This year, we successfully completed the Annual activity report for the year 2023. Our ambition in creating it is to provide a comprehensive overview to our supporters, benefactors, and the general public about our activities throughout the year 2023.
Experts László Rákosy and Andrei Crișan conducted 2 workshops at Luna de Jos in August 2024. The first focused on moth diversity with 120 participants, while the second addressed protected butterflies in the cultural landscape, attracting 34 participants.
At the beginning of September we actively participated in the meeting of project partners from the Danubeparks network of protected areas in Tulcea, Romania. In addition to updates, progress and new challenges in the ongoing LIFE WILDisland project across the whole project consortium, we had the opportunity to visit valuable places in the Danube Delta and selected project sites near Isaccea, where floodplain revitalisation is underway.
Last weekend, SOS/BirdLife Slovakia organized the 21st volunteer camp to mow Bird Island in the SPA Dunajské luhy. Despite the heat and hard work, 45 participants mowed and raked nearly the entire island.
The roller has appeared in western Slovakia—this time near Bratislava. This increases the chances of its return as a breeding species in the region. This is clear proof that our conservation activities, including those under LIFE 4 STEPPE BIRDS, are working.
On July 15, 2024, at Kráľovská lúka, we started the test filling of the renewed side arm in the section from the inlet of the Baka branch system to the first culvert.
The works in the middle part of the arm, with aim of connecting the two side branches to the stream, is already finished, the water has flowed in here and is full of life – fish, frogs, snails, dragonflies…
Among the countries where the European roller went extinct, only Slovakia has successfully brought it back. The LIFE 4 STEPPE BIRDS project plays a vital role in this story.
A European roller was seen hunting above a biostrip near Šoporňa. The sighting during the breeding season shows there’s hope it could return as a nesting species—if we help with targeted conservation measures.
The revitalisation of the old Danube side arms can be called in one word “process”. Just as their degradation has been gradual, due to modifications for navigation, their revitalisation in places where it makes sense for valuable floodplain forest habitats, birds, fish and amphibians, for groundwater recharge and flood protection for us humans, will be gradual.