Line of action:

Terrestrial ecosystems

Status:

Finalizado

Execution date:

2019

Total budget:

€38,287.42

Amount of aid from the Biodiversity Foundation:

€26,796.00

In Lleida there are between 8 and 9 pairs of Bonelli’s eagles that represent the bordering pairs of both the coastal and pre-coastal population of southern Catalonia and the Ebro-Pre-Pyrenees depression.
The importance of the conservation of these pairs lies, above all, in the buffer effect for the nucleus of the population and because it is a “spearhead” for the expansion of the species.
For years, the Associació La Sabina has acted directly on the conservation of a pair of Bonelli’s eagles by controlling nuisances and supplementary feeding.
This has meant that this pair has reared, going from 0 to 1.2 chicks flown per year.
This project aims to consolidate and expand these actions, export the model to another close couple and carry out detailed studies on couples throughout the province for future management through custody agreements and others.

The main objective of the project is to promote the protection of Bonelli’s eagles in the province of Lleida by:

1. Direct actions on three Bonelli’s territories.
2. Detection of problems, custody agreements and drafting of management proposals for the population as a whole.

To this end, it has the following specific goals:

• To consolidate and expand the protection measures for the pair of Bonelli’s eagles in the Serra del Munt de Montsonís, within the Aiguabarreig Segre – Noguera Pallaresa SPA protected area (Zone 1).
• Replicate the model applied in the Munt de Montsonís to another pair in the same SPA (Zone 2, Sant Llorenç de Montgai – Camarasa).
• To facilitate the expansion of Bonelli’s territories in their distribution area in the south of the province (zone 3) in contact with known pairs from the province of Tarragona.
• To detect problems and limiting factors for reproduction in the rest of the territories of the province of Lleida.
• Reach custody agreements with owners at least in zones 1 and 2 and in those pairs of the species that are most problematic.
• Propose management proposals in the territories of the couples subject to custody agreements and in those other more problematic ones.
• Prepare proposals for the management of public uses in at least the two main areas of the project.
• To disseminate the natural values of the space, the project and, in particular, the importance of the presence of species of high ecological value.
• Obtain resources for the maintenance of actions in zones 1 and 2 in the medium term based on responsible tourism activities (observation and photography).

• Installation of a new Supplementary Feeding Point (PAS) for Bonelli’s eagle.
• Improvement of the habitat to favour prey species.
• Ordinary and maintenance work in zones 1 and 2.
• Installation and improvement of photo caches.
• To refurbish an old building as a PAS in the border area where the Bonelli’s eagle is distributed between Lleida and Tarragona.
• Data collection and monitoring of Bonelli’s territories in the province of Lleida.
• Stewardship agreements to promote the protection of the species.
• Creation of synergies with other actors in the territory, such as farm owners, town councils, owners of hunting reserves or conservation entities.
• Drafting of proposals and regulatory actions in Bonelli’s eagle territories.
• Dissemination and communication actions.

• The La Sabina Association has ensured the conservation of a pair of Bonelli’s Terns in the region of La Noguera (Lleida).
  The control of nuisances near the breeding sector and the installation of two supplementary feeding points has made this pair go from repeated failures in breeding to producing an average of 1.2 chicks.
• During 2019, the conservation project has been extended to other parts of the province. A couple of dovecotes have been installed: one in an area with the occasional presence of Bonelli’s groves and the other in an already consolidated territory.
  Habitat improvements have also been made to favour prey species such as the placement of drinking troughs, pasture with donkeys to clear vegetation or the sowing of cereals to lost harvest in old abandoned fields on two farms managed by the association with custody agreements.
• At the same time, the breeding season of Bonelli’s eagle pairs has been monitored throughout the province, while potential disturbances were detected in the different territories.