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Description
Number of waders has fallen rapidly in Poland during last 30 years. Populations of Black-tailed godwit, Redshank, Lapwing, Great snipe and Common snipe have halved since the 80’s. Among reasons are changes in farmland use, lower ground water level and strong preasure of predators. In two spots we plan to restore lekking grounds of the endangered waders species with the use of grazing, increase the breeding success by the improve the hydrological conditions and use of electric fencing.
Main actions: grazing of 50 horses and cattle. Fencing of grazed areas – two plots 85 ha in total - with the electric antipredator fence (we have been using such fences in previous projects for the last 4 years reaching a very good breeding success), building 48 small retention objects on two areas in order to maintain the high ground water level.
Providing the proper protection of the waders population Protection of the breeding areas against predation – 85 ha. Improvement of the groundwater conditions. Rise of the ecological awareness
Polish institutions responsible for nature protection. Organizations within partnership. Farmers - owners of the cattle.
The aim of the partnership is to exchange knowledge and experience. PTOP has big experience in planning and building small retention objects. So far we have designed more than 20 000 objects in NE Poland while cooperating with National Forestry and within projects financed by EU. NOF will share its experiences of working in the field of waders protection also as a part of the big network of NGO’s. We want to exchange in the area of promotion, gaining the public attention, founds acquisition.
Summary of project results
As it turned out, the biggest challenge was obtaining decisions and permits for renovation and construction investments. It was a very time-consuming process, during which public administration entities often exceeded the statutory deadlines for settling matters or the conditions they imposed made it impossible to continue with the intended plans. The beneficiary had to modify the investment plans by changing the location of some constructions and their type - it was decided to choose structures that can be constructed on the basis of applications rather than permits. For example, the permit for building a penstock was issued 373 days after submitting the application. Such situations call into question the sense of constructing hydrotechnical structures requiring a building permit in projects with a short implementation period, i.e. up to 3 years.
Another experiment was the construction of anti-predator fences. The new anti-predator fence in the Gródek area was erected by the Beneficiary''s employees, who, based on their experience with the operation and operation of the first anti-predator fence, proposed introducing several modifications. These proposals were consulted and implemented.
First of all: additional tapes were used to increase the visibility of the fence (for both birds and mammals), one wall of the fence was supplemented with a wire mesh dug into the ground - in order to protect it from being undermined by foxes, metal gates secured with a mesh were installed and foundation blocks were dug under the gate ( protection against undermining).
The number of lines was increased and the distance between the poles was reduced, which made the fence more stable and more difficult to break (the new fence eliminates significantly animals crossing and its effects, i.e. broken lines, broken insulators or gaps between the lines).
The construction of an anti-predator fence on the Trześcianka area was a huge challenge.
First of all, this area is a regularly flooded area with an irregular shape, with many hills and depressions, and oxbow lakes. The main obstacle to carrying out the work were massive floods in the winter and spring. It was necessary to level the area under the fence in such a way as to obtain a straight line of ropes and wires, i.e. to make the ropes as parallel to the ground as possible. Only plastic poles were used to build the fence (no glass fiber posts), only the entrance gates to the pastures were reinforced with mesh, and other solutions - the same as in the new fence in the area Gródek, were launched.
A negative phenomenon, beyond the control of the Beneficiary, was the fact that, as a result of inflation, the cost of monitoring increased by several dozen percent.
This project was launched for protection of wader species associated with river valleys and wetlands of eastern Poland: Black-tailed Godwit, Redshank, Lapwing, Great Snipe and Snipe. Listed species, based on Regulation of the Minister of the Environment of October 6, 2014 on the protection of species (Journal of Laws of 2014, item 1348), are subject to strict protection and require active protection.
The activities were run in 2 Natura 2000 SPA and 2 SAC areas, these are Knyszyńska Forest and the Upper Narew Valley.
Main aim of the project were: maintenance and development of grazing and anti-predator fencing of two plots, which summary area is 85 ha big. We also improved hydrological conditions by building small retention facilities, which raise the groundwater level and help retain water from spring floods and improve food gaining conditions for waders by creating shallow pools.
Main tasks realized within the project.
