Project objectives

The general objective of the LIFE Nardus project is to recreate and restore semi-natural heathland and grassland habitats, improve their connectivity and conservation status and assure adequate management.

The project targets four grasslands, meadow and bog woodland habitats listed in Annex I of the Habitats
Directive (including two that are priority for conservation (Nardus grasslands and bog woodland - 6230* and 91D0*, the two other habitats are the lowland hay meadows - 6510, and the mountain ahy meadows - 6520). It also targets two butterfly species listed in Annex II of the Habitats Directive, the marsh fritillary (Euphydryas aurinia) and the violet copper (Lycaena helle).

There are four specific objectives:

1. To improve knowledge of the habitats and target species through a detailed analysis of 25 Natura 2000 network sites within which the project area is located and in a 5 km buffer zone;
2. To recreate habitats and species habitats in order to increase the connectivity between them;
3. To improve the conservation status of the targeted butterfly species through the restoration of the target habitats; and
4. To develop exchange of expertise between scientific partners, NGOs and public sector agencies in Wallonia.