REDFOOT

Conservation of Falco vespertinus in the Carpathian Basin

04. 02. 2018

SZARVAS

Project title: Redfoot - Conservation of Falco vespertinus in the Carpathian Basin

EC: LIFE11 NAT/HU/926 Duration of the project: 1.9.2012 – 31.03.2018 Name of the program: LIFE + 2011 Project acronym: REDFOOT

Coordinating beneficiary: MME BirdLife Hungary Associated beneficiaries: Bükk National Park Directorate Körös-Maros National Park Directorate Hungarian Natural History Museum Pély-Tiszatáj Agrár Zrt. Raptor Protection of Slovakia The State Nature Conservancy of the Slovak Republic

THE STATE NATURE CONSERVANCY PROJECT AREA:

SPA Lehnice SKCHVU012

THE STATE NATURE CONSERVANCY PROJECT AREA:

SPA Ostrovné lúky SKCHVU019

THE STATE NATURE CONSERVANCY PROJECT AREA:

SPA Úľanská mokraď SKCHVU023

THE STATE NATURE CONSERVANCY PROJECT AREA:

SPA Sysľovské polia SKCHVU029

THE STATE NATURE CONSERVANCY PROJECT AREA:

SPA Dolné Považie north SKCHVU005

THE STATE NATURE CONSERVANCY PROJECT AREA:

SPA Dolné Považie south SKCHVU005

PROJECT TEAM of SNC SR: Zoologist / Field assistant 2 Mgr. Michal Deraj Agronomist / Agro-environment assistant Ing. Andrej Sanitrár Zoologist / Zoological assistant Ing. Andrea Lešová, PhD. Landscape manager / Field assistant1 Mgr. Jozef Lengyel, Phd. Advisor / Project coordinator at SNC Assoc. Prof. RNDr. Jana Dadová, PhD., Ing. Andrea Mazálová, Mgr. Andrea Mikulová Economy and Accounting: Ing. Murinova, Ing. Sieglova, Ing.Fridrichova

PROJECT ACTIVITIES OF SNC SR:

A1 Elaboration of detailed management plans for key habitats of the F. vespertinus in Slovakia

A2 Promotion and enforcement of an agri-environmental scheme for F. vespertinus

A5 Elaboration and submitting of National Action Plan in Hungary and Rescue Programme in Slovakia for F. vespertinus

C1 Creating artificial nesting opportunities

C2 Creating conditions for natural nesting opportunities by planting and restoration of forest patches and windbreaks in project SPAs

C3 Implement and demonstrate conservation techniques to improve Rook colony formation

PROJECT ACTIVITIES OF SNC SR: C7 Regulation of shooting Corvids in key nesting sites within the project SPAs in

Slovakia

C9 Guarding and protection of active F. vespertinus nests in Slovakia

D1 Monitoring of impact of project actions in Slovakia

D2 Monitoring and evaluation of Rook colony formation

E3 Project communication

E4 Communication with stakeholders

F1 Project management, monitoring and reporting

F2 Hold Steering Committee Meetings

PROJECT BUDGET AND FUNDING:

Total project budget: 3,625,649 €

Total eligible project budget: 3,478,289 €

EU financial contribution requested: 2,601,760 € ( = 74.8 % of total eligible budget)

SNC budget 130 154 €

EC 97 354

Cofin. 32 800

Direct personnel cost of SNC SR

Plan 594 person days (4455 hours) real (4372 hours) External assistance costs Prey analysis in D1 Durable goods: Equipment costs purchased of 4x4 car, ladder, set of tools for nestbox installation,

binoculars (2), monocular (telescope) with accessory Consumables wooden nest boxes, alluminium nest boxes, rook nests imitation, Other costs - car insurance, car maintenance, transport and

adjustment of the material

A1 Elaboration of detailed management plans for key habitats of the F. vespertinus in Slovakia

19 basic surveys were carried out analyzing 19

historic sites in 5 SPA areas for 5 sites management plans were elaborated landscpe structure analysis in key habitats was

carried out

Problems Problematic communication and data aqcuisition

from Agricultural entities and Agricultural paying agency

A2 Promotion and enforcement of an agri-environmental scheme for F. vespertinus

2013 negotiation with relevant institution

Final version of Rural development Programme 2014 – 2020 contained two measures: multifunctional field edges on arable land

Agri-environmental – climatic payments for great bustard

Concrete conservation activities

C1 Creating artificial nesting opportunities Alltogether 300 artificial nests were installed in appropriate tree clusters

Occupancy was regularly monitored

C2 Creating conditions for natural nesting opportunities by planting and restoration of forest patches and windbreaks in project SPAs

Planting trees in the project area and caring for young seedlings thus

creating natural nesting opportunities in the future

Regular monitoring of planted alleyways. Some seedlings dried out.

They were replaced at the site of Panské lúky and Ostrovné lúky.

The trees were secured against damage. SNC SR and RPS

implemented substitute planting wherever necessary.

