Species reintroduction

Between 11-12 October 2017, we participated in a meeting entitled “Reintroduction of species: a tool for the restoration of habitats” (LIFE Platform Meeting).

In the Bouchout castle (Kasteel van Bouchout) situated at a picturesque lake in Meise near the northern border of Brussels within the area of the Botanic Garden Meise (Plantentuin Meise), we heard very interesting presentations of various projects relating to reintroduction of species and restoration of valuable natural habitats carried out in Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy, and Poland. We also took part in workshops on the above subject matter. During one of the workshops, we could present the main goals and assumptions of our project and the results we have achieved, especially those regarding the seed plantation maintained by our institution.

In order to acquire both theoretical and practical knowledge, on the way back, we visited our “colleagues” from Luxembourg who are working on the LIFE11 NAT/LU/857 project entitled „Restoration of Unio crassus rivers in the Luxemburgish Ardennes”. After a short visit in the project office in Heinerscheid, we went with two employees to the Our river.In its close vicinity, thick shelled river mussels (Unio crassus) are successfully bred. There, we learned the main assumptions of the project, results achieved, and we saw the breeding methods of this species and necessary equipment.

This visit was related to another LIFE project which we intend to carry out and the reintroduction of thick shelled river mussel will be one of the activities under that project.