Project title:

"Comprehensive project for the protection of species and habitats in areas managed by State Forests".

Implemented under Operational Programme Infrastructure and Environment 2014-2020, Action 2.4 Nature Conservation and Environmental Education.

Implementation period:

2017-2023

Beneficiary:

State Forests National Forest Holding.

Supported by the Coordination Centre for Environmental Projects as the project implementing unit.

Project goal:

The project aimed to improve the conservation status of natural habitats and species of plants and animals occurring in Natura 2000 areas on lands managed by State Forests.

Specific objectives:

• Enhance or restore suitable habitat conditions.
• Secure habitats for endangered species populations and breeding sites.
• Reduce threats and limit the spread of invasive alien species.

Project scope:

The project included implementing best practices in habitat and species conservation, aligned with conservation action plans, protection plans, and forest management plans prepared for Natura 2000 sites.

This initiative was crucial for preserving biodiversity, enhancing ecosystem resilience, and ensuring the sustainable management of natural resources within State Forests' managed areas designated under the Natura 2000 network.

Catalogue of completed works:

•  Adjusting species composition to meet species or habitat needs.
•  Active habitat conservation measures (including extensive use of grassland or grassland-pasture meadows, construction of weirs, dams, blocking of drainage ditches to maintain specific moisture levels).
•  Active species conservation measures (such as hanging nest boxes, construction of nesting platforms, securing breeding sites, nesting places, hibernacula, planting host plants for butterflies, etc.).
•  Control of invasive alien species (e.g., American cherry, knotweeds).
•  Monitoring the occurrence of protected species.
•  Traffic management for tourists (e.g., creation and equipment of educational trails, Nordic walking trails).
•  Predator control (predation poses a significant threat to protected bird species, mitigated through various means such as shooting, capture, relocation to other areas, use of deterrents).

Effects of the project:

The most significant outcome of the project was the area of habitats where conservation status was improved or strengthened through active conservation measures.

•  Area of habitats supported to achieve better conservation status: 14,893 hectares.
•  Number of habitat types covered by conservation actions: 30 types.
•  Number of species covered by conservation actions: 32 species.

Project value:

• Total project implementation cost: 30,305,005.14 PLN.
• Eligible expenditure: 23,379,179.85 PLN.
• EU funding: 19,872,302.87 PLN.