To solve identified conservation issues in Punta-Vrancea ROSCI0208 and unlock the conservation of saproxylic insects in Romania we will carry out the following activities:
Preparatory actions
To ensure a smooth implementation of project activities and to comply with various legal requirements, we will carry out several preparatory activities, necessary to develop the implementation plans to the necessary level of details: A1 Detailed work plans for conservation activities (Preliminary inventory of forest structure and communities related with deadwood; Update ownership list; Produce technical plans for implementation of concrete conservation actions; Produce detailed intervention maps; Produce methodologies for monitoring concrete conservation activities; Produce a buying green guide); A2 Ex-ante survey and planning for awareness and educational activities (Questionnaires for sociologic investigation; Producing the implementation and replication strategy; Establishing the final monitoring indicators); A3 Project and regional kick-off meetings and training of team; A4 Obtaining EIA permits; A5 Action plan for target species (Studies for conservation status at RO level, elaboration of plan, public debates; legal approval); A6 Legal advising for contracts with landowners (to safeguard a 20-years sustainability). The actions will be implemented by all partners (lead by APMVN), in PVNP. The activities will be implemented within 1 year, with the exception of the action plan.
Concrete conservation actions
Planned conservation actions cover different methods for improving the habitats for the 5 target species: speeding-up decaying habitats, increase the amount of dead-wood, improve the availability of light, participatory monitoring and demonstrative use of semiochemical. We will work in 22 intervention areas (12 km2) which will result in improving at least 380 km2 and spill over in other Natura 2000 sites. The planned actions are: C1 Creating standing dead-wood to promote decaying habitats: Creation of 625 veteran-like trees by veteranisation of young trees and of 303 sun-exposed snags by modifying existing snags; C2 Provisions of dead-wood for saproxylic beetles: Creating and installing 171 custom-made wood mould boxes and of 508 wood piles as microhabitats ready to be colonized; Follow-up activities; C3 Shrubs removal for improving saproxylic beetles habitats mostly around veteran-like trees, C4 Participatory monitoring and demonstrative use of semiochemicals as a conservation method by developing of a participatory monitoring app designed for forest owners and managers and a demonstrative use of pheromones as non-lethal a sanitation method. The actions will be implemented by all partners with own personal and external assistance (lead by one of them, depending on expertise).
Monitoring actions
To evaluate the effectiveness of concrete conservation activities and their social impact and correct the actions if necessary, we planned a comprehensive set of monitoring actions: D1 Monitoring of saproxylic insects within intervention areas; D2 Monitoring of saproxylic insects and forest structure within the entire site (as benchmark); D3 – D4 Monitoring of ecosystem services and of social /economic impact; D5 Monitoring of awareness activities, and D6 KPI. These actions cover all the project aspects and will be implemented by all partners (lead by UNIBUC, own staff). The actions foresee deliverables at regular time intervals to inform on time the experts working on concrete conservation on the outcome of their interventions.
Communication actions
To effectively replicate the conservation actions we also planned a complete set of communication activities: E1 Dissemination of project objectives and activities leaflets, Press conferences, web site, information panels, posters; Layman report (incl video); E2 Awareness activities for local inhabitants; 1 educational nature trail; small display area, exhibitions with children drawings, photo exhibitions and guided fieldwork for children, postcards, flyers for local inhabitants, Meetings with local stakeholders. E3 Dissemination of technical solutions and scientific outreach; Handbook with best practice examples of conservation activities (for foresters / Natura 2000 managers), movie on “How to maintain forest health without losing biodiversity”, Participation to scientific events, Publishing articles, Guided field visits; E4 Networking with other projects and closing event Visits to other LIFE projects in Europe and RO, Receiving visits from other LIFE projects. These actions cover all the project aspects and will be implemented by all partners (lead by ACDB and PVNP, own staff).
Management actions
We planned a set of management actions to facilitate the technical and administrative implementation of the proposal: F1 Technical and financial project management (lead by APMVN), F2 After-LIFE, and F3 External audit. The management will be 100% controlled by APM VN (own staff).