Task 1. Preparing documentation for all the constructions involves commissioning the full formal and legal documentation of the construction hydrotechnical facilities, shelter for cattle and renovation roads that also constitute dikes damming water along with: surveying services, obtaining building permit/submitting an application intention to carry out the works and supervision copyright. The documentation includes in particular: construction designs, executive designs, investor cost estimates and offers, bills of quantities, STWiOR, all necessary permits, arrangements, decisions administrative as well as water law report (or how much will be required).
Task 2. Construction of infrastructure for conducting extensive use of land in form of grazing will include the construction of:
- hydrotechnical infrastructure (dams; dykes, waterholes);
Gródek area:
- reconstruction of culverts with damming - 3 pcs.
- renovation of culverts with damming - 4 pcs.
- culvert construction – 1 pc.
- ponds – 2 pcs. with an area of total 1000 m2,
- ponds – 2 pcs. with an area of total 500 m2
Upper Narew Valley – area Trześcianka:
- valve construction – 1 pc.
- renovation of culverts - 2 pcs.
- construction of culverts – 4 pcs.
Knyszyńska Forest – area Kalitnik
- -renovation of culverts with damming - 5 pcs.
- -construction of the culvert – 1 pc.
- ponds – 4 pcs. with an area of total 1000 m2
Road renovation:
Gródek area:
- road renovation/repair (road dikes) – 3 sections with a total length of 1.24 km
Upper Narew Valley – area Trześcianka:
- road renovation/repair (road dikes) – 3 sections with a total length of 0.95 km
- anti-predator fences;
- fences on winter pastures;
- power supply, monitoring and control system of the anti-predator fencing;
- shelters for animals and 3 catching pens.
Task 3. Monitoring
Monitoring of the breeding success of the selected wader species within the area of anti-predator fences.
Monitoring of selected classes and orders of fauna (amphibians, insects, fish) and flora.
Monitoring of waders in the reference areas (data gained to compare number of birds observed within fenced areas).
Monitoring of migratory birds from both orders Charadriiformes and Anseriformes in the reference area.
Task 4. Grazing cattle and horses on 2 plots: 85 ha large. It means organisation of grazing, volunteers work and transports.
Volunteers worked with horses and supported PTOP in other activities related to horses.
Field workers checked the welfare of horses, monitored the condition of infrastructure, they carried out work on the anti-predator fence.
Task 5. Project promotion - internet, includes the creation and maintenance of the website
Alongside with the social media profile management (Facebook, Instagram).
Paid promotion of posts was also planned to increase the spread of the campaign educational.
Task 6. Events promoting the project included:
- organizing presentation on the project and activities for 300 teenagers at the stadium in Białystok as part of the winter holidays organized by city hall in Białystok,
- organizing a summary conference for 50 participants,
- organization of 8 meetings in community centers and schools with lectures on project and birds protection + baking bird and cattle shaped gingerbread cookies,
- participation in 2 events organized by other units (Bird Picnic) in Pomeranian region.
Task 7. Information and promotional materials that were produced as part of the task:
- Roll-ups - 2 pcs.
- Calendars - 2 editions of 1,500 pieces + one edition of 500 pieces
- Conference materials; production and delivery: 5 posters, 120 bags.
- Filter bottles, fleece sweatshirts for volunteers - 50 sets.
Effects of the project: securing the proper conservation status of the Black-tailed godwit, Redshank, Lapwing, Snipe and Great snipe in 2 SPA areas Natura 2000: Puszcza Knyszyńska and Upper Narew Valley.
Protection of breeding waders against predators in the area 85 ha by fencing it with anti-predator electrical fence.
Improvement of hydrological conditions in the area of 87 ha.
Increase in ecological awareness - 22,550 people.
Stakeholders: all entities entrusted with active protection. Campaign audience: local
rural community and society at large. Employees and collaborators of partner NGOs.
Humidity conditions were improved by designing and constructing hydrotechnical facilities in the Puszcza Knyszyńska Natura 2000 SPA.
The created facilities improved the ability to regulate water conditions in the close vicinity of the lek and the nesting site of Great Snipes by slowing down the outflow of surface water and increasing the groundwater level. The increased moisture and surface flooding remain on the in the area until mid-July. High soil moisture directly affects the area''s abundance of invertebrates, which are the food of waders.
