Press Briefing: Sheep Pasturage – tradition in support of the nature conservation Sheep Pasturage – tradition in support of the nature conservation The implementation of the Project LIFE12 NAT/PL/000081 is in progress The Project no LIFE12 NAT/PL/000081 titled “Conservation of Non-forest Habitats in the Area of the Landscape Parks in the Beskid Mountains” within the framework of I LIFE+ Nature and Biodiversity Component was launched. The Silesian Voivodeship is the Co-ordinator Beneficiary. The Project is implemented by the Compound of Landscape Parks in the Silesian Voivodeship. The overall objective of the Project is to preserve biodiversity by means of comprehensive active nature protection measures in non-forest habitats in the area of Beskid Śląski and Żywiecki. The Project value amounts to over PLN 8 million. The funding sources are provided by the European Commission (50%), the National Fund for the Environmental Protection and Water Management (45%) and own contribution of the Silesian Voivodeship (5%). The Project implementation started last year and will be completed in 2017. The Project implementation addresses the problem of overgrowing alps and pastureland in Beskid Śląski and Żywiecki. This process diminishes biodiversity and affects the cultural landscape that has been shaped by the traditional pasture for hundreds of years. The area of alps and pastureland covered with beautiful flowers is getting smaller and distant mountain panoramic landscape is overshadowed with saplings. The Project comes forward with improvement of habitats inter alia by means of active nature protection of Nardion of approximately 442 ha in area, protection of grasslands with Campanula Serrata, as well as nature monitoring and residents ecological awareness raising. All this is to serve the purpose of increasing biological diversity and tourist attractiveness of the region. This year 1000 sheep will start to be pastured on alps and grasslands of Beskid Śląski and Żywiecki. Within the framework of the Project three complexes of mountain huts and two viewing platforms will be erected. The Project implementation team members hope that sheep will stay in the alps in the Beskid Mountains after completion of the Project. They also hope that the Project will contribute to sustainable re-implementation of pasturage traditions, which will activate the community and publicize local products. This year other works will start to the extent of active nature protection inter alia lawn mowing, removal of shrub and tree self-seedings, removal of alpine sorrel and indigenous plant species seeding. Apart from the actions related directly to the active nature protection, it is also important to publicize the Project and educate within the framework of the Project. On 27th March in Jeleśnia the one-day opening conference for the Project, including the indoor and outdoor session, was held. The conference aimed at presenting the subject matter of the Project to all the institutions and organizations that may contribute to the Project implementation. During the indoor session the objectives of the Project were presented. It was also underlined that preservation of habitat diversity in the area of the Beskid Mountains was significant for the natural environment and the pasture management was important for tradition and culture. During the outdoor session the participants took the trip to Koniaków where the general information on sheep breeding and pasturing and sheep production was shared. During the conference the significance of tradition in the culture of the Beskid Mountains Highlanders was underlined. Now the cycle of meetings with the representatives of municipal governments, institutions and non-governmental organisations and residents of the towns and cities in the Project area continues. These are information and consulting meetings. The co-operation with the local community also aims at encouraging environmental protection and obtaining permits from landlords to implement the activities to the extent of active nature protection. This year the educational workshops dedicated to children and the youth as well as adults will start. They will comprise of the indoor session in the Education Centre of the ZPKWŚ in Żywiec and excursions around the Project area. Within the publicity and visibility measures folk events will be organised and pasture good practices guide and multimedia album including photographs presenting landscape merits of the alps and pastureland in the Beskid Mountains will be published. It is plausible to underline that well co-ordinated actions implemented under the Life+ Beskid Mounains Project by the local community may make Beskid Śląski and Żywiecki one of the most beautiful and attractive mountainous regions in Europe. Highlanders will be in a position to prove that pasturage is neither forgotten nor obsolete tradition but an enormous development opportunity that will also provide for nature conservation.