Hrehorkové, a Site of Community Importance (SCI), is one of the youngest protected areas in the Biele Karpaty. Located on the sunlit limestone slopes near the village of Mikušovce (Ilava district), it was designated as a protected area in 2018, covering 12 hectares. By then, however, the once-open landscape had become overgrown with shrubs and trees. Local landowners, however, remembered Hrehorkové quite differently—as vibrant pastures filled with medicinal herbs, orchids, and the striking Apollo butterfly. Wanting to restore the area to its former glory, they reached out to the Protected Landscape Area administration in 2021 to see if anything could be done. Their request soon reached the team behind our LIFE Endemic PANALP project, and things quickly gained momentum. We joined forces with the landowners and a young local farmer named Martin, set out a plan, and got to work. Today, Hrehorkové is once again coming to life, buzzing with insects and blooming with orchids. The first signs of success came surprisingly fast—just one year after habitat restoration began, rare bee orchids reappeared, and the striking hoopoe returned to the area.
Changes of Hrehorkové: Its appearance in the mid-20th century, in 2023 before the restoration began, and in May 2024 after the removal of felled biomass.
At the turn of 2023 and 2024, the sound of chainsaws echoed through the area. For several weeks, our team worked to clear areas with dense shrub and tree cover, while carefully preserving junipers, fruit trees, and solitary oaks. Once most of the biomass was removed, an entirely new landscape emerged. The once-dense and monotonous thicket gave way to an open mosaic of future pastures, dotted with scattered trees and shrubs. Not long ago, such a landscape was a common sight. Over time, however, it has been replaced by two extremes—either intensively cultivated fields, treeless meadows or dense forests lacking an herbaceous underwood. Neither of these extremes supports biodiversity.
Of course, we made sure to preserve junipers, solitary wild fruit trees, and oaks, creating an open mosaic that is both visually appealing and beneficial for biodiversity.
We began setting up electric fencing even before the site was fully cleared. Our goal was to bring in the local farmer’s livestock as soon as the biomass was removed so they could start grazing on the first regrowth of shrubs. From the outset, year-round grazing was part of the plan. To ensure its success, we recommended that farmer Martin introduce tenacious Romney Marsh sheep, along with goats, which are particularly effective at controlling woody regrowth. This winter, donkeys were added to the mix—including one from the European ground squirrel habitat in Muránska Planina. Donkeys are well-known for their ability to protect herds from predators. All three species remain on-site throughout the winter, as winter grazing has proven highly effective in pasture restoration—forcing the animals to browse shrubs more intensively than they would during the growing season. Through the project, we also provided Martin with a shelter for the animals, though they use it only in the harshest weather, preferring to roam freely on the pasture. In the first months, they focused on grazing the southern part of the site, and by autumn, we opened up an old quarry and rocky outcrop in the northern half as well. Volunteers from the Czech Republic, led by leading naturalists from Charles University and conservationists from JARO Group, helped with the final clearing work in October. As of now, traditional grazing is fully underway across all 12 hectares of this Site of Community Importance.
As mentioned earlier, the first conservation successes at Hrehorkové came surprisingly quickly. Even during the construction of the fencing, we discovered blooming Holuby’s bee orchid and even the bee orchid, a species not previously known in this part of the Biele Karpaty. After the site was cleared, we observed a hoopoe here in the spring. For this reason, we are working closely with the farmer to find the most gentle methods for deworming the animals. This is particularly important because a significant part of the hoopoe’s diet consists of coprophagous insects, such as the dung beetle. To further improve the chances of breeding, we plan to install suitable nesting boxes in the area.
Thanks to the clearing and the return of grazing, Hrehorkové is becoming an important orchid site. From left to right: bee orchid and Holuby’s bee orchid, both discovered during the restoration work, and the lady orchid.
At Hrehorkové, the hoopoes are settling in after the restoration, thriving in the open landscape mosaic of sunlit slopes. We have also discovered the coprophagous dung beetle, an important part of the hoopoe’s diet.
A huge success would be if our “butterfly king,” the Apollo butterfly, were to return to Hrehorkové. While it’s just a stone’s throw from Vršatec, this slow-flying butterfly faces more challenges. During occasional exploratory flights in search of new habitats, it relies on stepping stones—small islands of suitable environments where it can gather energy or even establish a new, smaller population that could eventually spread further. This winter, we began working with local landowners to clear Mokrá skala, a site halfway between Hrehorkové and Vršatec. Of course, considering the ongoing climate change, we are aware that the Apollo butterfly, a relic of glacial steppe habitats, will still face difficulties, even with improving habitat conditions. However, we are already seeing that these efforts are benefiting many other species, often less noticeable ones, such as orchids. It also brings us great joy to see that, through this work, memories of local people of a diverse landscape from the past are coming to life again, while providing the younger generation of farmers with land for the future.
We greatly appreciate the help we received from volunteers, led by excellent naturalists and conservationists from the Czech Republic, with the restoration of Hrehorkové in the autumn.
