General National Id Portugal_03 Site name Baixo Vouga Lagunar Area, Aveiro District, Vouga River Estuary Summary Baixo Vouga Lagunar (BVL) bocage landscape (Portugal) This is a traditional practice in the Baixo Vouga Lagunar Area (Aveiro District, Vouga River Estuary, Portugal), since 19th century in order to protect BVL from the tidal floods. Baixo Vouga Lagunar represents a man-shaped landscape working in a dependent relationship between agricultural activities, wildlife and water regulation. BVL includes three main landscape units: bocage (smallholdings bounded by living-hedges and water ditches supplying water for crop and livestock production and also assure the drainage when there is water in excess in the fields), wetlands and open-fields. Light or indepth? Light NUTS Code Centro (PT) RBD code PTRH4 Transboundary 0 Data provider Marta Rodríguez (IMDEA Water) on the basis of information kindly provided by Ana Lillebø (Universidade de Aveiro) and Ruth Pereira (Universidade do Porto), whose valuable contribution is acknowledged and very much appreciated NWRM(s) implemented in the case study Buffer strips and hedges Floodplain restoration and management Longitude -8.5986756 Latitude 40.7099019 Site information Climate zone warm temperate dry Mean rainfall 960.6 Mean rainfall unit mm/year Average temperature 14.4 Type Case Study Info Vegetation class The trees are intended to serve as a subdivision of farmland and environmental mitigation (creation of shade, reducing the temperature and increasing humidity). The shrubby vegetation have essentially the function of defense of field crops against the winds. Forming the living hedges we can fine trees, shrubs and herbaceous vegetation (http://www.biorede.pt/) The tree community, part of the living hedges, is characterized by alder (Alnus glutinosa), willows (Atrocinerea salix), oak (Quercus robur), silver or white poplar (Populus alba) and laurel (Laurus nobilis). The shrub layer is represented by hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna), the butcher's broom (Ruscus aculeatus), elderberry (Sambucus nigra), buckthorn (Frangula alnus), roses (Rosa pouzini, Rosa sempervirens) elmleaf blackberry (Rubus ulmifolius). Regarding the herbaceous community there are standing out climbing plants such as honeysuckle (Lonicera periclymenum), the Bryonia dioica, Morning Glory (Calystegia sepium), and Senecio mikanioides, among others. Vegetation influences the rate and efficiency of storm-water infiltration and filtration. Performance Performance impact estimation method Unknown Design & implementations Application scale Region Performance timescale > 20 years Area (ha) 1285 Design capacity description Living-hedges length (year 1995): 167 km, Draining ditches (mapped +/- 89 km) Design contractual arrangement Arrangement type Responsibility Role Comments Name Design consultation activity Activity stage Key issues Name Comments Design land use change Land use change type Design authority Authority type Role Responsibility Name Comments Lessons, risks, implications... Key lessons Bocage requires high maintenance as it gathers not only a living-hedges network but also a hydraulic grid of ditches, channels, floodgates, banks and other water barriers. Some of these infrastructures were built in the 19th century in order to protect BVL from the tidal floods and its lack of maintenance is leading to draining issues and to the increase of salinity. So, these infrastructures are not only a cultural part of the landscape but also functions as a part of an integrate management system. With the increase of the surface salinity intrusion, more tolerant species appear, like bulrushes, rushes and reeds Financing mechanism information Some of these infrastructures were built in the 19th century. But currently, for the maintenance of the Bocage funds are obtained from the combination of National funds, Sub-national funds, Local funds, Private funds and EU-funds. Success factor(s) Success factor type Success factor role Comments Attitude of decision makers main factor Public participation main factor Communication activities secondary factor Financing Financing type Comments Barrier Barrier type Barrier role Comments Lacking financing sources main barrier This is a barrier for the maintenance of the infrastructure (specific maintenance needs and aging of local population are expected to become a challenge ). Note that some of these infrastructures were built in the 19th century. Lacking coordination between authorities secondary barrier This is a barrier for the maintenance of the infrastructure (specific maintenance needs and aging of local population are expected to become a challenge ). Note that some of these infrastructures were built in the 19th century. Specific financing rules secondary barrier This is a barrier for the maintenance of the infrastructure (specific maintenance needs and aging of local population are expected to become a challenge ). Note that some of these infrastructures were built in the 19th century. Missing regulatory support secondary barrier This is a barrier for the maintenance of the infrastructure (specific maintenance needs and aging of local population are expected to become a challenge ). Note that some of these infrastructures were built in the 19th century. Driver Driver type Driver role Comments Past flooding events main driver Financing share Financing share type Share Comments Policy, general governance and design targets Policy description Tidal floods Policy challenges requirements Note that some of these infrastructures were built in the 19th century. However, presently the measure can be related to the referred policies areas: - Water Policy - WFD. - Water