Aquatic warblers given LIFEline

30-11-2006

A significant step has been taken toward the protection of the legendary Biebrza Marshes in Poland. The RSPB (BirdLife in the UK) – working with OTOP (BirdLife in Poland) - has provided a guarantee of over £400,000 toward an £3.67 million EU LIFE Project to manage crucial land for the benefit of Aquatic Warbler.

The project - which has been developed jointly by the RSPB and OTOP – is the first step in the creation and management of 42,000 hectares (approximately 160 square miles) of fen and wet meadow, mostly in Poland, but also in a small part of Germany. Of this, an area of over 11 square miles will be restored to pristine wetland for the benefit of the globally-threatened aquatic warbler.

Commenting on the news, the RSPB’s chief executive, Graham Wynne, said: “The Biebrza Marshes support 80 per cent of the European Union’s population of the globally-threatened aquatic warbler. Without using RSPB funds to purchase land, we were concerned that this bird might not have had a secure future in its European stronghold as its last breeding sites could be lost through the intensification or abandonment of farming.”

The majority of the project is centered on the Biebrza marshes of eastern Poland. Currently, the marshes – also an Important Bird Area (IBA) - are an important stronghold for the Aquatic Warbler.

“Since joining the European Union in 2004, the nature of Poland has presented us with some threats, like intensive agriculture, and more opportunities, like the EU Life Funds, that will allow us to protect important habitat like these marshes” —Izabela Flor, Chief Executive of OTOP.

The threatened Aquatic Warbler Acrocephalus paludicola is thought to have declined significantly in Europe as a result of loss of large portions of suitable river habitat – habitat loss for the warbler in Europe is estimated at 40% in the last 10 years.

“The wildlife of Biebrza Marshes is incredibly important and distinctive. Four out of five of all the European Union’s aquatic warblers occur here, as well as around half of the EU’s greater spotted eagles, along with great snipe, elk and beaver.” said Izabela Flor, Chief Executive of OTOP.

For the RSPB this represents their first contribution to overseas land purchase. For OTOP, there is also new ground; as a recent member of the EU, they have access to EU Life Funds, a vital resource for conservation in EU member states.