Download Safe islands for seabirds

 SAFE ISLANDS FOR SEABIRDS - Safe islands
for seabirds/ Initiating the restoration of
s e ab i rd -d ri v en e c o s y s t e m s i n t h e Az o r e s
LIFE07 NAT/P/000649
Project description Environmental issues Beneficiaries Administrative data R e a d m o r e Contact details:
Project Manager: Pedro GERALDES
Tel: 351-213220430
Fax: 351-213220439
Email: [email protected]
Project description:
Background
The populations of most species of Procellariiform seabirds in the Azores have
been reduced in the last 500 years by several orders of magnitude. Few petrel
species have been entirely lost from the archipelago, but their ecological
functions have effectively ceased with profound consequences for native
terrestrial communities. The population crashes have been caused by three main
factors: over-harvesting, introduced predators and habitat destruction. Human
harvesting has ceased, but introduced predators are ubiquitous on the main
islands and have reached several of the offshore islets. Habitat destruction,
primarily to make way for agricultural development, has also resulted in the
spread of invasive alien plants. Despite bird population declines, the archipelago
remains of critical importance for the conservation of several Bird Directive
Annex 1 petrel species. Actions to conserve the remnant populations of petrels
in the Azores have been developed, mostly involving seabird monitoring, colony
identification and census. Active management of sites, however, has been limited;
though the small-scale experimental studies have shown the potential for
large-scale management and restoration of seabird colonies. Objectives
The Safe Islands for Seabirds project aimed to prepare for the full restoration of
seabird habitats on Corvo, the smallest of the large uninhabited islands in the
seabird habitats on Corvo, the smallest of the large uninhabited islands in the
Azores and the one offering the best potential for seabird re-colonization. The
objectives involved the implementation of innovative approaches and
methodologies to increase the number, density and distribution range of
seabirds on Corvo, including predator-free enclosures, exotic vegetation control,
and seabird monitoring and management. One aim is to produce a complete alien
mammal's operational plan for Corvo, in collaboration with local stakeholders,
with eradication techniques being demonstrated at project sites. Results
The Safe Islands for Seabirds project demonstrated that the large-scale
restoration of seabird habitats is possible through the use of innovative methods
and approaches, with the ultimate aim of bringing more seabirds back to the
Azores. The project team created GIS distribution maps for alien mammals and
plants for Corvo Island and Vila Franca do Campo Islet, as the basis for a draft
operation plan to eradicate them from target areas. A Biological Reserve was
successfully established on Corvo by the LIFE project, with bio-security fencing
extending for about 700m to prevent animals entering the delimited area. A
bio-security protocol was drafted. Invasive alien mammals and plants were
removed from this area and two existing reserves. The project showed that eradicating rats from uninhabited islands in the Azores
was technically feasible, though total eradication was not deemed feasible given
the current social, economic and political framework. Field tests were conducted
at the three project sites: the 12 ha Altitude Reserve on Corvo, the newly-created
3.5 ha Corvo Biological Reserve, and on the small Vila Franca do Campo Islet.
A cat neutering (de-sexing) and tagging programme was conducted by the LIFE
project. Domestic cats were identified with a chip and most were sterilized. Feral
cats were captured in a total of seven trapping campaigns, with 60 animals being
caught, chipped, sterilized and released in areas free of bird nests. The project
team ensured that this procedure will continue through local nature conservation
and veterinarian entities. Based on a vegetation survey of Corvo Island produced
by Azores University, about 35 kg of seeds of endemic flora were collected
(mostly E rica azorica a n d Myrica faya) to sow the Corvo Biological Reserve and to
be propagated in a local nursery for transplanting to all project sites. About 10
800 plants were transplanted in project areas on Corvo Island (7 300 plants in
the Biological Reserve and 3 500 plants in the Altitude Reserve), and 12 300 were
planted on Vila Franca do Campo Islet. Native flora helps create optimal
conditions for burrowing birds.
