Project's development: Preservation of the steppe ecosystem
Two programs partially financed through european funds are being developed during the last years at the BSPZ. Their objective is the preservation of the steppe habitat by means of to promote agricultural activities that are compatible with the preservation of steppe ecosystem.
The two programs marked ahead are: "Castilla y Leon Cereal Steppe Program" and "Nature LIFE Program".
Cartel 1
Castilla y León Cereal Steppe Program
The field of activity is the cereal meseta of Castilla y León autonomous region. It is intended to promote the maintenance of certain crops that are beneficial for native fauna, which nowadays reports little profitability. The program subsidizes giving up small-holding cultivation, in order to recover uncultivated lands characteristic of traditional fallow cultivation, that was almost missing during the recent years due to the mechanization and modernization of agricultural methods.
Cartel 2
Nature LIFE Program
Since 1997, the BSPZ of Villafáfila has taken advantage of several actions realized in the framework of this program directed to preserve steppe fauna.
Conservación y Gestión integral del hábitat de la avutarda (Otis tarda) en la ZEPA de Villafáfila (Zamora)
("The program Complete Preservation and Management of great bustard (Otis tarda) habitat at the BSPZ of Villafáfila (Zamora, Spain) (LIFE NAT-B4-3200/506)) , developed in this natural space from 1197 to 2000, allowed the acquisition of land in order to maintain lucerne crop for dry farming. These small-holdings are very important for the preservation of Great Bustard, although they also are of indirect benefit to other many species of local fauna, inluded Lesser Kestrel.
Now, it has been approved the fulfilment of the project "Management of Great Bustard (Otis tarda) habitat at the BSPZ of Villafáfila" from year 2000 to 2003. It's intended to continue the works started owing to the program described ahead, it also will allow increasing the area of lucerne cultivation and will finance part of the the works for the management of lands purchased by the Autonomous Government during the last years.
