Life Resilias Making Tender

Duration 01-SEP-2020 to 30-SEP -2027Total budget 3024242.00 EU contribution 1814545.00 Project descriptionBackgroundThe combination of historical use and current management exacerbated by human-induced environmental pressures has rendered native ecosystems disturbed and species-poor. Such ecosystems are more vulnerable to Invasive Alien Species IAS. They lack the functional mechanisms that well-developed ecosystems provide such as competition and predation. Ecosystem resilience as a concept for IAS control is based on the observation that undisturbed species-rich communities are less prone to IAS invasion than disturbed species-poor ones. When native species fully exploit available resources such as space light and nutrients it leaves little for invasive species to exploit and they are less likely to become dominant. This concept can be translated into the practical management of IAS. Improving ecosystem resilience to IAS constitutes a new approach to IAS management. It has been tested successfully on pilot scale for several IAS. However the results are not yet widely known and the importance of the conditions of the receiving ecosystem as a driver for invasions is not yet commonly recognised.ObjectivesThe main project objective of LIFE RESILIAS is to demonstrate the effectiveness of IAS management based on improving ecosystem resilience within a relatively short time span as compared to current practice that requires permanent IAS management. The project is designed on a scale that will convince stakeholders of its benefits and raise awareness of the importance of the conditions of the receiving ecosystems as a driving factor for invasions.The project will demonstrate this ecosystem resilience approach on a selection of ecosystems for the reduction and control of selected invasive species i.e. Fallopia sp. Japanese knotweed Prunus serotine black cherry Crassula helmsii an aquatic stonecrop species and Lepomis gibbosus pumpkinseed a freshwater fish. The aim is also to prevent subsequent new invasionsof these species as well as other IAS. The broad applicability and thus the replicability and transferability of the approach will be demonstrated by targeting Natural ecosystems and man-made habitats inside and outside of Natura 2000 sites Aquatic and terrestrial habitats Early and climax successional stages Four different IAS Flora and fauna A variety of interacting native species characteristic of the managed habitat Different functional interacting species competition and predation Ecosystem scale.The second project objective is to promote and replicate the application of the IAS ecosystem resilience approach at ecosystem scale targeting the following audience habitat owners forest and nature managers researchers and policy development experts.ResultsExpected results Increased native tree and scrub species population