The track record of our LIFE+ project
Newsletter 24/01/2020
Our LIFE+ project was completed on schedule at the end of 2019. We were able to achieve and even exceed the main objectives of the project. As of the end of 2019, the wild Northern Bald Ibis population comprised 140 birds, which is 18% more than defined in the original project objective (119 wild birds).
The implementation of a comprehensive campaign against illegal bird hunting in Italy has almost halved the proportion of losses caused by poaching. While this rate was 60% in the period prior to the LIFE+ project, these losses have been reduced to 31% in the past six years. This is one of the great successes of the project in terms of general species conservation.
By reducing losses from illegal hunting, electrocutions became the primary cause for NBI losses. By redirecting funds, we were able to implement protective measures in the breeding areas Burghausen and Kuchl as part of two pilot projects. As a result, there were no further cases of electrocution in the respective areas in the past season and it can be assumed that further losses in other large bird species could also be prevented.
For each LIFE+ project, a socio-economic assessment hast to be carried out. In our case, this was done by the independent team of experts from EcosystemEvaluation. The results of the study are now available. In it, the experts write that the LIFE+ project, in addition to achieving the objectives in species conservation, also has a variety of successes in terms of socio-economic benefits, from which various stakeholder groups benefited directly and indirectly.
The immediate touristic benefit was assessed especially for the city of Burghausen in Bavaria. The NBI colony breeding at the castle is increasingly becoming a tourist attraction and a focal point of ecotourism. The experts write that the reintroduction of the NBI in Burghausen anchors the topic of nature conservation and species protection much more strongly in the public consciousness, triggers further nature protection measures, strengthens the work of the local nature conservation groups and promotes local ecotourism.
Based on their analyses, the authors estimate the generated economic added value for Burghausen’s tourism caused by the presence of the NBI breeding colony at around 72,000 euros p.a. or almost half a million euros over the entire six-year project period (2014-2019). In addition, the experts argue that the real value of the project for regional tourism is significantly higher than the calculated amount due to the extraordinarily large international media presence. They also assume that similar positive effects also exist or develop at other project locations, particularly in the breeding areas Kuchl in Salzburg, Überlingen in Baden-Württemberg and in the wintering area WWF Oasi Laguna di Orbetello in Tuscany.
The experts also emphasize the social benefits that our project generates from the extensive measures against environmental crime, in particular illegal bird hunting in southern Europe. In the same way, the protective measures implemented to avoid electrocution represent significant added value in the field of nature and species conservation.
The authors of the study also describe the extensive international public relations work in the context of the project as unusual and extremely exciting. The results and scientific knowledge become accessible to millions of people. The authors also see the extensive media presence as a great opportunity to address the loss of biodiversity on earth.
We are currently working on an application to continue the successful project in a second LIFE period from 2021 to 2027. Furthermore, we’re currently preparing for the coming season.
Training flight at Lake Constance: We are currently preparing for the human-led migration 2020. From June the flight training will take place in Heiligenberg near Überlingen on Lake Constance. From April to October we will present the project as part of the Baden-Württemberg State Hortucultural Show in Überlingen.
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