The closure of open environments threatens heritage habitats such as the Mediterranean pseudo-steppe with grasses and annuals, as well as species that are fully dependent on open environments and cannot live without them. Bonelli’s Eagle finds its food in open environments, while the Woodlark and the Tawny Pipit both nest and feed there.
However, open environments are experiencing a progressive closure under the effect of the natural forest dynamics that are no longer curbed by pastoral pressure.
Environment-opening projects
The Mediterranean open environments are major biodiversity reservoirs: they include many key habitats such as the Mediterranean false brome grass, considered prolific and original in terms of their flora, fauna and ecological functioning.
Supporting the breeders for the eco-grazing management of open environments
The open grazing environments form major biodiversity reservoirs: they include many key habitats such as the Mediterranean false brome grass and over 80 species of bird of community importance, such as the Bonelli’s eagle, the woodlark or the tawny pipit.
Layouts in favour of the Bonelli’s eagle’s prey species
The diet of the Bonelli’s eagle is pretty well known throughout Western Europe, where it feeds mainly on wild rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and red-legged partridges (Alectoris rufa), along with wood pigeons (Columba palumbus), domestic pigeons (Columba livia) or even corvids (crow, ravens, magpies, etc.).
Monitoring the impact of the conservation measures in wet environments
Monitoring allows assessing the direct or indirect impact of the conservation measures—the work on opening, the eco-grazing management on the breeders’ part and the layouts in favour of prey species for targeted habitats and species of community importance of open environments.