95 NAT/E/001154 (Cantabria)
LIFE92 NAT/E/0014502, LIFE94 NAT/E/004829 & LIFE95 NAT/E/001158 (Castile and Leon)
LIFE92 NAT/E/0014503, LIFE94 NAT/E/001458 & LIFE95 NAT/E/001156 (Galicia)
LIFE92 NAT/E/0014504, LIFE94 NAT/E/004830 & LIFE95 NAT/E/000628 (the Brown Bear Foundation)
The projects covered several protected areas, such as Muniellos Natural Reserve (5 542 ha), Somiedo Natural Park (87 900 ha), Reserva Nacional de Caza de los Ancares (8 000 ha) hunting reserves (590 299 ha) and SPAs (43 756 ha).
OBJECTIVES
All the projects operating under the joint approach aimed to combat the main threats facing the brown bear in the Cantabrian mountains through conservation and recovery of its habitat and the eradication of illegal hunting
The planned project actions in Asturias were in accordance with the recovery plan adopted by the regional government. Asturias was home to approximately 70% of the whole Cantabrian bear population.
The foreseen actions included:
reforestation of degraded habitats
plantation of chestnuts to increase and diversify food supplies
increased and improved surveillance to prevent disturbance and illegal hunting
a proper compensation system for all legitimate claims for damages inflicted by either bears or wolves.
awareness-raising activities targeting local populations and children.
RESULTS
Overall the LIFE ursus arctos projects dated 1992-95 made a significant contribution to understanding the brown bear, its distribution, needs and threats. They specifically led to the preparation of a National strategy for brown bear conservation. The four regional governments and the NGO met periodically together with national authorities to discuss their work and outcomes. This led to the establishment of a national co-ordination committee for bear conservation that has been afterwards maintained in the framework of the National Commission for Nature Conservation.
The projects in Cantabria increased knowledge of the brown bear in the region significantly. They managed to set up a special rangers patrol for bear areas, to draw up guidelines for the management of the bear area and to implement an awareness raising campaign.
Through co-operation with the University of Cantabria, the projects developed the cartography of vegetation in the project area at a scale 1:25.000. A study carried out on the bear range identified the most important areas for the species, particularly for feeding and refuge. The bear distribution area in this region was proposed as an SCI for the Natura 2000 network.
These actions informed the development of guidelines for the management and recovery of bear areas, which were agreed with the Brown Bear Foundation (Fundación Oso Pardo). They identified two feeding and refuge areas in the headwaters of the river Quiviesa and the valley of river Vendejo for priority action.
Habitat restoration actions focused on forestry measures to favour the recovery of bear habitat over a total surface of 547 ha of oak woods and 15 ha of beech woods. The project (Fundacion Oso Pardo) trained and equipped 17 rangers in the project area. Warden and surveillance activity included combating illegal hunting, monitoring bear populations and avoiding disturbances to bears and their habitat, notably by diverting forest tracks.
The project included the provision of compensation payments for damage caused by bears and wolves to extensive livestock in the bear distribution area. The payment of such compensation has an important social impact and helps to improve acceptance of the species by the local population.
An agreement was signed with the Fundación Oso Pardo for awareness raising through a programme called “El pais de los osos” (The bear country) aimed at schoolchildren. Training of 28 schoolteachers from bear areas was carried out through the organization of two courses (50 hours) in Santander and Reinosa.Overall the LIFE ursus arctos projects dated 1992-95 made a significant contribution to understanding the brown bear, its distribution, needs and threats. They specifically led to the preparation of a National strategy for brown bear conservation. The four regional governments and the NGO met periodically together with national authorities to discuss their work and outcomes. This led to the establishment of a national co-ordination committee for bear conservation that has been afterwards maintained in the framework of the National Commission for Nature Conservation.
The projects in Cantabria increased knowledge of the brown bear in the region significantly. They managed to set up a special rangers patrol for bear areas, to draw up guidelines for the management of the bear area and to implement an awareness raising campaign.
Through co-operation with the University of Cantabria, the projects developed the cartography of vegetation in the project area at a scale 1:25.000. A study carried out on the bear range identified the most important areas for the species, particularly for feeding and refuge. The bear distribution area in this region was proposed as an SCI for the Natura 2000 network.
These actions informed the development of guidelines for the management and recovery of bear areas, which were agreed with the Brown Bear Foundation (Fundación Oso Pardo). They identified two feeding and refuge areas in the headwaters of the river Quiviesa and the valley of river Vendejo for priority action.
Habitat restoration actions focused on forestry measures to favour the recovery of bear habitat over a total surface of 547 ha of oak woods and 15 ha of beech woods. The project (Fundacion Oso Pardo) trained and equipped 17 rangers in the project area. Warden and surveillance activity included combating illegal hunting, monitoring bear populations and avoiding disturbances to bears and their habitat, notably by diverting forest tracks.
The project included the provision of compensation payments for damage caused by bears and wolves to extensive livestock in the bear distribution area. The payment of such compensation has an important social impact and helps to improve acceptance of the species by the local population.
An agreement was signed with the Fundación Oso Pardo for awareness raising through a programme called “El pais de los osos” (The bear country) aimed at schoolchildren. Training of 28 schoolteachers from bear areas was carried out through the organization of two courses (50 hours) in Santander and Reinosa.