Policy objective: PO 2 - A greener, low-carbon transitioning towards a net zero carbon economy and resilient Europe by promoting clean and fair energy transition, green and blue investment, the circular economy, climate change mitigation and adaptation and risk prevention and management

Specific objective: SO 7 - Enhancing protection and preservation of nature, biodiversity, and green infrastructure, including in urban areas, and reducing all forms of pollution

Typology: Standard project

Theproject PALLIPES aims to contribute to the conservation and enhancement of river crayfish (Austropotamobius pallipes) populations in the transboundary area between Italy and Slovenia. The conservation of this species is critical in both Slovenia and Italy. It is a freshwater crayfish protected under Annexes II and V of the Habitat Directive and the Bern Convention. It is also listed on the IUCN Red List. Its natural habitat consists of clear, well-oxygenated, continental flowing waters with favorable physico-chemical properties, typically flowing over rocky, pebbly, or gravelly substrates. The species is highly susceptible to pollutants and hydrological alterations and is presently categorized as at risk due to habitat degradation, the presence of non-native crayfish species (NICS), and crayfish plague (Aphanomyces astaci). Climate change, encompassing water scarcity and droughts during summer and winter, also exerts a negative impact on the species. The river crayfish serves as an excellent biological indicator for assessing the condition of habitats and biodiversity within aquatic ecosystems.