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The Problem

The European Environment Agency (EEA), in its latest assessment of the state of nature in the European Union (EU), described that despite all conservation efforts, three quarters of the habitats classified under the Habitats Directive are currently in an unfavourable state of conservation and one third of them are on a downward trend (EEA, 2020). Of these, dune habitats are among the worst performers in the European context: around 86% are in an unfavourable state, of which 52% are in an unfavourable-bad state of conservation (EEA, 2020). The same reality is observed in the biogeographical context of the Mediterranean: in Portugal, for example, 85% of dune habitats have been reported as being in an unfavourable state, 60% of which are in an unfavourable-bad state of conservation. Of all these coastal habitats, juniper scrubs stand out.

These juniper formations are extremely vulnerable habitats because they occupy limited ecological space, as also desirable by certain economic sectors, especially tourism, forestry, and agriculture. They are therefore susceptible to a wide range of threats that have led to their drastic reduction throughout the Mediterranean. For example, these include logging, urban and tourist development, invasive species, fires, coastal erosion, grazing and fragmentation, but also the natural restriction of natural regeneration of the different juniper species (ALFA, 2004). The recognition of its high value is reflected in the Habitats Directive, where it is included in Annex I and classified as a priority for conservation: Habitat 2250* - Coastal dunes with Juniperus spp.

Despite their importance and protected status, dune junipers were assessed in the latest National Report on the Implementation of the Habitats Directive (2003-2018) as being in an "unfavourable-bad" conservation status in Portugal (and the entire Mediterranean), with a downward trend in Portugal. This means that the efforts made in terms of management and protection on the Iberian Peninsula have been insufficient to halt the degradation of this habitat. It is therefore urgent to restore these juniper formations. However, experts in habitat restoration (especially the discussion groups associated with the Mediterranean Biogeographical Process) have converged on the idea that reversing this degradation trend does not involve restoration alone, but rather a broader strategy that includes solid basic knowledge, technical training for land managers, integrated planning (in time and space) and a transformative change in society, so that it itself is the driving force behind its protection (Sunyer et al., 2021, Hidalgo, 2020). It is therefore expected that an effective strategy for habitat management must integrate all these aspects, ultimately resulting in a Habitat Action Plan. Zimbral for LIFE was built based on these assumptions: the urgent need for restoration; a solid foundation knowledge; the involvement and empowerment of society as a whole and the necessary large-scale planning with long-term objectives

The Problem

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