PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
Rapid declines (average 5-8% per year) of wet grassland wader species have been noted in Poland.
OBJECTIVES
The main goal of this project was to improve the conservation status of the wet grassland wader populations in 6 Natura 2000 areas by achieving a 50% increase of breeding numbers in 10 reserves and on surrounding private land on a target area of 7 805 hecatares (ha).
The project aimed to:
- improve habitats through the purchase of 220 ha of land (WP2), rewetting of 920 ha, restoration of 298 ha of abandoned meadows and introduction of grazing on 429 ha
- increase reproduction rates of all priority species by achieving a representative average lapwing and black-tailed godwit breeding success rate of at least 0.7 fledged young / pair within predation fences on 262 ha, protection of at least 350 nests outside fences on 3 317 ha and predator control on 5 226 ha
- measure impacts by integrated monitoring of population parameters, habitat conditions, ecosystem services and socio-economic impacts
- develop active protection projects in strategic areas, including targeted, large-scale deployment of agri-environmental schemes in 12 Natura 2000 sites
- introduce agri-environmental programmes on at least 150 ha of private land through collaboration with farmers in the target area of 3 768 ha, resulting in a mobilisation of an additional €490 000 over a period of 5 years for the targeted wader bird conservation
- prepare the GIS layer of distribution ranges and locations of suitable habitats for the black-tailed godwit and redshank for better spatial targeting of agri-environmental programmes at the national level
The project expected to rely on an intensive programme of knowledge exchange with western European organisations and dissemination of this knowledge in Poland, and awareness raising activities among the public.
RESULTS
Due to a difficulty in ensuring the necessary cofinancing, the project never began its implementation and was therefore terminated without achieving any results.