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 the measures. The Freshwater pearl mussel (Margaritifera margaritifera) is specially protected species therefor the “Action Plan for Freshwater Pearl Mussel” was prepared in the year 2000 with an update in 2014. 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 revitalization of sites and monitoring in the southern Bohemia region, in the area of streams Blanice and Zlatý potok, one of three regions of the species occurrence. In the area there will be revitalization of small capillaries and springs in the watershed and optimization of functional elements. The project outcomes are increasing knowledge of the species population by monitoring the species occurrence and to improve its environment by erosion control, meadow management, elimination of shrubs. The project outputs are data from monitoring species and data of environment – temperature and erosion control. Project will also include part of publicity. The target group of the project is primarily a species and nature-conservation authorities. Secondarily, the protection and connected activities will carry out the influence over the general public via education. There’s no project partner from donor countries only a local partner: company Gammarus CZ s.r.o. The partner is contributing to the project by its expertness and experiences including human resources and know-how.
Summary of project results
About the FWPM The FWPM (Margaritifera margaritifera) is an umbrella species for the conservation of oligotrophic watercourses. It is highly sensitive to disturbed natural processes in the whole catchment area. This makes it an organism whose effective preservation requires the wide participation of the public and stakeholders, especially farmers, forest management staff, fishermen, local governments, etc.) along the entire catchment area where this species occurs. The first part of this project deals with the revitalisation of the headwater area in the catchment area of the Spalenecky brook, a tributary to the Blanice River, and the Capi mokriny moors in the catchment area of the Zlaty brook. As a result of reckless management in the past, the supply of detritus, i.e., the food for the filtrator species, from the headwater area to the main stream has been interrupted. The aim of the revitalisation of small tributaries is to restore the network of small watercourses and to achieve a partial improvement of the feeding conditions in the habitat of the Freshwater Pearl Mussel (FWPM) in the estuary of the Spalenecky brook, and subsequently also in the Blanice River and in the Zlaty brook. The next objective of this project is optimisation of the functions of the erosion control measures built in 2013 on the Lucni brook, a tributary of the Zlaty brook. The objective of this erosion control measures was to diminish the erosive force of the water and to direct as much floating debris into sedimentary effusion areas. The inlets and effusion areas will be modified, sediments will be removed and other necessary modifications will be made. The correct functioning of the erosion control measures in the catchment area of the Zlaty brook will be monitored continuously all year round. As part of the monitoring, full-scale inspections will be organised in the catchment area, aiming to prevent damage to the biotope of the FWPM by the anthropogenic effects of the management, with conflict being anticipated especially with forestry and farming management. The next form of monitoring will consist of installing temperature sensors with a permanent recording function in selected profiles. Besides this, two permanent areas will be selected for monitoring of the FWPM, with special attention being paid to the occurrence of juveniles.
Summary of bilateral results