The aims of project LIFE LxAquila are:
- To create a stewardship network comprising private land-owners and public entities, who will be guardians of the region’s natural values, and in particular of Bonelli’s Eagles
- To demonstrate that predator conservation and human activities are compatible
Main actions
- Monitoring the breeding pairs and tagging juveniles (with GPS/GSM devices), providing basic knowledge to support the conservation actions
- Negotiation of long-term land management agreements for breeding, feeding and other important areas, valuing managers’ involvement through several incentives – ca. 100 landowners targeted
- Promotion of best practices in agroforestry, to increase breeding sites’ resilience to fire and increase abundance of wild prey (wild rabbit and Red-legged Partridge)
- Integration of conservation measures in land planning and management instruments (such as municipal master plans & forest management plans)
- Continuous surveillance for potential threats and management of human activities to prevent and minimize disturbance during breeding season
- Assessment of social perspectives on human coexistence with raptors, which integrates the social dimension
- Correction of 100 pylons around nests to prevent birds being electrocuted on powerlines
- Regular police patrols (criminal investigation & canine teams) to mitigate environmental crime (i.e. illegal hunting, poison)
- Prepare the replication of the stewardship strategy in the context of other natural values, namely other forest raptors
- More than 250 environmental awareness-raising and educational activities/workshops for students, stakeholder groups and regional community (25000+ people engaged)
- Frequent communication moments, including a nestcam broadcasting live during the breeding season
