Bonn, 22 March 2010 – Representatives
from Greece, Finland, Norway, Bulgaria and the UNEP/AEWA
Secretariat met for a two-day workshop in Tichero, Greece
on the 11th and 12th of March to discuss the application
for a new EU LIFE+ project for the conservation of the Fennoscandian
population of the Lesser White-fronted Goose (Anser
erythropus) along its European flyway.

The new project proposal will build on
the results and recommendations of the previous LWfG EU
LIFE project lead by WWF Finland which ended last year.
In addition it will follow the general guidelines of the
AEWA International Single Species Action Plan for the LWfG.

All participants agreed that increased
conservation efforts are needed in the southern and eastern
European countries, especially in Greece where hunting remains
the major threat to the species. The entire Fennoscandian
population is believed to winter in Greece which means that
urgent measures to tackle illegal hunting as well as habitat
loss at the two key Greek sites Kerkini and Evros are needed.

Discussions with the Evros Delta Management
Authority followed by an excursion to the Evros Delta National
Park and the core protected area favoured by the geese demonstrated
the importance of enforcing the ban of vehicles and hunting
in the area which is at present beyond the authority of
the managing officials. Poaching is known to occur within
the National Park.

Other activities discussed to be included
in the project application include habitat restoration,
filling in key knowledge gaps as well as awareness-raising.
Any such measures will of course only be successful in the
longer term if the threat from illegal hunting is tackled.

Due to the need to concentrate on conservation
activities in Greece the role of lead partner and project
applicant will be taken up by the Hellenic Ornithological
Society (HOS). Other partners in the new project will most
likely be the Evros Delta and Kerkini Management Authorities,
as well as organizations from Finland, Hungary and possibly
Bulgaria. Norway and the UNEP/AEWA Secretariat will take
part in the work of the project Steering Committee. Initial
plans foresee activities in other countries along the flyway
as well, for example monitoring missions in Poland and Lithuania
as well as charting suitable LWfG habitats in Turkey.

The application deadline for LIFE+ projects
this year is expected to be the 1st of September 2010. If
the project application is successful the project would
start in September 2011 at the earliest.

For more information please contact:

Ms.
Nina Mikander, Coordinator for the Lesser White-fronted
Goose