Estonian LIFE integrated project „ForEst&FarmLand“ team visited Lithuania during 13-16 September. They came to gain experience from LIFE integrated project „Naturalit“, which is being implemented for already five years.
Both projects have very similar goals – to strengthen the protection of Natura 2000 areas and the most vulnerable species, as well as to implement nature conservation measures in agriculture and forestry.
During the visit, the focus was put on agri-environmental measures and livestock grazing as the most natural and effective mean of restoring and maintaining semi-natural meadows. The guests together with representatives of Lithuania visited Dzūkija, where they got acquainted with the management of the Grūda valley by grazing Hereford cattle.
Specialists from the Dzūkija National Park and Vytautas Magnus University also presented planned forest management experiments, the goal of which is to open up part of the continental dunes, create better conditions for endangered species, and study the effectiveness of prescribed burning for the regeneration of stands and maintaining of rare species.
The Estonian delegation also visited the Aukštaitija National Park, where they were interested in the effectiveness of the result-based agri-environmental measure. They also got acquainted with restoration of meadow habitats on the Pabiržė peninsula by grazing cattle and sheeps, as well as the nature management of the Ginučiai oak grove.
Representatives of Lithuania and Estonia also shared good communication experience, effective ways to reach the audience and introduce the public to the importance of biodiversity and natural habitat preservation.
