More information
Description
The project is aimed at protection of wetland habitats (we are going to rescue, among others, a drying out dystrophic body of water) and endangered animal groups (amphibians and bats). The drought affecting the entire Europe makes our endeavours particularly important and timely. The measures planned are in line with both Polish and European law.
Activities: protection of the drying out dystrophic body of water, recreation of 20 bodies and creation of 1 body of water, construction of 3 artificial overwintering habitats for amphibians, preparation of hibernation sites for bats by renovating 5 bunkers and 31 dugout cellars, installation of 85 boxes as hiding places for bats, 2 conferences, a study visit to Norway, chiropterology and herpetology workshops, educational activities.
By implementing the project, we want to solve real problems affecting the environment of eastern Masuria. Our activities will focus on protection of endangered habitats and species.
Activities will target the following social and occupational groups: government and local government units, NGOs dedicated to environmental protection and involved in ecology education, general public.
Participation of the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA) will strengthen Polish-Norwegian cooperation in the field of environmental protection and have material impact on the effectiveness of activities planned as part of the project. Experts from NINA will meet with many representatives of different Polish entities — We are certain that these contacts will prove fruitful and will continue after the project completion. Polish project participants will be able to learn about Norwegian experience and systemic environmental protection solutions.
Summary of project results
The project was carried out in north-eastern Poland, in eastern Masuria - in the Romincka Forest and the vicinity of Węgorzewo. This is an area where nature is in relatively good condition, but despite this, some species and habitats are endangered. As part of the project, we dealt with the protection of amphibians, bats and habitats associated with the dystrophic lake.
Amphibians are a group of animals that suffer greatly from the development of civilization and climate change. Their breeding sites are disappearing, they die under the wheels of cars, and they fall into anthropogenic traps. A major problem is the drying up of small water reservoirs, which are breeding sites for amphibians.
Bats need safe roosts - especially winter ones, where they can hibernate peacefully and safely. However, roosts are also needed in the summer, especially since we have fewer and fewer hollow trees in the forests.
Marsh habitats require special attention and protection. There is only one dystrophic lake in the Romincka Forest, which is - unfortunately - drying up. Nature conservation will not be effective if it is not supported by the entire society. Meanwhile, most people do not have sufficient knowledge and do not understand why species such as amphibians and bats are endangered and why they need to be protected. Also, the knowledge of people who deal with nature on a daily basis - foresters, local government officials, employees of national and landscape parks - often requires supplementation
In order to improve the living conditions and efficiency of amphibian reproduction, we have recreated 25 small water reservoirs in agricultural areas. The water reservoirs have a surface area of approx. 500 square meters (only one is larger - 1,000 square meters). They have varied depths and gently sloping northern banks (the sunniest). We carried out most of the activity in 2021 - we can already see that it was a complete success.
We built 3 winter hibernation sites for amphibians at 3 water reservoirs. This is a pioneering activity in Poland - we treated it mainly as a test. We used the experience of our Norwegian partner. The wintering sites are working, although we counted on greater efficiency.
In order to improve the living conditions of bats, we adapted 31 forest cellars and 5 bunkers from World War II to their hibernation needs. We protected them from freezing, human and predatory penetration, and prepared quiet hideouts in them. We hung 85 boxes on trees, where bats can safely spend their days in the summer.
At the only dystrophic lake in the Romincka Forest, we renovated the dam - to protect it from unnecessary water outflow and drying out.
We conducted intensive educational activities: we organized 2 conferences - opening and closing the project, workshops for nature conservation services, foresters, local government officials on the protection of amphibians and bats. During the study visit, in which employees of landscape parks, foresters and local government officials participated, we familiarized ourselves with good practices of amphibian protection in Norway. We published two brochures on the biology, importance and protection of amphibians and bats. Throughout the duration of the project, we ran a website and a Facebook profile.
Active nature conservation activities that we carried out as part of the project proved to be very effective. Water reservoirs restored in December 2021 were already inhabited by amphibians - including the fire-bellied toad - in the spring of 2022. They have greatly diversified the agricultural landscape, and are used - in addition to amphibians - by many other animal species - including protected birds, insects, and mammals.
Basements and bunkers renovated as part of the project are very eagerly used by bats in the winter season. In the winter of 2023, 992 individuals of 6 different species were found in them. Summer shelters - boxes on trees - are also used.
The dystrophic lake, near which the dam was renovated, has clearly stopped decreasing. The surrounding carpet of moss is wetter, and the pines that started growing on it have died. The effectiveness of educational activities is difficult to assess. However, we see positive trends. Landscape parks and forest districts whose representatives participated in the project activities have become more active in the sphere of active nature conservation. Our partner - Romincka Forest Landscape Park - has prepared an international project focused on the protection of amphibians, for which it is applying for funding from the LIFE Programme.
Summary of bilateral results
An important part of our project was the active protection of amphibians - mainly through the restoration of small water reservoirs and the construction of wintering grounds. We were looking for a partner in the EEA countries with whom we could exchange experiences. We were particularly interested in experience in the construction of wintering grounds for amphibians - this is a pioneering activity and only a few entities in the whole of Europe have dealt with this so far. Experts from the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research have been building wintering grounds for over 10 years. They also conducted detailed monitoring of hibernating amphibians. Therefore, we were very keen to cooperate with them. The wintering grounds for amphibians that we finally built are partly based on Norwegian solutions, which we adapted to our climatic and landscape conditions. We consulted our projects with Norwegian colleagues. Experts from NINA were very involved in educational activities. They organised an extremely interesting study trip to southern Norway for employees of Polish landscape parks, local governments and state forests. We were able to familiarize ourselves with the Norwegian nature conservation system, with the results of various projects aimed at protecting amphibians, with the scientific research conducted. Participants of conferences and workshops organized as part of the project were also able to learn about Norwegian experiences.