In order to attract Procellariform seabirds to the project sites after rodent
removal, 250 nest boxes were placed in the Corvo Biological Reserve and 150 in
Vila Franca do Campo Islet; bird-calling systems were also installed.
A census of seabird populations conducted by the LIFE project used combined
data from automatic recorders, radar and direct field observations. The
nocturnal burrow-nesting behaviour of target seabirds made surveying difficult.
Several hundreds Cory’s shearwaters were saved during the campaigns “SOS
Cagarro” and a breeding pair was followed online for the first time and seen by
more than 25 000 people in 70 countries.
Waste management actions on Corvo Island were successfully concluded, with a
more efficient system of recycling boxes being installed. A visitors’ trail was
established on Corvo, including five interpretation points with information
boards. A web-based virtual Azores sea bird resource was also produced. Further information on the project can be found in the project's layman report
and After-LIFE Conservation Plan (see "Read more" section).
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Environmental issues addressed:
Themes
Species - Birds
Keywords
restoration measure‚ island Target species
Azorina vidalii Calonectris diomedea Erica scoparia ssp. azorica Frangula
azorica Myosotis maritima Oceanodroma castro Picconia azorica Puffinus
assimilis baroli Sterna dougallii Sterna hirundo Target Habitat types
6180 - Macaronesian mesophile grasslands
7130 - Blanket bogs (* if active bog)
1250 - Vegetated sea cliffs with endemic flora of the Macaronesian coasts
4050 - Endemic macaronesian heaths
5320 - Low formations of Euphorbia close to cliffs
Natura 2000 sites
SPA
SCI
PTZPE0020
PTCOR0001
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Beneficiaries:
Costa e Caldeirão - Ilha do Corvo
Costa e Caldeirão - Ilha do Corvo
Coordinator
Type of organisation
Description
Partners
Sociedades Portuguesa para o Estudo das Aves
NGO-Foundation
SPEA is a not-for-profit environmental NGO
whose mission is to further the study and the
conservation of the birds of Portugal and their
habitats by promoting sustainable
development. Câmara Municipal do Corvo, Portugal Secretaria
Regional do Ambiente e do Mar dos Açores,
Portugal RSPB , United Kingdom Top
Administrative data:
Project reference
Duration
Total budget
EU contribution
Project location
LIFE07 NAT/P/000649
01-JAN-2009 to 31-DEC -2012
1,057,761.00 €
507,118.00 €
Açores(Portugal)
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Read more:
Brochure
Brochure
Brochure
Leaflet
Poster
Poster
Project web site
Publication: After-LIFE
Communication Plan
Title: "O Cagarro: A ave do ano Pergunta Periodico n°1, Segunda-feira 4 abril 2011"
(1.02MB) Year: 2011 No of pages: 2 Title: "O Cagarro: A ave do ano Pergunta Periodico n°2 Septembro 2001" (1.57MB)
Year: 2011 No of pages: 2 Title: "Ilhas santuario para as aves Marinhas
(2009-2012)" (1.02MB) Year: 2014
Editor: Sociedade Portuguesa para o Estudo das
Aves No of pages: 2 Title: "Itinerary : Safe islands for Seabirds" (420
KB) Editor: Parque Natural da Ilha do Corvo,
Portuguese Societ No of pages: 2 Title: "Habitat marinho = Marine habitat"
(948KB) Year: 2014 No of pages: 1 Title: "Plantas do Corvo = Corvo Plants"
(1.72MB) Year: 2014 No of pages: 1 Project's website
Title: After-LIFE Communication Plan
Year: 2013 No of pages: 4 Publication: After-LIFE
Conservation Plan
Publication: Layman report
Publication: Technical report
Title: After-LIFE Conservation Plan Year: 2013
No of pages: 8 Title: Layman report Year: 2013 No of pages: 8 Title: Relatório tecnico final do projecto
Year: 2013 No of pages: 59 Top
Project description Environmental issues Beneficiaries Administrative data R e a d m o r e