SUMMARY

Project title: Alpe Veglia and Alpe Devero: actions of conservation of mountain grasslands and peatlands

Objective
Parco Alpe Veglia – Alpe Devero is a Regional Park located in the Italian Western Alps.
It includes a proposed SIC (Habitats Directive 92/43/EEC) and SPA (Birds Directive 79/409/EEC) named “Alpi Veglia e Devero”.
The site hold 11 priority habitats: 4060 Alpine and Boreal heaths; 6230 *species-rich Nardus grasslands, on silicious substrates in mountain areas; 6520 mountain hay meadows; 7110 *active raised bogs; 7140 transition mires and quaking bogs; 7220 *petrifying springs with tufa formations (Cratoneurion); 7230 alkaline fens; 9420 Alpine Larix decidua forests; 8110 siliceous scree of the montane to snow level; 8220 siliceous rocky slopes with casmophytic vegetation; 8340 permanent glaciers.
Priority species include Lynx lynx, *Canis lupus, Capra ibex, *Gypaetus barbatus, Aquila chrysaetos (2 pairs), Bonasa bonasia, Tetrao tetrix tetrix (80-150 pairs), Lagopus mutus helveticus (200-400 pairs), Alectoris graeca saxatilis, Bubo bubo (1 pair), Glaucidium passerinum, Aegolius funereus, Dryocopus martius and the IUCN Critically Endangered butterfly Erebia christi (the site holds one of the only 2 known population in the EU).
Priority habitats hold important populations of Tetrao tetrix and Lagopus mutus helveticus and are threatened by overgrazing, trampling (by tourists, cattle and deers), invasion by bushes, lack of management, drainage of peatlands.
Main objective of the project is to stop these threats and restore the damaged habitats, in particular *Nardus grasslands, hay meadows, *raised and transition bogs, alkaline fens and Alpine heaths.

Actions and means involved

It is a three years project that starts with a first year dedicated to scientific studies and evaluation of threats to priority habitats, that will end with the production of studies, projects, management plans for habitats, an action plan for Erebia christi and related maps.
Projects and plans will be written after consulting with parks who are working on LIFE projects linked to similar topics and with the bordering Swiss nature reserves of Binn and Laggintal.
A plan will also be written for establishing an ecological network between Parco Alpe Veglia – Alpe Devero and the bordering Swiss reserves.
The following years will be focused on a series of actions of habitat management, including:
· temporary fencing and establishment of drinking troughs for cattle and wild ungulates for avoiding trampling and overgrazing by cattle and wildlife of peatlands;
· maintenance and diversion of mountain paths, building of footbridges and wardening for preventing human trampling on Alpine heaths;
· cutting of invading bushes on Nardus grasslands;
· management of mountain hay meadows;
· interruption of peatlands’ drainage.
During the three years period it will be developped an environmental awareness campaign, including the production of educational printed matter and a CD-rom, opening of a web – site of the project, organization of public events with schools, visitors and local inhabitants.
Monitoring of the results of the interventions will be done during the all project.

Expected results

The results of the project will be:
· production of studies, maps and management plans for 6 priority habitats and an action plan for the globally threatened butterfly Erebia christi ;
· a plan for establishing an ecological network between Parco Alpe Veglia – Alpe Devero, the Swiss reserves of Binn and Laggintal and the upper Ossola valley;
· conservation and management of 300 ha of *Nardus grasslands, 20 ha of bogs and fens, 50 ha of mountain hay meadows, 200 ha of Alpine heaths, the endangered species Erebia christi and its suitable habitat (300 ha);
· conservation of the breeding populations of Tetrao tetrix, Lagopus mutus helveticus, Aquila chrysaetos;
· improving of public awareness between local people and turists for the conservation of montane grasslands and peatlands.