The Project aims to make a major contribution to the conservation of the species within the EU and within the global flyway as well. This is the first ever project to target the whole flyway range of the species and tackle conservation problems simultaneously in the five key range states where the International Action Plan is to be delivered. The techniques employed as part of this project will be replicable for other species facing similar conservation problems and the project can be considered a global-wide effort for Red-breasted Goose preservation. It becomes even more important, given that it covers 100% of the world population of the species. The Project aims to implement actions to deliver on 4 out of 8 target results of the AEWA International Species Action Plan (Cranswick et al., 2012). One of the aims of the current project proposal is to transfer and test the best practiced created under LIFE09 NAT/BG/000230 project to other countries of the Red-breasted Goose range, at staging and wintering grounds. Through this approach new experience will be received in much bigger variety of conditions, which will improve the implementation techniques. The project is a major effort for the conservation of Red-breasted Geese, and will have an important demonstration value. It addresses main threats facing the geese in both Romanian and Bulgarian Dobrudzha, which together support almost 100% of the EU population in winter, as well as key areas on the migration route outside EU (in Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Russia). The techniques employed as part of this new project will be replicable for other species facing similar conservation problems and the project can be considered a global-wide effort for Red-breasted Goose preservation. It becomes even more important, given that it covers 100% of the world population of the species. Smaller numbers of geese also visit other EU countries, in particular Greece and Hungary; these populations will benefit from best practices developed in this project. The project will demonstrate effective conservation of a threatened species, and lessons learned during its implementation will be applicable to similar migratory species across the EU that face similar threats and conservation opportunities.
The main objectives of the Project are :
