Project Summary

The 4PETHABECO project aims to test solutions to protect and restore flora and fauna, in particular terrestrial habitats and populations of large carnivores, also envisaging the use of green infrastructure, and to improve connectivity (call thematic focus “Biodiversity protection and preservation, including protected areas and areas under Habitat and Birds Directives”, ADRION 1st call indicative action 2 “Test solutions to protect and restore flora and fauna (with particular attention to algae/poseidonia oceanica, large carnivores, pollinating insects, migrators, fishes), also envisaging the use of blue and green infrastructure.”). The specific objectives of 4PETHABECO are: (1) reinforcement of collaboration inside AIR to foster synergies and harmonization of large carnivores’ monitoring procedures and techniques, increase transparency of data acquisition and interpretation, lower uncertainties about large carnivores’ protection and conservation of their habitats (in particular to support measures under the Habitats Directive for the recovery of large carnivores); (2) dealing with increasing challenges connected with social conflicts connecting with LC-human coexistence, cultural and environmental impacts on large carnivores’ habitats for their conservation in restoration with improved participatory processes for innovative management of large carnivores’ habitats; (3) design opportunities at local communities level, design Living Labs network and pose knowledge bases inside AIR for dealing with coexistence conflicts, cultural differences, restoration of LC green infrastructure and eco-corridors. The strategic aim is to co-create common strategies and action plans to protect and enhance natural terrestrial habitats of large carnivores and improving their resilience, that is the main objective of EUSAIR flagship PET HAB ECO (PROTECTION AND ENHANCEMENT OF NATURAL TERRESTRIAL HABITATS AND ECOSYSTEMS). The PET HAB ECO flagship overall objective is to improve the resilience of large carnivores’ populations at transnational level in a territory characterized by human dominated or fragmented ecosystems in the face of environmental threats and risks also caused by climate change impacts. The activities to be undertaken for implementation of the EUSAIR flagship PET HAB ECO are primarily related to conservation and restoration of large carnivore populations, transboundary large carnivore management synchronization, public awareness activities to bring these unique species to the public’s attention and restoration of ecosystems in which they play a key role and protect the important habitats, and to enhance their movements. Large carnivores are ecosystems’ keystone species; hence other biodiversity components will also benefit from their conservation. 4PETHABECO project will reach these aims through: 1) a pilot action focused on testing and demonstrating new monitoring practices, with solution that include creation of a common digital platform with digital tools, database and other information relevant for the creation of synergies and harmonization of monitoring procedures in AIR, including enforcement of common citizen science support; 2) jointly developed strategy and action plan for innovative management of large carnivores habitats to improve coexistence; ) a pilot action with demonstrative activities for reduction of human impacts, with solution for community-knowledge reinforcement and innovation development with bottom-up approaches using Living labs methodology /network. Embedded capacity building and communication activities; exchange and implementation of know-how, knowledge flow, best practices transfer will be at the core of stakeholders’ involvement in the project activities. The project 4PETHABECO was defined in the way to maximize the added value of transnational cooperation during the implementation of activities. This includes special tasks introduced to strengthen the transnational dimension and the approach of cooperation of AIR partners in all project activities. The importance of transnational cooperation is also reinforced by greater recognition and visibility of project results with mainstreaming and capitalization activities, an expression of actors from the majority of participating countries who combine efforts and go beyond national interests.