Monticchie - Ardeides and Amphibians habitat conservation in Monticchie Natural Reserve, Italy

The project aimed to extend the area of alluvial forests with common alders in the Monticchie nature reserve, a proposed site of community interest in a network of protected areas close to the Po river, in northern Italy (Lombardy). The project succeeded in encouraging farmers to adopt more sustainable practices for the management of the agricultural lands around the SCI. A key result of the measures to improve the quality of the habitats in the SCI was the conservation of old trees as a suitable habitat for woodpeckers. There were also other habitats in the SCI that benefited from interventions performed as part of the project. Hydraulic intervention improved the quality of the water. In addition to measures to improve the existing channel network, new wetland areas were created. Preliminary results of the project’s activities to conserve endangered bird species have been presented at two scientific meetings. The results showed stable or positive population trends of the birds targeted by the project. The presence of birds of prey was also fostered.