Expert consultation on Endangered Species – Natura 2000 – the situation and challenges

This year, on 18th November 2015, we held the tenth traditional expert consultation, which was co-organised with the ‘People for the Marsh’ project assets. Its purpose was to discuss the most endangered species of Natura 2000. After the initial greeting given by the Minister of the Environment and Spatial Planning, Mrs Irena Majcen, who emphasised the importance of Natura 2000 areas in Slovenia and the state of natural preservation, which is the envy of most European countries, Dr Darij Krajčič, the Director of the Republic of Slovenia Institute for Nature Conservation, highlighted the consultation as a celebration of nature preservation in Slovenia, and stressed the key importance of preserving biodiversity for the well-being of mankind.

The activities undertaken by the ‘People for the Marsh’ project, mainly those related to the preservation and protection of the last remaining extensive False Ringlet population, were also presented during the consultation, which was attended by over 130 participants. As project partners, we presented the population status for this species of butterfly in the Ljubljana Marsh and in the surrounding wetland valleys, the drastic reduction in suitable habitat over the last decade, caused primarily by human activities, and the measures employed by the ‘People for the Marsh; project, which has succeeded in preventing the extinction of this species from the Ljubljana Marsh. Steps taken for the protection and management of this species and its habitat shall continue after the completion of the ‘People for the Marsh’ project through regular work undertaken by the Ljubljana Marsh Nature Park public institute and in the form of future projects. Participants listened with interest to the presentation on the mechanism we used for improving the conditions for the False Ringlet, and the solutions – albeit short-term – that represent an important step forward for the continued protection of the False Ringlet and the biodiversity of the Ljubljana Marsh in general.