A key part of our LIFE Endemic PANALP project, focused on restoring thermophilous and xerothermic grassland habitats, is cooperation with local farmers. Thanks mainly to this collaboration, we have so far managed to reintroduce or expand grazing on more than 240 hectares across 28 sites, stretching from Devín to Súľov. Our goal, of course, is for these restored areas to provide long-term benefits to the farmers, which will undoubtedly also bring significant gains for nature.

Agricultural subsidies are today an important tool in this regard. Therefore, on Monday, November 3, we organized a seminar for our cooperating farmers with our colleague who had worked for several years at the Agricultural Paying Agency. In an informal and friendly atmosphere, he explained to beginning farmers the basics of the Common Agricultural Policy rules, while the more experienced participants had the opportunity to discuss their experiences and challenges.

The venue – the Pub in Višňové – was chosen deliberately. We would like to start restoring goat grazing on the overgrown steppes directly below Čachtice Castle together with the locals here in the near future!

Coincidentally, we continued our education activities aimed at the same target group the very next day. At the Uhliská Farm near Nemšová, in cooperation with the Institute of Knowledge-based Agriculture and Innovation, we co-organized a seminar focused on grassland restoration, environmentally friendly deworming of livestock, and smart technologies in animal husbandry.

Our colleague Jakub Cíbik presented to the participants that restoring flowering meadows is an opportunity not only for biodiversity but also for building cooperation between conservationists and farmers. His lecture also included inspiring examples of such partnerships that have emerged thanks to the LIFE Endemic PANALP project.

Ivana Kodajová from the Vlčí Vrch goat farm, with whom we have been closely collaborating since the earlier LIFE Butterflies project, introduced her well-developed system of gentle goat deworming. Conventional methods, which rely on the widespread use of ivermectin-based substances, lead to parasite resistance and simultaneously kill coprophagous insects. These organisms, which decompose animal dung, are an important part of biodiversity and help farmers improve soil condition, fertility, and even reduce the occurrence of undesirable parasites.

For these reasons, at BROZ we have decided to promote awareness of practices that are more considerate of both livestock and the grassland ecosystems — ecosystems that, in our country, survive today largely thanks to them.

From October 24 to 28, 2025, together with the JARO Conservation Group, the Administration of the White Carpathians Protected Landscape Area, the local NGO Pre Prírodu, and the Faculty of Science of Charles University, we organized the volunteer Mission APOLLO 25. This event continued the well-established tradition of joint work for nature in the unique area beneath the Vršatec Cliffs. In total, more than 40 volunteers from the Czech Republic and Slovakia dedicated their free time and energy to restoring precious non-forest rocky habitats that are (or once were) home to the iconic Mountain Apollo (Parnassius apollo) butterfly, after which the event is named.

During the three working days, we gradually carried out restoration work at Vršatec Cliffs, in the Krivoklát Gorge, and on Mokrá Skala near Mikušovce. The goal was to clear overgrown rocky slopes, remove self-seeded and non-native trees, and thus create space for light-loving plant species that are an inseparable part of these valuable sites. Such interventions therefore help not only the Mountain Apollo itself, but also many other endangered plant and animal species tied to open rocky habitats. On the final day of the event, we joined forces with the Administration of the White Carpathians PLA and helped with raking rare orchid meadows in the Brezovská Valley.

Mission APOLLO 25 was once again part of the LIFE Endemic PANALP project, focused on the protection and restoration of endemic species and non-forest habitats. Just like last year, the entire event also had a special symbolic meaning – it took place on October 28, the day when we (and our western neighbors, for whom it is a national holiday) commemorate the founding of Czechoslovakia. Thanks to this, many Czech volunteers took part in the event, and we can truly say that for a few days, Slovaks and Czechs once again joined forces to help nature, which knows no borders.

We were also very pleased that several renowned naturalists and conservationists joined us once again, including Ondřej Sedláček from the Faculty of Science, Charles University; Zdeněk Faltýnek Frič from the Czech Academy of Sciences; David Číp from the JARO Group; Standa Lhota from the Coalition Against Palm Oil; and Artur Sniegon from the Save Elephants movement.

