The stories, only veteran trees can tell

The aim of the project is to raise awareness of the importance of the veteran trees and through public education support their presence in the landscape.

Sub-goals:

garden owners support veteran trees on their plots;
the general public understands the importance and method of deadwood management;
teachers and students understand the meaning of protecting veteran trees and can communicate the topic of habitat protection veteran trees in teaching;
public administration officials support veteran trees in municipalities and know how to eliminate the risks associated with them;

Planned activities and their schedule

Media campaign: IX/2021 – IV/2023
Photo contest: VI 2021 – VI 2022, exhibition VII/2022 – IV/2023
A series of professional popularization articles: VI/2021 – VI/2023
Conference EVVO: XI/2021
Veteran Trees Conference: spring 2022
Education program: X/2021 – VI/2023
Workshops at residential and suburban camps: summer 2021, léto 2022
Publications for children and the public: IX/2021 – III/2022: content preparation; IV – XII/2022: printing and distribution
Educational events for the public: VI/2021 – VI/2023

Project implementation progress

The media campaign and educational events aim to inform and motivate a wide audience the public to protect veteran trees and species tied to them;
With a photo contest and subsequent exhibition, we draw the public’s attention to the presence and beauty of the veteran trees in its vicinity;
Popular-scientific articles will provide readers with information and a deeper insight into the surrounding context habitats of veteran trees;
The EVVO conference will make it possible to transfer the knowledge and methodology to the integration of the topic of the veteran to educators trees for own teaching, including a space for exchanging experiences;
The Veteran Trees conference will provide information on the issue of veteran trees and examples good practice of municipal mayors and officials participating in administrative proceedings.
The educational program will allow us to reach the school youth who are graduating in addition to the educational program program and a separate field activity;
Workshops at summer camps will enable the involvement of informal groups in getting to know and practical protection of veteran trees;
Field identification keys of wood decay fungi and insects bound to veteran trees. The keys will enable closer knowledge of the habitats of veteran trees. The keys will allow gardeners to determine based on the stage of decomposition the wood of its originator, as well as to estimate the possible further development of the veteran tree, or its (in)security for your surroundings.

Organizational guarantee

The main solver of the project is the Czech Union for Nature Conservation Vlašim

Project coordinator: Mgr. Tomáš Potfaj,

Project partners

Naše příroda z.s.

Contact person: Aleš Darebník

Realization date: 1.6.2021 – 30.6.2023

Project number: 3201400035

Project budget: 1 443 600,- Kč

Amount of contribution from a grant from FM Norway: 1 104 354,- Kč

Subsidy amount SEF CR: 194 886,- Kč

The project is supported by a grant from the Norwegian Funds in the Environment, Ecosystems and Climate Change program aimed at raising public awareness in the area of improving the state of the environment in ecosystems.