The second meeting of teams performing LIFE projects

Several dozen people from various parts of Poland and long discussions devoted to the projects implemented, to the regulation interpretation, reports and settlements, inspections and the „afterlife” of projects after the EU funding is over. This was the course of the second meeting of teams performing LIFE projects. It was held on 3 and 4 December at the feet of the castle in Smoleń, in welcoming interiors of the Educational and Scientific Centre, belonging to the Silesian Landscape Park Complex.

We came from various parts of Poland to discuss the finance, performance and reporting, as well as project sustainability and settlements in three teams in an open formula. This exchange of experience was even more valuable as the progress of different project differs, from the ones in their initial phase, through the ones which submitted their midterm reports, to the ones awaiting approval of their final settlement.

As the financial settlement forms were changed, the information we could obtain from more experienced colleagues is impossible to overestimate. How to settle remuneration? How to cope with dishonest vendors and contractors? How to document project sustainability? The answers to those and many other questions were sought together, also thanks to the presence of the EU Monitor, Mr Stanisław Tworek.

Our group was most interested in exchanging experience related to sheep grazing and protection of xerothermic grassland. Similar projects are performed in the voivodeship of Silesia and Lesser Poland. This is why the trip and site inspection to the flock grazing site in Olsztyn near Częstochowa was even more attractive for us. We could observe how efficient the sheep are with respect to protecting xerothermic grassland against expansion of other plants.