In the Gródek area (Knyszyńska Forest), in the immediate vicinity of plot 1777/4, there is the largest observed mating ground for Great snipes in Poland - data from Birds Monitoring in Poland, report from the summary of the 2023 breeding season.
In Kalitnik area the newly built culverts are used to move horses between quarters and as passages for feeding horses or for regular maintenance of pasture fencing, e.g. to repair fences, mow grass and herbs under the wires, and remove fallen trees on the fence. Therefore, they serve to maintain grazing in other areas where there are lekking and feeding grounds for Rreat snipe.
Reservoirs - ponds and culverts with damming made it possible to slow down the outflow of water from pastures and store it for dry periods, among other things, to ensure access to water for grazing animals.
In Natura 2000 SPA Upper River Valley, in Trześcianka area, leveling the surface under the anti-predator fence consisted of filling in holes to prevent predatory mammals from entering the nesting area of waders. At the same time, this resulted in a local slowdown in water outflow and an increase in the retention capacity of the area - water remains longer in shallow puddles, which are a feeding site for birds. Due to the fact that the roads are slightly elevated, in spring they stop water from flowing from the surface by acting as a dike.
The results of bird monitoring in anti-predator fences carried out as part of the project show that reducing the pressure of predators through the use of electric fences results in the concentration of nests in these areas, an increase in the number of birds and nests established, and, above all, an increase in breeding success. For example, the nest success in 2023 for the Lapwing in the plot in Gródek (with an anti-predator fence) was 91.2%, for the Redshank 100% and the Black-tailed godwit about 90%. In the case of the Great snipe, Ruff and Snipe, all observed females had nesting success. Without the use of anti-predator fences, we would not have achieved such an effect.
In 2024 in the research area, ornithologists found 100 nests, of which as many as 97 were located inside our anti-predator fences. Most of them were nests of Lapwings (39), as many as 28 nests belonged to Black-tailed godwits, 26 were nests of Redshanks. We managed to locate 3 nests of Great snipes and 4 broods of Snipes. Although the Ruff''s nest could not be found, the behavior of the female indicated that this species was nesting here for the fourth year in a row. It is worth adding here that this is the only confirmed position of the Ruff nesting in Poland.
Another phenomenon on the scale of our country is the density and number of pairs of Black-tailed godwits nesting in one of the fenced plots in Gródek. On an area of 30 ha, there were as many as 28 pairs - a significant part of the Polish population! Their nest success this year turned out to be even more amazing, reaching 100%!
Grazing of Polish horses and Polish Red cows will continue on the project areas. Infrastructure built as part of the implemented project: fences on plots used by Polish horses in winter, trapping rooms, shelters, anti-predator fences, renovated roads and culverts have significantly improved the handling of grazing and transport of animals and will be used for this purpose in the coming years.
Volunteering within the project was very popular. Volunteers wanted to help, educate and train, they were looking for information about nature conservation, birds and the importance of grazing. Due to the many people interested in horse handling training, it is planned to prepare projects or other initiatives with behavioral workshops for volunteers in the future.
Based on our experience from a foreign visit to Norway and after reading the presentations of our colleagues from Birdlife Norge, we can conclude that as a Polish non-governmental organization, we operate very efficiently and implement large and complex projects using limited human resources. We have extensive knowledge in the field of water resources regulation, design and use of hydrological infrastructure. PTOP has got an experience in organizing grazing and breeding of Polish horses and in cooperation with farmers - cattle breeders. As a partner in a project who shares skills, we have a lot to offer.
Summary of bilateral results
Based on our experience from a foreign visit to Norway and after reading the presentations of our colleagues from Birdlife Norge, we can conclude that as a Polish non-governmental organization, we operate very efficiently and implement large and complex projects using limited human resources. We have extensive knowledge in the field of water resources regulation, design and use of hydrological infrastructure. PTOP has got an experience in organizing grazing and breeding of Polish horses and in cooperation with farmers - cattle breeders. As a partner in a project who shares skills, we have a lot to offer.