LIFE-NATURE PROJECTS IN OTHER EUROPEAN COUNTRIES
- LIFE-Nature project Dorset Heaths (LIFE92/NAT/UK/0133) http://www.rspb.org.uk/ourwork/projects/details.aspx?id=tcm:9-218968
The southern England project was the first to raise the idea that military activity can actually be beneficial for an area. One of the main objectives of the project was doing research into heathland management techniques and testing them. The project concluded with establishing that firing, tank exercises, and other disturbances are good heathland management tools, and they help the natural regeneration of the vegetation.
The below two LIFE-Nature projects carried out on large and important military training and Natura 2000 areas were good examples to give a detailed answer to the question how defence and conservation authorities can work together.
- Integration of Flemish military areas into the Natura 2000 network (‘Geintegreerd natuurherstel op militaire domeinen in Natura 2000’ LIFE03/NAT/B/0024)
The project of the Belgian Ministry of Defence and the Flemish Ministry of Environment had the following aims:
- development and testing of a management plan by taking the Natura 2000 network aspects and military use into consideration
- monitoring the realisation of project plan
- habitat management activities, mainly the prevention of the succession of the abandoned areas
- developing a plan for continuing management
- opening the area for recreational use
- monitoring of the conservation status
- “Improving management of Salisbury Plain Natura 2000 sites” (LIFE00/NAT/UK/7071) http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20090214164159/http://www.english-nature.org.uk/salisbury/default.asp
The aims of the project were the following:
- continue and deepen the partnership between the military and environment authorities in running the sites for mutual benefit
- provide input into the Integrated Land Management Plan being drawn up
- maintain and expand grazing management; test and introduce systems for grazing which both increase returns for farmers and conservation benefit
- carry out restoration work to correct the results of past neglect (overgrown grasslands) or inappropriate actions
- start up monitoring schemes
- information and awareness-raising work towards the military staff and the local communities
- disseminate best practice and lessons learnt