Policy - Floods Directive. - Environmental Policy: Biodiversity Strategy (incl. Green Infrastructure Policy), NATURA 2000, Habitats Directive, LIFE, Soil Strategy. - Climate change adaptation policy. - Regional Policy: Cohesion Funds, ERDF - Agricultural Policy: CAP, EAFRD Part of wider plan 1 Policy target Target purpose Runoff control Peak-flow reduction Oher Societal Benefits Oher Societal Benefits Groundwater Recharge Policy pressure Pressure directive Relevant pressure Policy area Policy area type Policy area focus Name Comments Policy impact Impact directive Relevant impact Policy wider plan Wider plan type Wider plan focus Name Comments Policy requirement directive Requirement directive Specification Socio-economic Direct benefits - Cultivated crops, namely Rice, maize and permanent pastures. - Reared animals and their outputs , namely Marinhoa cattle for meat; other cattle breeds for meat (Charolais, Limousine, crossbreed); Holstein Friesian cattle for dairy products like milk. Ancillary benefits information The Marinhoa is an endemic species and is a certified cattle breed for Aveiro region, having an added market value. The area has a high intrinsic value due to its biodiversity and also due to its representativeness of a sustainable land use type and water management and it could be explored in the future for ecotourism. Costs investment information No quantitative data available (note that some of these infrastructures were built in the 19th century). Costs land acquisition unit €/ha Costs total information No quantitative data available (note that some of these infrastructures were built in the 19th century). Ecosystem improved biodiversity 1 Information on Ecosystem improved biodiversity Yes, BVL is recognized as model of biodiversity and balance between man activities and wildlife. The Baixo Vouga Lagunar is integrated in Ria de Aveiro Special Protection Area (SPA – with the Natura 2000 code PTZPE0004). This SPA regularly supports over 1 % of the population of the pied avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta) and 60 % of the population of the purple heron (Ardea purpurea). Baixo Vouga Lagunar is an important for 173 species of birds, such as the fish-hawk (Pandion haliaetus), the purple heron (Ardea purpurea), the black kite (Milvus migrans), the mallard duck (Anas platyrhynchos) and the white stork (Ciconia ciconia). It is also an important habitat for mammals like the least weasel (Mustela nivalis), the hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) and the European otter (Lutra lutra), for amphibians like the common toad (Bufo bufo), the tree frog (Hyla arborea), the fire salamander (Salamandra salamandra), the marbled newt (Triturus marmoratus) and the Iberian Painted Frog (Discoglossus galganoi), for reptiles, namely the Iberian emerald lizard (Lacerta schreiberi) and the viperine water snake (Natrix maura), and for several fish species including the eel (Petromyzon marinus) and the lamprey (Lampetra planeri). According to the EU Directive 92/43/EEC some of these species are classified as "strictly protected" (e.g. the otter and the tree frog). Also for IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature), the otter is in the “red list”, classified as “Near Threatened” as well as the Iberian Emerald Lizar Ecosystem provisioning services 1 Information on Ecosystem provisioning services Provision of the following services (by means of bocage): - Cultivated crops, namely Rice, maize, oat, alfalfa, ryegrass and pastures; - Reared animals and their outputs, namely Marinhoa cattle for meat; other cattle breeds for meat (Charolais, Limousine, crossbreed); Holstein Friesian cattle for dairy products like milk; and equine cattle; - Wild plants, i.e. Wild berries; - Fibers and other materials from plants, algae and animals for direct use or processing, namely: Wood, timber, flowers, eucalyptus for industrial products such as cellulose for paper; - Groundwater for non-drinking purposes; - Biomass-based energy sources, i.e. ‘Bocage’ living hedges are trimmed for firewood - Mechanical energy, i.e., Physical labour provided by Marinhoa cattle Ecosystem impact climate regulation No information available Information on Ecosystem impact climate regulation Living hedges will enhance the 1) GHGs storage, including soil carbon; 4) increased permanent biomass. The canopy also enhances the surface area for the settlement of atmospheric PM (particulate matter). In this specific example ‘Bocage’ as green infrastructure reduces the visual impact and the smell from a pulp mill industry Biophysical impacts Information on retained water N/A info Information on increased water storage N/A info Information on runoff reduction N/A info Information on Peak flow rate reduction Yes, but not quantified Information on Increased infiltration Yes, but not quantified Water quality overall improvements N/A info Information on Water quality overall improvements No quantitative data available (note that some of these infrastructures were built in the 19th century). One can infer that living hedges will enhance the retention of SPM (suspended particulate matter) and associated/adsorbed pollutants, therefore contri Soil quality overall soil improvements N/A info Information on Soil quality overall soil improvements No quantitative data available (note that some of these infrastructures were built in the 19th century). One can infer that if SOM is increasing, which is crucial to retain contaminants (both organics and inorganics), and living hedges are used with some Information on Soil quality overall soil carbon Positive impact-SQ improvement Full Context Pathway(aka Context) Default view Area(aka Level or Site) ALL