Dans quatre d’entre elles, des clôtures d’exclusion du bétail ont été installées en 2023 afin de les protéger du surpâturage, principalement par les vaches et les juments : Estanyeres de Son (PNAESM), Plan deth Horn (Aran), Planell de Sartari et Comes de Rubió (PNAP). Plusieurs habitats de tourbière situés autour du lac Djouan (GPNP) ont également été protégés par des clôtures au printemps 2025.

Entre 2023 et 2024, des coupes dirigées d’arbres ont été réalisées pour éliminer les populations de pins des habitats humides ou pour freiner leur expansion (éclaircies et abattage de jeunes pins) à Parros (Aran), Locampo (PNAESM) et Pla Muntaner (PNAP).

Enfin, la fauche de l’herbe a été rétablie dans deux zones en fond de vallée où prairies de fauche, prairies à fétuque rouge et tourbières s’entremêlent. Ces zones comprennent une partie des Planes de Son (ZSC d’Aigüestortes) et la partie basse de la Pleta de Molières (Aran). La fauche est effectuée chaque année de manière consécutive depuis 2023.

Dans toutes les tourbières, des échantillons de bryophytes ont été collectés pour identification ultérieure en laboratoire. Les inventaires de biodiversité végétale ont été mis à jour dans toutes les parcelles de suivi, accompagnés de l’enregistrement de variables environnementales telles que le niveau de la nappe phréatique, le pH, la conductivité électrique, etc. Toutes les campagnes de collecte de données ont été réalisées en juin et juillet.

Ces données seront essentielles pour les comparer avec la biodiversité des microeucaryotes du sol et pour étudier les changements dans l’état de conservation de ces tourbières suite aux actions d’amélioration.

Outre les habitats de tourbières, le suivi scientifique s’est également poursuivi cette année dans les lacs de haute montagne où des activités de restauration sont menées. L’échantillonnage comprend des paramètres physico-chimiques (température, conductivité, alcalinité et concentration de nutriments dissous tels que les nitrates et les phosphates), des indicateurs biologiques (phytoplancton, zooplancton et macroinvertébrés) ainsi que la collecte d’échantillons destinés à des analyses génétiques. Par ailleurs, un suivi des chauves-souris (principalement au moyen d’enregistrements acoustiques) et des micromammifères semi-aquatiques a été réalisé (prospections in situ et collecte d’excréments et d’autres indices).

In recent decades, the peatlands have experienced higher temperatures and prolonged droughts, which may have accelerated the invasion of mountain pines (Pinus uncinata), a species characteristic of European mountains. This invasion severely impacts the health of these delicate ecosystems.

During June and July, significant technical restoration actions were carried out in the mires of Locampo and Parros as part of the project to address this threat.

Interventions in Locampo: A wetland partially forested by Pinus uncinata

The Locampo mire in the Ruda Valley (Val d’Aran) have seen a significant increase in the presence of mountain pines in recent decades. Although these trees have been present in the valley for a long time, their growth has been particularly rapid over the last 30-50 years, altering the balance of the mire.

In response, this past spring, selective clearcutting of pines was carried out on nearly 2 hectares of mires in the Peripheral Zone of the Aigüestortes and Estany de Sant Maurici National Park. The objective was to reduce the density of the pines and restore the ecosystem’s balance. More specifically, all pines from a recently colonized and densely populated area were cut and removed, restoring the open peatland and preserving the herbaceous plants and moss populations.

In the adjacent mire, the approach was to reduce the density of the pine population, preserving only the larger or older trees and removing the young, fast-growing ones or those rooted directly in the wettest parts of the system.

Interventions in Parros: A wetland dominated by springs, seeps, and runoff water

In the lower part of the Parros Valley, near Montgarri, the situation is similar. The mountain pine population has densified, and junipers (Juniperus communis) have invaded the mire, reducing the space available for plants and mosses typical of subalpine wetlands.

