Other Projects
LIFE ENPLC – The European Networks for Private Land Conservation
Climate warming and the increasing loss of biodiversity constitute an existential threat to private land. The core objective of this project is to develop an EU-wide network of private land conservation practitioners leveraging innovative private land conservation tools to mitigate the damage and preserve the land’s value for the next generations.
To establish that sustainably the Conservation Landowners Coalition (CLC), a union between landowners and conservationists, was founded. The project is focusing on the most promising private landowner conservation tools (PLC tools), emphasising conservation easements. We test and support their wider uptake, engage in the reform of supportive fiscal and other systems incentivising PLC, continue the development of PLC standards and practices, and help with the development of organisations and their networks dealing with PLC (following the US “land trust” model). We are working with volunteers and citizen scientists on voluntary private land conservation.
For communication purposes, PLC Ambassadors who showcase concrete actions, issues and solutions will be nominated, reaching out to relevant administrations, to better involve national/regional authorities in developing private land conservation initiatives in their jurisdiction.
Visit the website here.
Open Rivers Programme – Restoring 50 km of connectivity in the Côa River, Portugal
This project focuses on completing those activities that are necessary to prepare the removal of three barriers, the two walls of Ensecadeiras do Côa and two weirs in the Côa River, from a legal, technical, ecological and social perspective. These activities include an environmental assessment, a civil engineering feasibility study, studies to determine sediment-related effects of barrier removal as well as measuring fish diversity and dynamics to determine fish populations in the impounded area and below the dam, assess the effects of removal on native species and the potential risk invasion by exotic fish species. Relevant stakeholders will be engaged to assess the social and economic impacts of removing the barriers. If proven feasible, removing these barriers would restore connectivity in approximately 50 km of the Côa River and Massueime Stream, including recovering the connectivity of both rivers with the Douro.
This project also aims to advance dam removal in Portugal, raise awareness of its need and disseminate guidelines on replicating it in other catchments and therefore contribute to meet national targets for the EU Restoration Law and the Water Framework Directive.
Visit the website here.