CIUDAD REAL AIRPORT

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CIUDAD REAL AIRPORT

CIUDAD REAL AIRPORT PLANS CONFLICT WITH SPA/IBA PROTECTED AREAS

Otis tarda displaying

Photo: Gabi Sierra

Background

SEO/BirdLife Spain are appealing for support in their efforts to prevent the construction of a private airport immediately adjoining a Specially Protected Area (SPA) and within an Important Bird Area (IBA) near Ciudad Real some 185 km south from Madrid) a private airport is being built. The SPA/IBA is home to several important populations of steppe bird species such as Great Bustard (Otis tarda)(male displaying photo l.), Little Bustard (Tetrax tetrax), Stone-Curlew (Burhinus oedicnemus), Black-bellied Sandgrouse (Pterocles orientalis), Pin-tailed Sandgrouse (Pterocles alchata) and Lesser Kestrel (Falco naumanni).

Some time BirdLife Spain initiated protests against the airport’s proposed location. These included a formal complaint to the European Commission. Plans were changed, but only to shift the site immediately adjacent to the boundaries of the SPA and still within the IBA. Following a further complaint to the European Commission work on the airport has been temporarily prohibited. BirdLife Spain, which has been closely monitoring the matter for several years, is still very concerned about this potential problem. The construction of the airport within the IBA would destroy the integrity of the steppe area because of the erection of buildings, runways and other associated.

The case remains a high priority concern for BirdLife Spain as politicians strongly favour the site because of its proximity to a high-speed train station. BirdLife do NOT oppose construction of the airport in the province; but are campaigning for a new site at an acceptable distance from the SPA and outside the IBA.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

Please add weight to SEO/BirdLife Spain’s campaign with your support of their campaign. You can do this by sending an email to the Spanish Ministry of the Environment as soon as possible. A draft text is provided below; but feel free to write in your own words if you have time, as this adds to the impact of the campaign. Please include the word “airport” in the subject line of the message.

Click on the link:

MAIL TO SPANISH ENVIRONMENT MINISTER

MAIL ADDRESSES IN FULL:

To: dgcyea@mma.es

Bcc: conservacion@seo.org, info@proact-campaigns.net

Draft Text

Subject: CUIDAD REAL AIRPORT – PROTECT THE STEPPE HABITAT AND ITS BIRD SPECIES

by electronic mail to

Ilmo. Sr. Director General de Calidad y Evaluación Ambiental

Ministerio de Medio Ambiente

Pza. San Juan de la Cruz, s/n

29071 Madrid

Spain

Dear Minister,

We are concerned to hear that the integrity of the steppe habitat Calatravas Field, one of the most important areas in Castilla-La Mancha for steppe bird species, is threatened by the construction of a civil airport immediately bordering a Specially Protected Area (SPA) and within an Important Bird Area (IBA). Bird species whose habitat and population are likely to be negatively affected by the proposed airport development are the Great Bustard population (131 birds) internationally considered of high interest, Little Bustard (500 breeding males), Pin-tailed Sandgrouse (500 birds), Black-bellied Sandgrouse (30-50 birds) and Stone-curlew (100-150 birds). Moreover, it is a feeding area for hundreds of breeding Lesser Kestrel in the region, and has a prominent presence of Montagu’s Harrier and Hen Harrier. These are only the most representative of more than 70 protected species monitored in the Calatravas Field.

In the view of BirdLife Spain the immediate proximity of the airport to the SPA will not only irreversibly destroy adjacent steppe habitat but will disturb sensitive bird populations within the SPA as well up to 70 other bird species in the IBA. These potential negative effects conflict with the European Union Habitats Directive and will adversely affect existing and planned Natura 2000 projects. In addition, it is considered that the Environmental Impact Assessment report, describing only five of 60 protected bird species, is superficial and inadequate. With regard to the alternatives the report discusses; these lack credibility as they have been ignored in respect of the construction development carried out to date. In other words, the EIA is an alibi, playing lip service only to the evaluation and consultation process.

Because of these, and other significant factors which we understand have been brought to your attention, we urge you to take all necessary measures within the competence of your office to prevent construction of the Ciudad Real airport in its presently planned location.

In the hope that you will treat this matter with the necessary priority we remain,

Yours sincerely,

(Name, address and country)

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