ACTIONS TO IMPROVE THE POPULATIONS OF PREYS OF THE BONELLI’S EAGLE IN THE PARC NATURAL DE SANT LLORENÇ DEL MUNT I L’OBAC

In 2003 a fire burned more than 4.500 hectares of the Parc Natural de Sant Llorenç del Munt i l’Obac. The first forest interventions after the fire were mainly the taking away of the wood of larger diameter with commercial value, and leaving the little wood on the ground. These branches take a long time to disintegrate and it impedes a good regeneration of the vegetation and creates an impenetrable brushwood that increases again the fire risk.

In addition, this type of habitat is usually unfavourable for the eagles preys, such as the rabbit or the partridge, that prefer open ambiences with not very much vegetable covering. So, the Equip de Biologia de la Conservació – Àliga Perdiguera of the Universitat de Barcelona in collaboration with the Parc Natural de Sant Llorenç del Munt i l’Obac, has started a study to assess which is the treatment of the burnt wood more favourable for the eagles preys.

At the same time, the first interventions have taken place at the property La Muntada (Sant Llorenç Savall) that belongs to the Diputació Provincial de Barcelona, that is in a territory of Bonelli’s Eagle in the province of Barcelona abandoned in the 90’s. The interventions consist of the manual take away of the branches and its accumulation in some places for its posterior mechanical trituration and also over soil heaps where the rabbits could find refuge and could build dens. With this object, 19th march and next 2nd, 9th and 16th of april some morning works have been organized with volunteers, the first one with very good participation. Any people with interest to take part in the next works can contact with the Parc office at the telephone number 93 743 30 20.