CANTABRIC-PYRENEES-ALPS GREAT MOUNTAIN CORRIDOR: REBUILDING NATURAL BRIDGES ACROSS WESTERN EUROPE

1. CANTABRIC-PYRENEES-ALPS GREAT MOUNTAIN CORRIDOR: REBUILDING NATURAL BRIDGES ACROSS WESTERN EUROPE Title & Authors Concept: Josep Ma. Mallarach, Jordi Palau, Miquel Rafa & Jordi Sargatal (Fundació Territori i Paisatge) Scientiphic coordination: Josep M. Mallarach & Miquel Rafa Produced by: Estudi Xavier Mayor  Cartography: Geodat@ SL &  Estudi Xavier Mayor Fundació Territori i PaisatgeProvença 261-265, 2n 2a08008 BarcelonaTel: 93 484 73 67Fax: 93 484 73 64e-mail fundtip@fundtip.com Cantabric mountains Planning and management of the most effective areas to ensure ecological, landscape and social connectivity between mountain areas across Western Europe Pyrenees Countries involved: Spain, France, Andorra and Italy Objective & Study area Massif Centrall • Nature diversity: Alpine, Atlantic, Mediterranean bioregions • Cultural diversity: 9 languages • Political complexity: 18 regions in 4 countries Western Alps Analysis of positive factors from the ecological connectivity perspective Analysis of environmental constraints from the ecological connectivity perspective Methods High mountain ranges Less disturbed areas, with fragile ecosystems, refuge of endangered species Protected Areas & Natura 2000 High diversity of species, habitats, & ecological processes CORINE Land Cover: A result of the interaction between society and nature, to analyse the properties of the landscape matrix Main roads network One of the most important ecological barriers Urban areas and cities Human transformed areas with the highest disturbance rates Highlights to ensure or restore the ecological permeability of the landscape matrix Involve an area of some 200,000 km2 - length of 1,300 km Protected areas cover about 25% of the scope of the project Natura 2000 will increase protected areas coverage until 40% Biodiversity is represented by hundreds of habitats and a number of endemic and threatened species Diversity of habitats and landscapes includes: glaciers, alpine meadows and lakes, forestlands, grasslands, marshes, agricultural lands, etc. Major infrastructures (6 highways, 16 primary roads and 24 railroads) and main urban areas (1 major city and 11 large cities) create ecological barriers & disturbance focus The Cantabric-Pyrenees-Alps ecological connector Results Potential improvements due to implementation of this large-scale ecological, landscape and social connector At Nature-Nature level:Rebuild the ecological linkages between the four main Western European mountain ranges: Cantabric Mountains, Pyrenees, Massif Central and Western Alps. Strategy guidelines: Biodiversity conservation beyond political boundaries, ecological connectivity among large mountain ecosystems & recovery of flagship-species. At People-Nature level:Long paths and trekkings (such as GR, Path of Saint James, etc.) that are already in place in these mountain ranges and flagship species (e.g. brown bear, wolf, linx, etc.) can be connected creating a set of unique opportunities for people. Strategy guidelines:Social involvement, NGOs and local population participation At Practice-Policylevel: New forms of institutional cooperation based on bioregions, connecting emerging land stewardship strategies, social responses against potentially damaging projects, and debate forums like the European Mountain Forum. Strategy guidelines: Enhanced regional and local planning & management, increased international cooperation Other:There are some old nations (Basque Country and Catalonia) which are divided by country borders (Spain and France) that want to increase cooperation both sides of the Pyrenees. Conclusions