Meeting with colleagues from the project LIFEGALLINAGO

On November 20, within the framework of experience exchange activities, a meeting with representatives of project LIFE11 NAT/PL/000436 "Active protection of Great Snipe Gallinago media in Dolina Gornej Narwi Natura 2000 site" took place in the premises of Latvian Fund for Nature. Project team from Poland represented two organisations - Natura International Polska (Daniel Piec, Michal Korniluk) and Polish Bird Protection Society (PTOP; Dominika Musiał, Jarek Stefaniuk), which jointly have initiated implementation of LIFE+ project for research and conservation of the Great Snipe in North-eastern part of Poland.

The aim of the project is restoration of Great Snipe habitats in degraded floodplains of Narew river with an area of 160 ha, as well as studies of Great Snipe ecology, using telemetry. It is the first LIFE project in Poland, concerning Great Snipe (it started this year and will continue till 2016), and project team visited Latvia to learn from our experience in research of this species and implementation of conservation actions.

During the meeting, Ainārs Auniņš (manager of projects in LFN and experienced researcher of Great Snipes) gave a presentation on experience in the field of floodplain grassland restoration and improvement of hydrological conditions within two implemented LIFE projects in Latvia („Management of Lubāns Wetland Complex, Latvia”,LIFE03NAT/LV/ 000083 and „ Restoration of Latvian Floodplains for EU priority species and habitats”, LIFE04NAT/LV/000198), as well as introduced participants to the history of great Snipe studies, population status and field work methods in Latvia.

Edmunds Račinskis gave a presentation about LIFE+ project DVIETE, describing also number and distribution of Great Snipes in Dviete floodplain, which is one of the best breeding areas of the species in national level. Number of Great Snipes in Dviete floodplain nature park is estimated between 20 and 35 leking males, and increase in numbers of leking birds are observed during last several years within the area of LIFE+ project actions, as well as some new small leks are found. Participants of the meeting discussed the impact of floodplain grassland restoration and management on Great Snipes, as well as possibilities of co-operation between both LIFE+ projects. After meeting representatives of LFN, colleagues from Poland went to Estonia to meet Estonian ornithologists.

Edmunds Račinskis, photo: Jarek Stefaniuk

04.12.2012.