We sincerely thank all participants for their dedication, hard work in challenging terrain, and the wonderful atmosphere!

Last year, as part of the LIFE Endemic PANALP project, we began restoring a small but beautiful and valuable site in the heart of the White Carpathians. The area was declared protected primarily due to its geological uniqueness, but it also hosts rare dry and thermophilic “orchid” meadows and juniper stands. That is, until recently – it would have been more accurate to speak in the past tense, as the site had gradually become overgrown with pines and self-seeding shrubs due to the lack of regular management. From once expansive meadows, only a small, occasionally mown area of barely half a hectare remained.

Today, however, everything has changed. The site is once again thriving with tufted milkworts (Polygala comosa) , Carthusian pinks, sage, and oxeye daisies—species typical of flowering meadows. In the partial shade of the original deciduous trees, dozens of pale-flowered orchids are now blooming.

Why? Two years ago, in cooperation with the local landowners’ association (urbár), we cleared and fenced a plot of their shared land. The landowners also took the initiative to build a small tourist shelter with a safe fire pit, while we contributed an information panel explaining the value of grazing. Last year, we grazed our mobile flock of sheep and goats on Drietoma Ridge. This year, somewhat unexpectedly, they were replaced by three young Jersey heifers—the pasture caught the interest of a local farmer from Drietoma. We are truly happy about such collaborations, as the restoration of these rare meadows has once again created space for another local land steward.

What’s next? After the successful restoration of the land, we hope to continue on neighboring private and church-owned plots. This would allow the pasture and valuable habitats to expand even further.

Restoring overgrown sites is far from a simple or quick process, despite how it might seem at first glance. Typically, the first practical step involves thorough clearing of the area—removing invasive or non-native trees and shrubs, clearing biomass, and often stump milling. In some locations, we also use an earth milling machine on a limited scale. This is followed by the installation of fencing and other necessary infrastructure, such as shelters and water feeders. It’s often physically and logistically demanding work, but it’s essential to allow these pastures to once again become living spaces for both grazing and biodiversity.

Where possible, we also apply an alternative approach: we clear only narrow corridors for fencing and immediately introduce animals to the site. Goats enter the thickets and begin to tackle the bushes. The rest of the area is cleared gradually, depending on how well the animals manage the vegetation. The exact method is always adapted to the specific conditions of the site, taking into account time, budget, staff capacity, and the availability of suitable livestock.

If there is a trusted cattle farmer in the vicinity of the area of interest, we will be happy to collaborate with him to start restoring grazing – although goats are usually more suitable for this purpose, especially in the early stages. We then remove the woody regrowth and ungrazed vegetation with a brush cutter, mulcher or a milling machine as needed. Many woody plants such as hawthorn, hogweed, brambles and rose hips do not give up easily, so it is important to start grazing as soon as possible after the initial clearing. Shrubs are a favourite food not only for goats, but also for donkeys and some breeds of cows, which can cope with them just as well. Elsewhere, goats can be followed by sheep, cows, donkeys or horses – again depending on the particular circumstances and possibilities.

Unlike conventional farming approaches, where production mixes are sown on cleared areas, we choose a more nature-friendly approach – leaving the area to regenerate from the soil bank and from seeds of native species that are brought to the site by wind and animals. Once the sites are cleared and grazing returns, a whole new life begins. The exposed soil becomes a habitat for a variety of species – thistles, mullein, as well as all sorts of woodland, meadow and field plants. The vegetation gradually changes, diversifies and stabilises. This creates a species-rich landscape that is a living concert of insects and birds. Biodiversity on these sites is significantly higher than on meadows mown at one time and, at best, dried for hay. Often, however, the material is merely wilted and packed in plastic packaging, where it becomes haylage without access to air.

Specific examples of grazing restoration can be seen, for example, in the Drietoma ridge and Dolné Lazy sites of European importance, where we have implemented this activity within the LIFE Endemic PANALP project. At the first site we started grazing our own goats and sheep last year, which this year were replaced by cows of a local farmer. On the second one we are grazing a mixed flock of sheep, goats and donkeys of a farmer from the neighbourhood. Thanks to these interventions, not only the diversity of life is returning to the landscape, but also traditional forms of farming and meaningful work for the people of the local areas.

