Description
Czech nature is rich and diverse but also contains many vulnerable species. These species need an active protection. A document called an action plan contains guidelines for nature conservation authorities, researches and owners of land how to maintain endangered species populations. It is a special tool which provides complex knowledge about species and recommends the measures how to support the species. The project is about implementation of these measures. The European Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus citellus) is specially protected species therefore the “Action Plan for European Ground Squirrel” was prepared in the year 2007. The project meets the target of the state environmental policy of the Czech Republic for 2012-2020. The main objective of the project is the implementation of the action plan by management of grasslands in the areas Letňany, Roudnice n. L., Strakonice, Kolín, Mohelno, Kyjov-Milotice, Miroslav and Břeclav Ladná of occurrence of the species. The project outcome is increasing of the quality of species habitats. The project output is quality and regular management of grassland by mowing in the areas Letňany, Roudnice n. L., Strakonice, Kolín, Mohelno, Kyjov-Milotice, Miroslav a Břeclav Ladná. Project will also include part of publicity. The target group of the project is primarily species and nature-conservation authorities. Secondarily, the protection and connected activities will carry out the awareness-raising in the general public via education. There’s no project partner from donor countries but local partners - SIT Prague, a.s., Aeroklub MEMORIAL AIR SHOW Roudnice nad Labem, Aeroklub Strakonice, Aeroklub Kyjov, o. s., Aeroklub Miroslav, Aeroklub Břeclav, o. s. The partners are contributing to the project with their experiences and previous practice contributing to the sustainability of the project.
Summary of project results
This project aimed at providing management, i.e., regular mowing or pasture, for the European Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus citellus) in 2015 at the 8 selected sites where it occurs. This is considered to be the key measure of this action plan, as the survival of the species is strongly bound to permanently low grass growth because the European Ground Squirrel primarily uses its sight for orientation and requires an overview of what is happening at the site so that it can quickly escape from possible predators. Project Activities: Management at Sites where the European Ground Squirrel Occurs Management at the following sites was provided as part of this project: Praha – Letnany, Roudnice nad Labem, Strakonice, Kyjov – Milotice, Miroslav, Breclav – Ladna, Kolin and Mohelno. The work at most of these sites was carried out by the project partners, except in Kolin and Mohelno, where it was ensured by the Nature Conservation Agency of the Czech Republic (NCA CR). As mentioned above, suitable management for the European Ground Squirrel consists of keeping the grass growth short, ideally below 15 cm over the whole active season of these animals. Given the character of the sites included in this project, which are 7 grass airfields and 1 steppe site, mowing with heavy duty equipment was selected as the proper management type. Three mows were planned at each site during the 2015 season. Based on the existing experience with the management of sites where the species occurs, the following schedule was determined for mowing: the first before the end of May, the second before the end of July and the third before the end of September. However, given the differing weather each year and the different characters of the sites, these terms were later individually specified and in the case of locality Mohelno, one mow was skipped due to long term drought. Thanks to financial savings in the project, management was then ensured again at locality Kolin in the season of 2016. Project Publicity As part of the project publicity, overall three seminars for both expert and broad public were held (an introductory seminar and two field seminars) and this website was established and updated on a regular basis. At the same time, several thematic propagation materials were produced.
Summary of bilateral results