The conference summarizing the project
We have summarized the four-year long efforts undertaken as part of our project. The two-day meeting in Busko Zdrój was an opportunity to talk about the effects of our actions and to discuss the future of sheep farming in Ponidzie. Several dozens of participants, including people working under LIFE projects in Greece, Belgium and Hungary, learned about the course of our project and its effects.
During the conference the following reports were presented:
“A summary of the results of the LIFE13 NAT/PL/000038 project” – Wojciech Sołtysiak, ZŚiNPK (Complex of Świętokrzyskie and the Nida River Landscape Parks) in Kielce,
“Results of nature monitoring conducted under the LIFE project” – Mariusz Simka, OBiKŚ (Ośrodek Badań i Kontroli Środowiska Sp. z o.o.) Katowice,
“Active protection – a recipe for the preservation of biodiversity” – prof. Małgorzata Jankowska-Błaszczuk from the Jan Kochanowski University in Kielce,
“Protection of Ponidzie’s natural habitats and the process of social and economic development of rural areas” – Professor Czesław Nowak from the University of Agriculture in Kraków
““Eco Service – need or necessity?” and “Small ruminants in natural environment and in culture” – Professor Andrzej Junkuszew from the University of Life Sciences in Lublin
“Biodiversity business as a tool in nature conservation” – Professor Tadeusz Zając from the Institute of Nature Conservation of the Polish Academy of Sciences
Participants discussed the social effects of restoring sheep farming in Ponidzie and methods of increasing its economic profitability
On the second day of the conference, a field trip was organized. Although there were no more sheep among the glowing oak trees in Młodzawy, the guests could still see Konik ponies lured by apples , and on the Serpentines the same interest as the sheep was aroused by the llamas grazing together with them – curious and guarding their sheep herds.