PRESERVATION AND RESTORATION

OF FORESTRY AND RIVER SCIs

Layman’s Informative Report

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

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

2

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

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.

3

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

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.

4

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 %

Results

5

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 %

-

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 %

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

8

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

10

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

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

13

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

14

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

15

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

16

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