Few people know that the Súľov Mountains hide one of Slovakia’s rarest botanical treasures. Beneath the iconic rocky towers lies a multitude of small valleys, and one of them stands out for its exceptional orchid species diversity. Within an area of just 0.1 km², at least 22 species grow here, some of which are extremely rare in this region!

Unfortunately, just like in many other parts of our country, this area has undergone unfavorable changes in recent decades. Almost all orchid species here have been gradually declining, with only four forest-bound species persisting. Each of these delicate species faces its own challenges, but they share several common threats: the spread of cottage development, inappropriate planting of trees, overgrowing of meadows, and the densification of tree canopy in nearby forests. Orchids are literally being pushed into corners—their sunlit habitats have shrunk to narrow strips measurable with a ruler. In some years, certain species do not bloom at all. The valley’s colors are fading, its charm is vanishing, and it is becoming as ordinary as any other.

Fortunately, the last remnants of this unique beauty are now cared for by conservationists from the Strážov Mountains Protected Landscape Area administration. Every two years, manual mowing and hay raking are carried out here. To help avert the gradual disappearance of the site, we agreed with the landowner to clear invasive shrubs and open up 4,000 m² of the most valuable orchid areas as part of the LIFE Endemic PANALP project. We carefully piled up the biomass, some of which was used as fuel by local residents. To prevent regrowth, the expanded area will, of course, continue to be mowed and raked in cooperation with state conservationists. Now we can only hope that the restored areas will one day bloom again with dozens of rare orchids.

When we say “endemic plant,” most people think of species like Daphne arbuscula, Onosma tornensis, or the Slovak pasqueflower (Pulsatilla slavica). Only few, however, know the Moravian ragwort (Tephroseris longifolia subsp. moravica). Yet this is an extremely rare member of the aster family that blooms only at the turn of May and June, on just a few small meadows in the White Carpathians, the Strážov Mountains, Vtáčnik, and Tribeč. Moreover, in all known localities, it survives in only dozens or, at best, hundreds of individuals. Precisely because of its uniqueness and vulnerability, we chose the ragwort as one of the target species of the LIFE Endemic PANALP project.

The greatest threat to this species today is land abandonment. Without management, meadows become overgrown with invasive shrubs and trees, and important transitional habitats between meadows and forests—such as forest steppes or pasture woods—are disappearing from our landscapes. These are key habitats for many rare species. In addition to the ragwort, the decline of such habitats also affects the Clouded Apollo butterfly (Parnassius mnemosyne), another target species of our project. Both of these species can be found together in the SCI Vršatské bradlá, at the Lysá locality, where we have devoted the most effort to saving the endemic ragwort to date.

In recent years, we have cleared the overgrowing edges of this meadow, all the way to the border of the adjacent forest plot. Without this intervention, the steep meadow would have gradually disappeared into the shadow of the forest, despite occasional mowing and grazing. Thanks to targeted restoration, we have doubled the area suitable for the ragwort’s life. However, the local population is also long-term threatened by browsing by game. Therefore, state conservationists from the Biele Karpaty Protected Landscape Area administration have begun to protect flowering individuals with individual enclosures, which allow them to flower and seed safely. Additionally, as part of our project activities from 2021 to 2023, we manually sowed hundreds of seeds collected in previous seasons.

We will still have to wait a few more years to see the full impact of all these activities, but early successes are already visible. In the cleared areas, sterile (non-flowering) plants have begun to appear, and after decades of decline, the number of flowering individuals has started to rise again. For illustration, while botanists counted 700 individuals here in 2006, by the start of the project their numbers had dropped to just dozens. But in 2022, we recorded 148 ragworts during monitoring, and in 2023 nearly 170! It thus appears that, thanks in part to our project’s efforts, the most difficult period for this endemic plant in the Vršatec area may already be over.