Five years of practical action and community engagement have strengthened human-bear coexistence across the Central Apennine mountains of Italy. By helping local communities and Marsican bears share space and thrive together, this work has strengthened the foundations for the continued comeback of this iconic subspecies.
The aim of the LIFE Bear-Smart Corridors initiative is to enhance human-bear coexistence in Italy, Greece, and further afield. The initiative’s well-attended first two public meetings, in the towns of Pettorano sul Gizio and Vastogirardi in the Central Apennines rewilding landscape, proved very positive and educational events.
A new study has confirmed that Marsican brown bears play a valuable role promoting the Central Apennines as nature-based tourism destination.
Our work to stabilize and strengthen interconnected populations of the Dalmatian pelican along the Black Sea-Mediterranean flyway has been recognised by the European Commission’s Natura 2000 Awards. Through reducing the risk of collisions with power lines, the installation of nesting platforms and establishing regular patrols, The Pelican Way of LIFE initiative has helped to create two new breeding colonies in Bulgaria.
A recent webinar gathered 30 participants from 11 European countries and India to learn about the Pelican Way of LIFE initiative, as work continues to improve conditions for Dalmatian pelicans along the Black Sea-Mediterranean Flyway.
Our recent GrazeLIFE symposium was attended by 335 participants from 38 countries. The event was the culmination of a three-year study which set out to identify best practices of grazing that benefit both nature and people, with outcomes inextricably linked to climate and biodiversity. The final report was handed over to the European Commission’s Director for Natural Capital at the Directorate-General for Environment, Humberto Delgado Rosa.
As a critical natural process, grazing by large herbivores delivers many benefits to both wild nature and people. Yet, its impact depends greatly on the type of herbivores and grazing intensity. Join us for an online symposium on December 9th where we will present the findings of the three-year GrazeLIFE programme.
The Dalmatian pelican continue to show signs of recovery within their range in southeast Europe, including the Danube Delta rewilding area. Yet, their fragmented populations pose a problem for the species’ long-term stability. Here’s an overview of our actions and results so far, to support the comeback of these gentle giants.
Membership of the network will enhance rewilding efforts along the Grote Nete River in northeast Belgium, with a particular focus on the regeneration of floodplain forest.
The three-year, pan-European project will evaluate the benefits of various land management models involving domesticated and wild/semi-wild herbivores. It will hopefully lead to more supportive EU policy and legislation.