Clearcutting in this area also covered nearly 2 hectares of wetland systems. Most of the pines—especially the young or small to medium-sized ones—were removed, and the area occupied by junipers was reduced, thereby improving the conservation status of the alkaline fens.

Collaboration for Conservation

These activities have been carried out in collaboration and coordination with the Aigüestortes and Estany de Sant Maurici National Park and the Conselh Generau d’Aran. This joint effort ensures the success of the interventions and proper monitoring of the conservation status over the coming years, making these actions effective not only in the short term but also in the medium and long term.

The LIFE RESQUE ALPYR project continues to work to protect and restore the subalpine wetlands, ensuring that these ecosystems continue to play their vital role in the environment.

Work at the lakes involves tasks in both the pelagic zone, which is the deepest part of the lake, and the littoral zone. In the deep zone, water transparency is observed, temperature and other physicochemical parameters are measured, and water samples are collected to determine the biomass and composition of primary producers, such as algae and crustaceans.

On the other hand, in the littoral zone, an amphibian census is conducted, and samples are taken to study the abundance and composition of macroinvertebrates, which are abundant organisms in the food web of these environments. Samples are also taken to measure algal coverage on rocks, a measure that allows quantifying the indirect impact of fish on algal communities through the removal of herbivores.

In this new project, to detect semiaquatic mammals that may frequent the lakes, we are using two sampling techniques: track searching and environmental DNA analysis, which allows us to detect traces of genetic material from the species that visit the lakes.

In wetlands ecosystems, the botany specialist team collects samples of both soil water and soil itself. With water samples, pH and conductivity are measured to understand the plant community that can be established there. Soil samples undergo metabarcoding analysis (genetic analysis) to determine which fungal and prokaryotic communities can be found in the soil and to understand its functioning.

One of the project’s objectives is also related to restoration actions. In these actions to assess changes in vegetation, floristic inventories are completed, including all vascular plant species and some bryophytes, with the aim of repeating these inventories after restoration actions and evaluating if the species composition has changed and to what extent.

Furthermore, this summer, selective clearcutting has already been carried out in Pla Muntaner, and exclusion fences have been installed in most of the planned protected areas.

During the visit, the scientific and technical personnel of the project LIFE RESQUE ALPYR showed to the visiting staff of the Parc national du Mercantour and Parco Naturale Alpi Marittime some of the project action sites.

n particular, the first day was devoted to show the eradication techniques used within to remove the minnows from some lakes (Lakes Balena, Balena 3, and Leita) and the second day to those used to remove salmonids (Lake Nero-Miserin).

The final day was dedicated to an exchange of ideas and experiences among the participants, to understand the ecological pressure exerted by fishing activities in national parks and to discuss the conservation strategies adopted by the protected areas to stem the impacts of introduced fish.

Específicamente, todo el grupo se desplazó hasta el lago de Muntanyó d’Àrreu en el Parc Natural de l’Alt Pirineu para poder conocer de cerca las actuaciones de conservación y restauración que se están llevando a cabo en este paraje. Estas acciones consisten en la erradicación del piscardo y la trucha, especies de peces invasores presentes en el lago.

La eliminación de las especies invasoras de peces se lleva a cabo mediante redes, trampas y pesca eléctrica.

Mediante este conjunto de acciones, se pretende mejorar el estado ecológico del lago de Muntanyó d’Àrreu y restaurar su biodiversidad. La erradicación de los peces invasores permite favorecer a las especies autóctonas y conservar los valiosos hábitats acuáticos de este lago.

The aim of this networking week is for the Croatian team to learn about the management and research in the field of conservation and restoration of mires, grasslands and lakes; and to exchange experiences between the two LIFE projects, which share similar objectives.

The first day of the study tour was dedicated to the presentations of the involved projects: LIFE RESQUE ALPYR by Marc Ventura, LIFE DINARA BACK TO LIFE by Tomislav Hudina and STILL WATER REVIVAL by Luka Škunca. This session took place at the University of Barcelona.

From the LIFE RESCUE ALPYR project we would like to thank the participation of all the institutions and people who have made this networking week possible.