LIFE Bears with a future
LIFE
The brown bear is in danger of extinction and is very vulnerable to any threat. Climate change threatens the recovery of Cantabrian bears. Climate change is already affecting the production of wild fruits on which bears feed and is causing bears to hibernate for less time or not at all.
With the aim of promoting the adaptability of the brown bear to climate change in the Cantabrian Mountains, the Biodiversity Foundation of the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge is participating as partners in the project LIFE Bears with a future “Improvement of key trophic resources and prevention of winter conflicts to conserve the Cantabrian brown bear in climate change scenarios“coordinated by the Brown Bear Foundation.
This project is supported by the European Union’s LIFE Program and operates in Natura 2000 Network sites.
The LIFE Bears with a Future Project is developed under the coordination of the Fundación Oso and counts as associated beneficiaries with the Fundación Biodiversidad, of the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, and the Fundación Patrimonio Natural, of the Junta de Castilla y León. The regional administrations of the Junta de Castilla y León and the Principality of Asturias collaborate in the project, and the Principality of Asturias also contributes to co-financing.
Line of action:
Terrestrial ecosystemsStatus:
En ejecuciónExecution date:
2020End date:
2025Project web page:
https://fundacionosopardo.org/proyectos/proyecto-life-osos-con-futuro/The main objective is to favor the adaptability of brown bears to climate change in the Cantabrian Mountains to prevent the loss of their food resources and to promote best practices and solutions to the expected increase in interactions between bears and humans due to the reduction of hibernation.
Specific objectives
- Contribute to improving food availability for bears.
- Inform and raise awareness among groups that may be involved in interactions with bears.
- Disseminate good practices generated in the project, contributing to the adaptation of bear management to the expected impacts of climate change and social changes.
Conservation:
- Purchase of land for the development of activities to improve chestnut groves and forest plantations.
- Planting of fruit trees and native chestnut varieties to increase trophic availability for bears.
- Restoration and treatment of chestnut forests to increase fruit production and climate resilience.
- Monitoring the effectiveness of tree planting and chestnut forest restoration treatments.
Research
- Study of the vulnerability to climate change of the most sensitive areas for brown bear conservation.
- Scientific basis: participation of researchers from the universities of Oviedo, Valladolid, Cantabria and Extremadura.
Awareness and participation
- Advice and guidance for the development of winter activities in bear areas.
- Campaign of meetings with more than 100 hunting associations and winter sports associations to explain the new scenarios in the face of climate change and raise awareness of the implications for bear activity.
- Dissemination activities.
- Transfer of results and lessons learned in the project.
Opportunities for rural development in bear-producing areas
- Promotion of rural development and job creation linked to nature conservation actions and adaptation to climate change.
Area of action
Western Cantabrian subpopulation of the bear: Peña Ubiña, Caldoveiro, Montovo-La Mesa, Fuentes del Narcea, Degaña and Ibias and Somiedo in Asturias; and Alto Sil and Sierra de los Ancares, in León.
Eastern subpopulation: Montaña Palentina area, in Palencia.
LIFE Bears with a future
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