The Czech Union for Nature Conservation Vlašim in cooperation with The Czech Union for Nature Conservation Arboristic Academy, The Biology Centre CAS and partners from Nrway and Sweden launched the implementation of a project focused on the care of veteran trees with regard to the rare species they host. The output should be a methodology for the care of these tree veterans and 350 exemplary treated trees.

Old and dying trees provide varied habitats for many species of rare and endangered organisms. Among the representatives of insects, e.g. family jewel beetles, longhorn beetles, flower flies. The emerging cavities and cracks are a place for birds to nest, bats to hibernate, ants, wasps, hornets, but also Apodemuses, squirrels and martens live here. The environment of old trees is often unique and irreplaceable. Finding this environment for organisms bound to old trees can be a matter of survival or extinction. Nowadays, however, old and dying trees are disappearing from the landscape.

To improve the conditions of species tied to old and dying trees and to standardize the care of these trees, the implementation of the Veteran Tree Experience Transfer project, the transfer of experience from the veteranization of trees and the saving of habitats of endangered saproxylic species (reg. no. 3211100001), which is supported by EEA/Norway Funds 2014 – 2021 – CZ-ENVIRONMENT program, was launched. The main coordinator of the project is the ČSOP Vlašim, the partners of the project are the ČSOP Arborist Academy and the Biological Center CAS. The project team is complemented by foreign specialists dealing with the issue of old trees for a long time – Tree Solution from Norway and Pro Natura from Sweden. The project takes place at 6 locations from South Moravia to Central Bohemia. As part of the project, targeted arboricultural interventions will be implemented to improve the condition of old and dying trees, and a methodology for caring for these trees will be created. A unified database of senescent biotope trees and their stands in the Czech Republic will be prepared, which will serve as a valuable source of information for arborists and state administration workers. The project will also focus on the popularization of old trees as valuable biotopes for endangered species, a traveling exhibition will be prepared, which can be borrowed directly from the ČSOP Vlašim.

More information about the project and veteran trees at:

veterantrees.eu

Ing. Karel Kříž

karel.kriz@csop.cz, 777800458

In Vlašim

i 22.11.2022

Picture 1. Presentation of the project at the conference

Picture 2. Insect larvae attached to dead wood

Picture 3. Presentation of the project at the ČSOP Vlašim stand at the Our Nature conference in Olomouc