As early as 2019, the CBRC had constructive discussions with fellow chiropterologists from Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia about an international bat conservation project. After the elaboration of the project, clarifications and additions, in the middle of 2021 we received the long-awaited news that the project will receive funding from the European Union, through the LIFE+ instrument.
The title of the project is LIFE PODKOWIEC PLUS: back to the forest – holistic conservation of bat breeding habitats (LIFE+ PODKOWIEC TOWERS, LIFE20 NAT/PL/001427). The coordinator of the project is the Polish Society of Friends of Nature “pro Natura” (Poland), the other beneficiaries being the General Directorate of State Forests (Poland), the Czech Society for the Protection of Bats (Czech Republic), the Association Center for Bat Research and Conservation (Romania) and Bat Protection Society of Slovakia (Slovakia). The project page also exists in English, respectively on the European Commission page.
The project is implemented between October 1, 2021 and September 30, 2026, with a budget of EUR 4,924,974, of which the European Union’s contribution is EUR 2,954,984, and that of the National Fund for Nature Protection and Water Management (Poland) is EUR 1,656,349. The CBRC / Romanian budget is EUR 64,147, of which CCCL’s own contribution is EUR 3,000. The objectives of the project are:
- Protection and improvement of conditions of the important roosts for nine bat species
- Change from a reactive to a proactive approach to the protection of bats
- Enhancement of institutional support for bat conservation
Below you can track the project implementation activities in Romania, with the most recent event at the top of the list (without general project management activities).
2024 December
We participate in the annual meeting of the international LIFE project team in Murán, Slovenia, discussing potential future projects.
An informational board is installed under Gaura cu Muscă Cave.
2024 October
We organize a workshop on all topics related to bat research and conservation for biologists from national and nature parks, as well as for colleagues from NGOs and schools. The workshop took place in Cernat, Covasna County, with 25 biology colleagues from 22 conservation and education entities participating, including 15 national and nature parks.
Colleagues from Poland, together with the official monitor of LIFE projects of Poland, visited Eșelnița and the Dubova-Băile Herculane area to review the project’s progress.
2024 September
We are consolidating the entrance to a mine gallery near Dubova and placing a warning panel at the entrance. The site is an important hibernation roost for the lesser horseshoe bat (Romania’s bat of the years 2024–2025), because the entrance showed signs of collapse.
We clean the entrance area of Mare from Soroniște Cave, mounted an informational board at the entrance, and placed a warning sign before the 30 m vertical drop inside. Later, we moved to Mare from Șălitrari Cave, where we installed a warning panel at the cave entrance. Thanks to colleagues Radu and Ariana for their help!
2024 July
We are placing informational and warning boards at Veterani Cave, Gaura Haiducească, and Gaura cu Muscă Caves in the Iron Gates Nature Park.
We are monitoring the maternity colonies in the LIFE project area (Domogled-Valea Cernei National Park and Iron Gates Nature Park).
2024 June
We are replacing the old gate at the Cloșani Cave with a bat-friendly one.
We install information and warning boards at the target caves of the project in Portile de Fier and Domogled.
2024 May
We are starting the implementation of concrete conservation measures, by installing a bat-friendly fence at the Padina Matei Cave.
We continue the implementation of conservation measures, by deepening the riverbed at Gaura cu Muscă Cave, to prevent the access of tourists, in order to preserve bats.
2024 April
We publish on the www.lilieci.ro portal an informative article about our work within the project.
2024 March
We monitor hibernating bats in the target caves of the project.
2024 February
We continue to implement conservation measures in the target caves of the project, through site visits and accurate planning / measurements.
2024 January
We are carrying out the first conservation measure, i.e. we are cleaning the Despicătură Cave from the remains of the former thermal pipelines.
2023 November
We are working on finalizing the details of the bat conservation measures and the information and warning signs to be placed at the caves. We will apply bat conservation measures at a total of 5 locations: we will place a bat-friendly gate at the entrance of 2 caves, prevent access to 1 cave by deepening the riverbed, close access to 1 cave with a fence along the path, and consolidate the entrance to 1 mine gallery.
2023 October
We are participating in the annual meeting of the project team, which this time is held in Olomouc, Czech Republic.
We are participating in the 14th Hungarian Bat Conservation Conference in Szaporca, where we also present the details of the LIFE project in frame of our presentation about bats of the Banat region.
2023 July
We monitor the nursery colonies at those caves in the two Natura 2000 sites, where we will implement direct and indirect conservation measures.
2023 May
We create a bookmark series with the target bat species of the LIFE project.
2023 April
We obtain the necessary permits for the implementation of bat conservation measures in the Domogled – Valea Cernei National Park and Iron Gates Nature Park.
2023 March
We finalize the concepts for the conservation measures at caves, for the protection of resident bat colonies. A total of five locations will benefit from direct conservation measures (ex. bat-friendly closing, consolidating entrance etc.), while a total of seven sites will benefit from indirect conservation measures (information and warning boards, cleaning of the cave environment).
2023 February
We monitor the hibernation colonies in the two target Natura 2000 sites, and where direct and indirect conservation measures will be implemented.
2022 October
Independently of this project, we are the co-organizers of the 5th National Bat Research Conference of Romania (together with the Myotis Group), taking place in Cernatu de Sus, Covasna county, on October 21-23. The conference was the ideal place to present the LIFE+ project to fellow bat researchers in Romania. The October activity was undertaken under E1.10.
2022 June
We travel to monitor the nursery colonies at the locations where we know about such colonies and where conservation measures will be implemented: Ungurului de la Pecenișca Cave, Veterani Cave, Padina Matei Cave, Gaura cu Muscă Cave, and Despicătura Cave. We are also looking for a possible replacement for this last site, at the Baziaș Tunnel. The June activities were undertaken under D1.3.
2022 April
We are travelling to Domogled National Park – Valea Cernei and Iron Gates Nature Park, to evaluate the locations that will benefit from conservation measures, respectively to the following caves: Ungurului de la Pecenișca Cave, Mare de la Șălitrari Cave, Veterani Cave, Padina Matei Cave and Gaura cu Muscă Cave. We are also looking for a replacement for Despicătura Cave, which has been preserved by restoring the existing gate already. The April activities were undertaken under A2.3.
2021 October
The project is officially launched. The Romanian part targets 2 Natura 2000 sites, respectively ROSCI0069 Domogled – Valea Cernei, and ROSCI0206 Porțile de Fier, by conserving bats with activities at / in 6 caves.
Contact person and project manager for Romania: Szilárd-Lehel Bücs, 0747 921 684, contact@lilieci.ro