C3 Implement and demonstrate conservation

techniques to improve Rook colony formation

Between 2013 – 2017 in collaboration with RPS collected and transported twigs into the proximity of rook nesting colonies located within SPA Dolné Považie.

Rooks used it for nest building in colonies. The number of pairs on the site of Panské lúky located within SPA Dolné Považie warried between 200-270 pairs. Transport and provision of nesting material helped to stabilize rook colonies.

In the spring months the owners of the vineyards and farmers provided twigs for rook colonies. the nesting material. At the Panské lúky site the material was used for nest building. It was the only rook nesting colony in the open countryside within SKCHV005 Dolné Považie. The activity continued in order to maintain or evenmore to strengthen the rook colony that is crucial for improvment of nesting opportunities of the target species.

C7 Regulation of shooting Corvids in key nesting sites

within the project SPAs in Slovakia

During the project implementation District Governement Offices declared protective zones for corvid species in all five SPAs where the office prohibited shooting corvid bird species.

The purpose of this regulation of shooting corvid birds is to promote nesting of rooks, crows and jays and thus increase the availability of natural nests for redfoot falcon.

C9 Guarding and protection of active F. vespertinus

nests in Slovakia

In the year 2017 in collaboration with RPS 17 pairs of Falco vespertinus were nesting in SPA Sysľovské polia

Breeding of 16 pairs was successfull

Alltogether 41 youngsters hatched and were ringed by R.Slobodník.

300 artificial nests were monitored in five SPAs; Sysľovské polia, Ostrovné lúky, Lehnice, Úľanská mokraď and Dolné Považie.

D1 Monitoring of impact of project actions in Slovakia

In the framework of this activity external subject delivered the Report summarizing work from mapping of prey of the F. vespertinus focused on Orthoptera and small terrestrial mammals. The activity was carried out as part of the monitoring and evaluating of quality and quantity of food offer for the target species.

On the basis of the monitoring of small terrestrial mammals as a food supply for F. vespertinus it was found that all of the monitored sites are suitable for the target species. Assuming the land use at the studied sites will be conducted as up to now and competition for food from other species will not grow, these sites could provide sufficient trophic resources in the future.

An Orthoptera prey analysis shows that there is sufficcient food offer for the target species on sites with permanent grasslands. In terms of the occurrence of Orthoptera as a potential food of F. vespertinus and from the point of view of habitat conservation the Panské lúky site appears to be the most suitable habitat. In total 17 species were found to be suitable as a food for the target species.

E3 Project communication

cooperation on articles and television reports published by the RPS

article in journal Protected Areas of Slovakia (2015)

cooperation with RPS for the collection of the material in the film documentary about F. Vespertinus at SKCHV 005 Dolné Považie

E4 Communication with stakeholders Negotiation with landowners and land users in terms of creating favourable conditions for F. vespertinus

Cooperation with agricultural entities in SPA Dolné Považie:

Ing. Jozef Raučina (salt marshes Akomáň), PD Dolný Ohaj, PD Poľnohospodár, a.s. (N.Zámky, Bánov),PD Nesvady and others subjects

F1 Project management, monitoring and reporting F2 Steering Committee Meetings

project communication with coordin. beneficiary and ass. beneficiary RPS

reporting and participation at working meetings, consultations on projects

8 meetings in Bratislava, Banská Bystrica, Hungary

A5 Elaboration and submitting of Rescue Programme for F. vespertinus in the Slovak Republic

In 2016 and 2017 representatives of SNC SR, RPS and other experts met and worked on the Rescue Programme for F. vespertinus in Slovakia.

Strategic species caretaking targets have been identified to achieve a favorable status of the species. Measures were identified to achieve a favorable status by eliminating causes of threats in legislation, in practical care, in monitoring, in education and public relations, in land use outside of its natural habitat (ex situ).

The Rescue Programme used the results and experience gained during the project implementation. In 2017 it was completed and commented by the relevant state administration bodies in the field of nature and landscape conservation.

The Rescue Programme for F. vespertinus was submitted by SNC SR for approval to the Ministry of the Environment of the Slovak Republic in September 2017. It was approved on the date 11.12.2017.

Implementation of the European Species Action Plan into the National Action Plan has led to an increase in the favorable state of the species at European level. The implementation of the rescue program will ensure the sustainability of project activities in the long-term perspective.

Measures to be taken enabling favourable conservations status and eliminating threats Legal measures Practical management Instaling protection measures on electric lines Restoring and maintaining forest patches in agricultural

land Agri – environmental measures supporting conversion of

certain percentage of arable land into grasslands Ensuring supplementary nesting opportunities Facilitating restoration of rooks colonies by provision of

twigs or similar material to facilitate nest building

Monitoring monitoring of breeding population

monitoring of sites with historic records

indentifying and monitoring scheme

monitoring od nesting opportunities

monitoring of threats

filling the gaps in knowledge of the speceis distribution, abundance, trend, ecology

Public education and awareness raising

Ex situ measures – not relevant