Mr. Mitja Kaligarič, LIFE project monitor, spent the second day of his visit to monitor the LIFE FOR SEEDS project progress implementation at the Notranjska Regional Park (NRP). He wanted to check in the field whether planned activities were being implemented in accordance with the project application and within the planned deadlines.
Together with the NRP director, Mr. Leon Kebe, and project partners’ representatives, we welcomed him at the NRP headquarters in Cerknica, where we briefly presented the purpose and results of the research into biology and distribution of the Allium suaveolens at the intermittent Lake Cerknica.
The research was conducted in 2023 as a basis for implementation of activities planned in the project – restoration of habitats on certain land-plots and a proposal for a new agricultural measure intended to preserve the habitats of this Allium species – fens and wet meadows with Molinia caerulea grass. The Allium suaveolens is a late-flowering species known from only a handful of localities in Slovenia, it is also very rare and endangered in neighboring countries, as it thrives on moist soils in sunny locations, i.e. in habitats particularly sensitive to reckless human intervention and intensive management on one hand and abandonment of management on the other.
We then visited the areas where habitat restoration activities are taking place to check on current results. Habitat restoration within the LIFE FOR SEEDS project in the NRP area mainly includes removal of woody vegetation from wet meadows and fens together with sowing of appropriate seed mixtures harvested in the Lake Cerknica area and re-establishment of mowing. These habitats are formed by light-loving plants, which slowly disappear from these areas as shrubs and trees continue to grow, as the conditions in the shrubs and forests are no longer suitable for them.
The visit was also a good opportunity to exchange positive and negative experiences with the implementation of activities, as there are often discrepancies between plans on paper and works carried out in practice. With new insights, we can plan more efficient and appropriate nature conservation activities in the future.
Project monitor was satisfied with the progress of the project, while even greater encouragement for the future came as the praise from one of the landowners, who entrusted us with his land-plot for habitat restoration and was very pleased with the result of our work.
The implementation of extensive nature conservation projects exceeds the financial capacity of the local community, therefore Notranjska Park regularly applies for projects with the possibility of co-financing by the European Union.
The implementation of large-scale conservation projects exceeds the financial capabilities of the local community, therefore Notranjska Park regularly applies for projects with the possibility of co-financing from the European Union.
