A preservar os zimbrais dunares

Introduction

The main goal of the Zimbral for LIFE project is to improve the conservation status of the priority habitat 2250* - Coastal Dunes with Juniperus spp. in Portugal. Thus, it aims to reverse its current trend of degradation. For this, it integrates an ambitious strategy applied at the ecosystem level, which addresses the main factors that currently prevent the improvement of the ecological condition of this habitat. These factors include pressures and threats such as:

• Lack of knowledge of the basic ecological and technical aspects
• Lack of a national conservation plan that allows the definition of specific objectives and priorities for action at the national level

Scales of Action

Zimbral for LIFE has two different scales of action:

1. Local Scale: This consists of 6 intervention areas spread over 3 SACs (Comporta, Costa Sudoeste, and Ria Formosa/Castro Marim), where demonstrations will occur.
2. National Scale: This includes all SACs where the habitat is present in mainland Portugal. Here, the improvement of knowledge will be gained, and communication and dissemination will happen in order to develop a National Action Plan for the target habitat.

Project Development

The work will be developed by a partnership of complementary entities, led by the University of Évora. The project includes a set of 25 tasks to be carried out over 6 years. The tasks aim to:

• Overcome ecological and technical gaps in the information about the habitat
• Produce more than 50,000 plants
• Improve the conservation status of habitat 2250*
• Increase its area of occurrence in the 6 intervention sites
• Disseminate the importance of its conservation to the local and national population
• Improve professional qualification of land managers and other stakeholders
• Ensure the transfer of acquired knowledge
• Engage citizens
• Ensure long-term sustainability of interventions
• Create a National Action Plan for the target habitat