Preservation of species-rich Nardus grasslands in pSCI Beskydy


LIFE12 NAT/CZ/000629

About the project

Species-rich Nardus grasslands are one of the subject of conservation within potential Site of Community Interest (pSCI) Beskydy. The grasslands are present on sites of nutrient poor soils in mountain areas, therefore these localities are among first to be abandoned by farmers. The project is not only focused on revision of these patches, but mainly on finding and effectuating the best ways of care. Significant part of the project is communication with landowners and their participation in conservation efforts of the habitat. Throughout the combination of various management measures, current unsafisfactory condition of abandoned localities will be improved.

Abandoned grasslands and pastures are slowly altering into a forest. Invaluable treasures in form of rare plants and animals are then dissappearing. Pasturing is considered to be the most suitable way of caretaking, which is not economically effective and is unsustainable for farmers in insulated mountain regions. In such situation, finding alternative ways of caretaking by testing combinations of various measures is therefore necessary.

Project aims

  • Improving the current condition of species-rich Nardus grasslands within 45 ha.
  • Determining the most appropriate way of care for valuable Nardus grasslands localities.
  • Setting up The Care plan for species-rich Nardus grasslands within the pSCI Beskydy.
  • Informing landowners of valuable localities about the importance and threat of species-rich Nardus grasslands.
  • Including landowners into caretaking of species-rich Nardus grasslands.
  • Informing public about the importance and threat of meadow habitats in Beskydy mountain range.

Localization

pSCI Beskydy – Zlín region, Moravian-silesian region

Project implementation period

January 2014 – December 2019

Project activities

  • Caretaking of selected localities with valuable species-rich Nardus grasslands leading to their condition imporvement. Combination of various approaches such as removal of spontaneously spreading vegetation, mowing, pasturing, mulching, harrowing will be applied repeatedly. Monitoring of results will be conducted simultaneously.
  • Cooperation with landowners of valuable patches of species-rich Nardus grasslands. Searching and contacting landowners. Affort in including them into the project or gaining their consent to management realization.
  • Distribution of information on the problematics of species-rich Nardus grasslands. Information campaign will be conducted in the project area, posters, brochures, seminars, excursions and other tools will be used. Elementary school pupils will be also included into the project throughout lectures, competitions and excursions.
  • Experiences from caretaking of localities dissemination. Results of monitoring will be used to set up the Careplan for species-rich nardus grasslands within the pSCI Beskydy. Experiences from different management measures and their combination will be presented on final conference and published in the scientific article.

Project’s implementors

Associated beneficiary is The Ministry of the Environment of the Czech Republic and cooperating subject is The Nature Conservation Agency of the Czech Republic.

Financing

  • Total project costs: 607.879 €
  • Endowment from the EU LIFE programme: 455.544 €
  • Endowment from The Ministry of the environment of the Czech Republic: 99.336 €
  • Cofinancing from The Czech Union for Nature Conservation SALAMANDR: 52.999 € including donation  from Plzeňský Prazdroj, a.s. – Radegast brewery: 7.278 € and own financing: 45.721 €

Photos

Documents

Realized with endowment from financial tool of European Union LIFE.