The action A1 was completed at December 31, 2014.
All the grassland areas of the SCI IT1110030 relevant to habitat 6210* ("Semi-natural dry grasslands and scrubland facies on calcareous substrates, Festuco-Brometalia,* important orchid sites ") will be identified, mapped and characterized. With that objective in mind - floristic, phytosociological and fitopastorali data will be collected in order to enhance, integrate and complement existing data.
The overall objective is to update knowledge about the composition, distribution, developmental stage and forage value of the habitat in order to assess the overall state of conservation and the management priorities. The activity will be conducted initially on the entire area of the SCI IT1110030, then will focus on the meadows related to habitat 6210*.
News about the progress of the action A1:
COORDINATING BENEFICIARY – PNACozie
Ente di gestione delle aree protette delle Alpi Cozie
Person responsible: Bruno Aimone, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
ASSOCIATED BENEFICIARY - AGROSE
Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Forestali e Alimentari - Università degli Studi di Torino
Responsibles: Giampiero Lombardi AGROSE - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Michele Lonati - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
ASSOCIATED BENEFICIARY - DBIOS
Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e Biologia dei Sistemi - Università degli Studi di Torino
Responsibles: Consolata Siniscalco - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Elena Barni - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
ASSOCIATED BENEFICIARY - CBUS
Comune di Bussoleno
Person responsible: Anna Maria Allasio - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
ASSOCIATED BENEFICIARY - CMOM
Comune di Mompantero
Person responsible: Piera Favro - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
ASSOCIATED BENEFICIARY - DREAM
D.R.E.Am. Italia soc. coop. Agricolo-Forestale
Person responsible: Dott. Marcello Miozzo - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
PREPARATORY ACTIONS
A1. Conservation status assessment for the 6210* habitat
A2. Analysis of past to present management
A3. Guidelines for habitat conservation and restoration
A4. Technical actions for the habitat conservation and restoration
A5. Establishment of a monitoring network for the habitat
CONCRETE CONSERVATION ACTIONS
C1. Restoration of parts of the habitat
C2. Arrangement of grazing equipment for the conservative management
C3. Buying of domestic animals for conservative management
C4. Restoration of the access to grazed areas
C5. Application of grazing management guidelines
MONITORING OF THE IMPACT OF THE PROJECT
D1. Monitoring of the actions effect on vegetation
D2. Monitoring of action effects on orchids and rare steno-Mediterranean species
D3. Monitoring the effect of the actions on socio-economic aspects and ecosystem services
PUBLIC AWARENESS AND DISSEMINATION OF RESULTS
E1. Notice boards and information panels
E3. Publication of the project
E4. Website of the project
E5. Activities of public awareness and dissemination
OVERALL PROJECT OPERATION AND MONITORING
F1. General management of the project
F2. Networking with other EU projects
F3. Audit
The purpose of the LIFE Xero-grazing project (Semi-natural dry-grassland conservation and restoration in Valle Susa through grazing management) is the conservation and the restoration of priority habitat 6210*, seminatural dry grasslands and scrubland facies on calcareous substrates (Festuco-Brometalia) (important orchid sites), within a representative pastoral area of the SCI IT1110030 “Oasi xerotermiche della Valle di Susa - Orrido di Chianocco e Foresto”. Today, it is affected by changes in the floristic composition and progressive invasion of trees and shrubs due to the absence of its use, for decades.
Within the SCI, this habitat is extremely significant due to the extent and the richness of orchids and the rare, steno-Mediterranean species. These grasslands in part, are already degraded because in the last decades land abandonment has produced a marked change in its floristic composition coupled with a dramatic encroachment by shrubs and trees.
The habitat 6210 * problems and threats to the conservation in the SCI are:
-Abandonment: the traditional agro-pastoral activities have been affected in recent decades by a progressive reduction in frequency and intensity. The shrinking number of resident companies and the exclusion of the area from the historical paths of transhumance flocks have contributed to a widespread abandonment of the area, which consequently has caused changes in the floristic composition of grasslands.
-Fire: Bassa Valle di Susa is considered to be an area at high risk for fire. In the SCI, the risk is accentuated by the large amount of dry ground phytomass and widespread shrub invasion - the consequences of the absence of agro-pastoral use.
-Unauthorized access of motor vehicles: In certain areas of the SCI, a problem with degradation of service roads to the areas of intervention exists, due to unauthorized access from motor vehicles.
-Changes of intended land use: land use changes within the SCI may be considered minimal, because the type of area and the territorial policies.
Project objectives:
The project aims to technically define and implement actions for the conservation and restoration of significant portions of the habitat. As a result, the project will be able to produce technical notes that the Alpi Cozie Natural Park (and other SCI areas) could apply to ensure a sustainable and long-term management of the habitat.
In particular, the project aims:
-To restore shrub and tree-encroached areas through actions of mechanical clearing and cutting. Even though the transition facies are included in the 6210 habitat, they can represent a threat for orchids;
-To define technical notes for a rational and conservative grazing management of the habitat and to apply them in particular areas (e.g. by buying domestic animals and arranging grazing structures);
-To develop the touristic and participative values of the area, increasing the awareness on the use of natural resources.
Through agro-pastoral character interventions, the project aims to restore about 20 hectares of 6210* habitat currently encroached by shrubs and trees as well as applying a conservative management to approximately 83 hectares of dry grassland.
