Did you know that ...
... one-third of all European vascular plant species can be found in the Carpathians? That means almost 4,000 plant species, and 481 of them are found only in the Carpathians!
… Gerlachovsky Peak (2,655 m altitude) in the High Tatras in Slovak Republic is the highest peak of the Carpathians?
… the European Union’s largest populations of brown bears, wolves, lynx, European bisons and imperial eagles (globally threatened species) are found in the Carpathians?
… 36 national parks, 51 nature parks and protected landscape areas, 19 biosphere reserves and 200 other protected areas are member of the Carpathian Network of Protected areas
… there are 36 registered UNESCO World Heritage sites and 49 important pilgrimage destinations in the Carpathian area?
… the number of hotels in the Carpathians has increased by nearly 60% in the last ten years?
… the Carpathians contain the continent's largest remaining natural mountain beech and beech/coniferous forest ecosystems and the largest area of pristine forest in Europe (outside Russia)?
... the Carpathians are the largest, most twisted and fragmented mountain chain in Europe? They are Europe’s largest mountains by area.
… in the 1970’s, about 1,000,000 people worked in the mining sector in the Carpathians? Today, the number of employees in this sector is about 340,000.
… the Carpathians were put on the WWF ‘Global 200’ list of major ecoregions in need of biodiversity and habitat conservation?
… more than half of the Carpathians are covered by forests? The Carpathian forests are a vital link between the forests of the north and those of the west and south-west of Europe.
WG Biodiversity
Ninth Meeting of the Working Group on Biodiveristy + EUSDR PA2 Workshop on minimising the negative impacts of power lines on birds
Expert workshop on Minimising the negative impacts of power lines on birds - 29 May 2019, Ostrava, Czech Republic
Electricity power grids are expanding rapidly, which can, however, have negative impacts on biodiversity. Birds are particularly concerned, as they are threatened by collisions and electrocutions. During the workshop, experts from different fields will be invited to discuss possible ways how to reconcile energy distribution with the protection of birds. The workshop allowed for deeper understanding of the issue, presenting several related projects implemented in different countries of the Danube/Carpathian region. It will also provided also an opportunity to exchange experience and share examples of good and feasible practice, as well as of unsuitable solutions.
The workshop was attended by representatives from energy companies, biodiversity experts, policy makers and other stakeholders from the Danube/Carpathian region.
The event took palce on 29 May 2019 in Ostrava, Czech Republic and it was organised by the Priority Area 2 of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR) together with the Secretariat of the Carpathian Convention, back to back to the 9th Meeting of the Carpathian Convention Working Group on Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biological and Landscape Diversity.
Protecting birds from power lines focusing on countries of Danube/Carpathian region
Protecting birds from power lines focusing on countries of Danube/Carpathian region - policy paper
9th meeting of the Carpathian Convention Working Group on Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biological and Landscape Diversity (WG Biodiversity) - 30 – 31 May 2019 in Ostrava, Czech Republic
Following the mandate of the Fifth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Carpathian Convention (COP5), the 9th WG Biodiversity meeting was largely dedicated to discussions on large carnivore’s topic and related development of the International Action Plan the for the conservation and sustainable management for the Carpathian populations of large carnivores.
The WG Biodiversity meeting, among the other, discussed the relevant for the Carpathian region projects and related next steps, and the Carpathian Convention Contribution to the Post2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. For more information, please see the draft meeting agenda.
Meeting presentations:
- TRANSGREEN, ConnectGREEN, EUROLARGECARNIVORES – projects presentations – Cristian Remus Papp, WWF Romania
- CentralParks – project presentation - Filippo Favilli, Eurac Research
- Update on CNPA activities and cooperation with ALPARC, DANUBEPARKS - Mircea Verghelet, CNPA Unit
- Carpathian Wetlands Initiative – presentation of CWI activities and updates - Jan Kadlecik, CWI
- National reports on implementation of the Biodiversity Protocol – conclusions – Secretariat of the Carpathian Convention
- Carpathian NEW DEAL for NATURE – Andreas Beckmann, WWF CEE
- Towards elaboration of the International action plan for the conservation and sustainable management for the Carpathian populations of large carnivores – presentation of steps taken - Secretariat of the Carpathian Convention
- Nature through the eyes of many: Camera traps database – analytical model - Matyáš Adam, University in Zlín
- Status of large carnivores and monitoring methods in the Alps - Filippo Favilli, Eurac Research
- Presentation of progress towards a report on population status of large carnivores and monitoring methods in every Carpathian country -Ovidiu Ionescu, CIC
- Population status of large carnivores and monitoring methods in Ukraine –Anna Boklan, Anna Pridun, Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Ukraine)
- Science for Carpathians: biodiversity research agenda and recommendations – Lubos Halada, Science for the Carpathians
- Research on Large Carnivores in Poland - S4C Inputs
