Bio-diversity

Military testing grounds, despite destruction caused by military exercises,a very valuable areas of great potential biodiversity value - access was a long time not possible for normal activities, so parts of military testing grounds proved to be very valuable.Changes in Poland since 1989 and final leave of Russian Army in September 1992brought back to Poland area nearly big as a tyotal surface of national parks.Some were taken by Polish army, some were transferred to Regional Forest Inspectorates. Project is preparing standard protection programmes for valuable parts of testing grounds, securing effective protection of habitats and species.Testing ground OKONEK which became Forest Inspectorate property and testng active ground Wedrzyn (used by NATO) were targed model sites to be replicated (management,protection activities) in other areas of Poland. Okonek - preparation of documents for 2 reserves based on full inventaory of fauna and flora and valorisation; active protection - clearing of surface of secondary vegetation on 100ha of dunes; improvement of hydrological situation (construction of 24 small dykes). in Wedrzyn - preparation of protection programe for active testing ground based on full inventory together with protection zone.Preparaton of brochure in Polish and English(4000 copies each version) for soldiers (including NATO).Workshop for services of testing ground in wedrzyn, workshop for all services in poland (all testing grounds).

Poland