Conservation and propagation of target Mediterranean plants

Elaboration of common criteria for selecting target species to be used for ecological restoration and a common methodology for working on conservation and propagation of the selected Mediterranean native plants

  • Development and implementation of a seed collecting plan for target plant species: selection based on their importance for ex situ conservation and their suitability for habitat restoration
  • Ex situ conservation of the target plant species in local seed banks, including duplications in other seed banks
  • Research experiments to determine the optimum conditions for the germination of targeted plant species: publication of research results and creation of practical protocols that can be used by the local nurseries for the propagation of the native species
  • Edition of a manual for the propagation of the target native plant species: with easy-to-read protocols and general recommendations for the collection and curation of seedlots in order to improve the know-how of the plant production sector, both public and private, about some target plant species
  • Creation of a seed bank at INRGREF, Tunisia

Ecological restoration of Mediterranean habitats

Identification of good practices on ecological restoration of Mediterranean habitats

  • Edition of a Guide of best restoration practices for Mediterranean habitats
  • Pilot actions of ecological habitat restoration:

Two pilot restoration actions of Mediterranean habitats will be conducted on public land, one in Lebanon and one in Tunisia. The main objective is the development and implementation of a restoration methodology, based on the use of local genetic resources. Two management plans will be elaborated for the two pilot areas that will initiate to be restored.

About the pilot areas

In Lebanon, the pilot action will take place on 6 ha of a degraded and overgrazed land of Mount-Lebanon. The conditions there are quite difficult for natural regeneration since there is no seed bank left in the soil for tree species.
In Tunisia, the pilot action will take place on 7 ha in the Nefza region, located in the north western part of the country. It is localised in a relic forest of cork oak, covered by sandy dunes and shrub. Several forest projects were implemented in this region, mainly with introduced species. On the contrary, the utilization of native species has very often been neglected.

Communication

  • Organisation of local technical workshops to inform producers and users of native plants about the project and particularly to discuss the potential of developing new economic sectors based on native plants
  • Organisation of local dissemination events for public authorities and development agencies dealing with environmental and plant resources management, scientists, environmental educators, NGOs, local communities and the wide public, to inform them about the project
  • Participation of the project partners in local events organised by other institutions or projects in order to present the issues and activities of the project
  • Organisation of an international conference on ‘ecological restoration’ in Lebanon in order to present and disseminate the outputs of the project and exchange experience on a wider scientific basis

Capitalisation

Valorisation of the project outputs and the experience gained by defined interactions with selected target groups:

  • Development of 5 regional and 1 common wider level capitalisation plans in order to facilitate the integration of the project outputs at institutional (national, regional, local), Mediterranean, and ENPI CBC MED Programme levels
  • Signing of agreements with target groups in order to initiate collaborative actions in the Mediterranean region in relation to the conservation, sustainable use and valorisation of native plant resources