Description
COREHABS will develop the methodology to establish ecological corridors, designation criteria and identification of critical areas at national level. The project will also provide technical expertise for relevant authorities to apply the developed methodology in accordance with national and EU legislation. Furthermore, it will support the Natura 2000 connectivity objectives as well as climate change mitigation, mentioned in the EU biodiversity action plan. The consortium proposed an integrated approach to identify the corridors, from structural connectivity and modelling of selected species (including umbrella species) to functional connectivity and methods which integrate the two approaches. COREHABS will provide a tool for identification, assessment, monitoring and management activities of ecological corridors and will help integrating biodiversity conservation objectives into main sectoral policies: agriculture, forestry, nature, water, transportation and energy policies, for a range of stakeholders - central government, local public administrations, scientific community, NGOs and protected areas managers.
Summary of project results
COREHABS project aimed to identify, analyze and promote ecological corridors at national level. The project developed a methodology for ecological corridors setting, including the designation criterion of ecological corridors, identification of critical areas where this type of corridors are compulsory and training of specialists for a better management and monitoring of ecological corridors. The project development based on a transdisciplinary methodology, hence using the theoretical and practical knowledge from biology, ecology, hydrology, geomorphology, social sciences and economy in order to identify, map, assess, elaborate management activities and monitoring indices. Main achievements & deliverables: about 12 reports (ex.: Report on national and international data sources on the identification of ecological corridors and on the spatial and temporal scales to be analyzed; Report on the initial setting of the criteria and data needed to identify the ecological corridors; Report on the required data set and their availability at different spatial scales for creation of the GIS database; Report on consultations with experts and decision-makers on criteria for identifying organic sheepdogs; Report on the definition of ecological corridors; Report on identifying barriers of ecological corridors and s maps of analysis a.s.o); 1 Functional database & 1 Data management and processing tool for ecological corridors; a set of initial methodologies for identifying ecological corridors, Guides with monitoring methods of ecological corridor; Guidance on management measures for ecological corridors or other elements that enshrine species/ population dispersion; development of methodological norms for the integration of aspects related to the identification, creation and implementation of ecological corridors in sectoral policies; Conducting training courses to increase the capacity to identify ecological corridors at the local level, to manage and monitor ecological corridors. Project results were disseminated at national and international level (ex. 24th International Conference on Bear Research and Management - Anchorage, Alaska-USA; workshops jointly with Wildlife Conservation Society, WWF, University of Montana-USA, Fish and Wildlife Services, Yellowstone Initiative, University of Alberta-Canada) and uploaded on YouTube (short movie, a documentary, a spot a.s.o).
Summary of bilateral results