We cleared Veľký Kopec and prepared it for grazing.
Veľký Kopec shook beneath us!
Over the weekend, we went there to work hard with volunteers, removing invasive plants and creating more space for goat grazing.
The number of ground squirrels in Slovakia rose from 28,000 to 36,000
In 2019, the ground squirrel was listed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List, and population curves throughout Europe show a continuing downward trend.
Despite these trends, the number of Slovak ground squirrels continues to increase after decades. Thanks to nothing else than the LIFE Sysel project.
We support biodiversity by creating wood pastures.
We have begun restoring a wood pasture in Podunajské Biskupice. Grazing by domestic animals was once a natural part of this area. However, due to the decline of grazing, the land has become largely overgrown with self-seeded trees as well as various invasive plant species. We have therefore decided to curb this overgrowth through grazing by a mixed herd of sheep and goats.
Launching the LIFE 4 STEPPE BIRDS Project!
“LIFE21-NAT-SK-LIFE 4 STEPPE BIRDS: Conservation and Return of Steppe Bird Species to the Lowlands of Slovakia” is the name of our newest LIFE project, which sets ambitious conservation goals and will help reverse the poor protection status of bird species by restoring traditional land management and grazing practices.
We are planting trees for ground squirrel
Today we planted fruit trees at the Ďurkovec sysľovisko near Tomášovský výhľad in Slovak paradise. It was a great and useful event and we thank everyone who participated. All of us are looking forward to the harvest, both for us and for the groundhogs.
Tidying up the Čiliž brook
On Saturday 19th of November, together with volunteers we have started working on tidying up the Čiliž brook. The brook flows nearby a landfill in Veľký Meder. The landfill had been closed for quite some time, however, the access was closed only recently.
Microtus minibus in Slovakia
In august, we borrowed a Microtus minibus from our Hungarian partner Pisztráng Kör. The minibus is an outdoor mobile laboratory for all ages. The van is equipped with all necessary tool to be used by all curious explorer for research of different biotopes and its residents.
Project monitoring visit 2022
In the course of each LIFE project, control monitoring visits are regularly held to monitor whether the activities are progressing according to plan. This year on 11.-13.10. the LIFE Danube Floodplains project was inspected by an external monitor from the NEEMO team.
From mowing to rare findings
In March 2017, in cooperation with the local agricultural association, we restored by grassing an area (approximately 23 ha) of waterlogged fields and degraded meadows near the Číčovské dead arm.
A marathon of restoration inspiration and motivation at a dynamic river pace
At the beginning of October 2022, we organized an expert excursion where we visited sites with significant and extensive restoration measures on the Danube (in Austria) and several sites with implemented restoration measures on the Isar river in Germany.