Summary of the project

PROTECTION OF HABITATS AND RAPTORS IN M. LABBRO AND UPPER ALBEGNA VALLEY

Objective
The project is aimed at the pSCI and SPA M. Labbro and Upper Albegna Valley, a 6.200 hectares area in southern Tuscany (Province of Grosseto). The main aim is to arrive at a long-term protection of the area through the integration of the positive results obtained by a previous LIFE-Natura Project (LIFE99NAT/IT/006229) with those expected from the new measures to be taken, considering the recent institution of a Special Protection Area for birds falling on the same area of the pSIC.
This large area includes important habitats for flora and fauna and therefore requires targeted management actions and immediate protection measures aimed at the priority habitat and species identified according to the technical annexes of the EC Habitats Directive 92/43 and the Birds Directive 79/409.

Action and means involved
Some actions foreseen by the project are as follows:
- the removal of infesting and exotic species from the priority habitat Semi-natural dry grasslands and scrubland facies on calcareous substrates (important orchid sites) and from the habitat of Community interest Juniperus communis formations on heaths or calcareous grasslands, in order to preserve these habitats and recreate wide feeding areas for birds of prey;
- the conservation of the species Falco biarmicus and Circus pygargus and of the other birds of prey, many of which are included in the I Annex of the Birds Directive, through the guard of the most important nesting sites, the setting in safety of the power lines, the creation of feeding areas, the creation or restoration of nesting sites for Falco biarmicus and other cliff-nesting raptors, etc. Specific measures target the species Milvus milvus, in order to support its restocking in the pSIC and SPA;
- the restoration and the creation of small ponds that will benefit the amphibians populations and the fauna in general;
- an extensive awareness and information action targeting the different users of the area, the local communities and especially the scholastic population. Therefore will be continued and improved the effective campaign put into effect by the previous LIFE-Nature Project, which contributed to the final success;
- the creation of didactic routes for spreading the knowledge about the LIFE-Natura project, the NATURA 2000 network and the environmental value of the area, which will also divert the visitors towards less sensitive areas.

Expected results
- Conservation and restoration of the priority habitat Semi-natural dry grasslands and scrubland facies on calcareous substrates (important orchid sites);
- protection and increasing of the raptors populations, especially Falco biarmicus and Circus pygargus;
- re-establishment of a permanent population of Milvus milvus in southern Tuscany;
- conservation of small ponds, in an almost quite dry area;
- new awareness by the local population about the need to preserve the natural heritage;
- aware fruition of the area by the visitors;
- long-term preservation of the whole pSIC and SPA.