B. Purchase of plots for the environmental restoration of Lake Arreo (Alava)

Additionally in specific zones of the Lake Arreo wetland uncontrolled high impact practices have been produced; an example of which are the excavations of small drainage systems and the plowing of a small surface in the zone surrounding the saltwater spring where small earth movements have takenplace, that have directly affected the habitats 1410 and 1510, and could have affected the nearby 7230

The northern zone of Lake Arreo, the lake itself and the reed-sedge peat are public property but the 17 surrounding plots, of different sizes and classification, belong to 8 private owners. With the purchase of these lands, which amount to 121.675.17m², all these plots that surround the lake will be public property included in the Natura 2000 ES2110007 Lake Arreo-Caicedo Yuso site.

These parcels will be purchased, after negotiation with the proprietors who in a prior survey have manifested their willingness to sell the land. The price that the Alava County Council established for the purchases of lands and expropriations is 3,01€/ m2 in the case of rain fed land and 0.75€/ m2 in the case of wasteland or copse. In the attached table the classification of each plot, its surface area, estimated price, etc. is indicated.

This action will be implemented as soon as possible with objective of making this land is available for the project before the winter of 2013 tin order to implement the restoration project “C.3 Execution of the environmental restoration project of Lake Arreo”.

This purchase of land will meet the requirements neccessary for this type of action:

• It is clearly associated with the objective of the project.
• It is limited to the land situated in the interior of the Natura 2000 ES2110007 site, Lake Arreo-Caicedo Yuso.
• It will contribute to restoring of the integrity of the Natura 2000 space, by means of the restoration of peat zones currently converted for agricultural use.
• The acquisition is considered the most effective way to achieve the desired conservation results. Other options, such as the protection of the territory and leasing have been rejected due to limited interest of the proprietors, and for being short term solutions.
• In the long term, the acquired land will be reserved for uses coherent with the application of the EU Birds and Habitats Directive.  For this reason this land will be entered in the Property Registration and will be reflected in the deed of sale itself.
• The land will be acquired by the Alava County Council, a public body that contrubutes to the conservation work associated with this project, retaining property of said land after the completion of this project.
• The Alava County Council, specifically its Environmental Department, has the necessary the sufficient knowledge and experience to acquire lands for nature conservation purposes, and that this objective can be achieved within the time frame of this project.
• The price of the land is adjusted to the prices of the market at the time of purchase and to the price of the similar type of farmland in Alava.
• The additional land is currently private property, and it has not previously been public property.
• The acquired land will be the object of specific restoration (action C3), which entails management as well as restriction of use, farming practices, and conduction of water.