Calendar: May-June 2015

Within the F.2 action - Networking with other projects, a study trip to Italy and Slovenia took place between May 30th - June 4th 2015. The trip was attended by three people representing Man and Nature Association. The aim of the trip was to establish contacts and exchange experiences with representatives of two EU projects carried out under the LIFE program (LIFE06 NAT / SI / 000069 and LIFE + 11 NAT / IT / 00094). In addition, the trip was also attended by representatives of two other LIFE projects - from Pieniny National Park (LIFE12 NAT / E / 000034) and from Wigry National Park (LIFE11 NAT / E / 00431). It was an excellent opportunity to exchange experience gained during the implementation of EU projects by the three Polish beneficiaries.

The first meeting, with representatives of the LIFE06NAT/SI/000069 ("Presihajoce Cerknisko Jezero") project management team, took place in Slovenia, in the headquarters of Regional Park in Cerknica (Notranjski rugijski park). It was an opportunity for mutual presentation of the main problems associated with implementation of the project. After a very in teresting discussion, the hosts in vited our team on a tour to see places of most importance for the project, explaining in detail what measures have been taken to protect them. The Cerknickie lake is very impressive and what's in teresting is that during the season it changes the water level of many meters which have a significant impact on the local flora and fauna. At the nearby meadows there is a great wealth of flowers, among which there is a number of species found in Polish meadows, but also quite "exotic" ones such as Gladiolus illyricus, Lamium orvala or Knautia illyric. One of the main methods to protect the unique flora and fauna of these meadows is their mowing, which, among others, creates optimal living conditions for the corncrake, the Clouded Apollo butterfly and butterflies from the Lycaenidae family.

Another visit was to Tuscany, Italy. Its aim was to exchange experiences with representatives of the LIFE+11 NAT/IT/00094 "SOS Tuscan Wetlands" project management team. The meeting was held at the project's management headquarters in Ponte Buggianese, where the head of the di Bonifica del Padule di Fucechio consortium presented the objectives and activities planned within the project. After an in teresting presentations and discussion, a field study part began, allowing for direct evaluation of the results of the activities carried out within the project. It turned out that both sides - Polish and Italian - have many common problems, such as loss of biodiversity in wetlands due to strong anthropopressure, or in vasion of alien plants (mostly Amorpha fruticosa) and animals species (eg. nutria or the American cancer Procambarus klarkii).

Representatives of both visited projects showed great in terest in the issues addressed in our projects and announced a revisit to Poland.