Supporting the coexistence and conservation of Carpathian LargE CArnivores

Programme 2021 - 2027 Interreg VI-B Central Europe

Date of latest update: 2025-03-13

Description

Description (EN):

Large carnivores (LCs) are key components of forest ecosystems in the Carpathians, hosting one of the most abundant native populations of lynx, wolf and bear in Europe. However, whether populations are stable or growing is unclear as data are not collected in a harmonised way across borders, with no shared regulations and policies on LC conservation (eg. poaching prevention), and no shared understanding and coordination between stakeholders. Clear is, however, that perceived and real conflicts between humans and LCs are on the rise. To promote coexistence with local stakeholders, enable viable LC population structures, natural expansion and recolonization of LCs, evidence-based & coordinated practises are needed in the Carpathian countries. Misconceptions must also be contravened. While LECA builds on previous projects (e.g. SWiPE, LIFE Lynx, WolfAlps) it adds significant value & novelty: a consistent & efficient monitoring approach involving local stakeholders resulting in up-to-date population information in cross-border regions, coupled with effective conflict prevention measures to be rolled-out at Carpathian level, building on improved participative cooperation of key actors at local, regional and transnational level (via Carpathian Convention) . Activities concentrated in the Tatras (SK/PL), East Carpathians (SK/PL/UA), Slovak Karst - North HU Mts (SK/HU) and Beskydy-Kysuce (CZ/SK) will raise awareness, educate, engage & influence target groups: hunters, foresters, farmers, livestock & beekeepers, police investigators (poaching), ministries, municipalities and the broad public. A Thematic Guidance on LC conservation & coexistence in the Carpathians will be created & validated via pilot actions in 4 cross-border pilot & 2 reference areas, driving pilot area strategies, national recommendations and an IT app for the public. The Guidance will cover novel, unified tools for harmonized Monitoring, Poaching investigation and Conflict prevention.

Actual Achievements (EN):

After a year of project implementation, according to the approved project application form and time plan, one project activity (A.1.1) was completed and 8 deliverables (D1.1.1, D1.1.2, D1.1.3, D1.1.4, D2.1.1, D1 .2.1, D1.2.2, D3.5.1) and one project output (O3.2). Within the individual WPs, the first key milestone and at the same time an achievement for achieving the specific goal of WP1 was the development of four setting the scene documents dedicated to monitoring practices (D1.1.1), status of large carnivores (D1.1.2), status of poaching investigation ( D1.1.3) and conflict prevention practices (D1.1.4) at the level of the Carpathians and pilot areas, on which all project partners worked intensively. Another important milestone within WP1 was the establishment of active cooperation and the holding of the first consultations between the Carpathian and Alpine Conventions (D 1.2.1 & D 1.2.2) as well as the holding of the first international event of the project "JOINT CONFERENCE of the Alpine and Carpathian Conventions for the exchange of practices on management of large carnivores (D.1.4.3).” Within WP2, a key milestone for the fulfillment of a specific goal was the detailed setting of planned pilot activities for 4 pilot and 2 reference territories (D 2.1.1) and subsequently the start of pilot activities in four pilot territories and two reference territories (A2.2 & A2.3). , which includes active cross-border cooperation, data sharing, harmonization of monitoring approaches and overall setting of cooperation and fulfillment of project goals in light of three thematic pillars. Within WP3, in order to achieve a specific project from the beginning, attention was paid to the rigorous mapping of key stakeholders and the setting of mutual cooperation in selected territories as a basis for the establishment of cross-border stakeholder platforms (A3.1). Similarly, consideration was given to raising public awareness of large carnivores and their participation in the project through project pages, social networks and other communication channels of the project within A 3.5. Widening the reachout - awareness and engagement, where the first planned output of the project was finalized as part of this activity - IT solution for stakeholder involvement (O 3.2) to improve cooperation and joint data collection of project partners in cross-border territories as well as the involvement of the public and key stakeholders.

Project outputs: Thematic guidance Monitoring large carnivores(EN)
Thematic guidance Poaching investigation(EN)
Thematic guidance Conflict prevention(EN)
Recommendations for the implementation of the Carpathian ConventionInt on LC (covering CZ,HU,SK,PL,RO,UA)(EN)
Cooperation between partners(EN)
Pilot Action implemented in the Tatra Mountains on the monitoring, poaching prevention and conflict prevention of bears.(EN)
Pilot Action implemented in the East Carpathians on the monitoring, poaching prevention and conflict prevention of lynxes. (EN)
Pilot Action implemented in the Slovak Karst - North Hungarian Mountains on the monitoring, poaching prevention and conflict prevention of lynxes.(EN)
Pilot Action implemented in the Beskydy-Kysuce region on the monitoring, poaching prevention and conflict prevention of wolves.(EN)
Cross-border recommendations for Carpathian border regions(EN)
IT Solution for stakeholder involvement(EN)
Website: https://www.interreg-central.eu/projects/leca/

Thematic information

Managing natural and man-made threats, risk management Agriculture and fisheries and forestry

Priority: (VI-B_CE_2) Cooperating for a greener central Europe

Priority specific objective: RSO2.7. Enhancing protection and preservation of nature, biodiversity and green infrastructure, including in urban areas, and reducing all forms of pollution

Priority policy objective (Interreg specific objective): PO2 A greener, low-carbon transitioning towards a net zero carbon economy and resilient Europe by promoting clean and fair energy transition, green and blue investment, the circular economy, climate change mitigation and adaptation, risk prevention and management, and sustainable urban mobility

Type of intervention: 079 Nature and biodiversity protection, natural heritage and resources, green and blue infrastructure

Partners (12)

Lead Partner: Mendelova univerzita v Brně

PIC (Participant Identification Code): 998813075

Partner’s ID if not PIC: CZ62156489

Department: Department of Forest Ecology

Address: Zemědělská, 613 00 Brno, Czech Republic

Department address: Zemědělská, 613 00 Brno, Czech Republic

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Higher education and research organisations

Website: http://www.mendelu.cz

Total budget: EUR 358 086.30

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 286 469.04

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 71 617.26

Contractors:

Name: Mevra computers s.r.o.
VAT registration or tax identification number: CZ08949913

Zavod za gozdove Slovenije

Name: Zavod za gozdove Slovenije

PIC (Participant Identification Code): 951192477

Partner’s ID if not PIC: SI91496080

Address: Večna pot, 1001 Ljubljana, Slovenia

Legal status: public

Organisation type: National public authority

Website: http://www.zgs.si/

Total budget: EUR 189 077.88

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 151 262.30

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 37 815.58

Asociatia Zarand

Name: Asociatia Zarand

PIC (Participant Identification Code): 908864781

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 28253780 | National Tax Number (EN)

Address: Mihai Viteazul, 500187 Brasov, Romania

Legal status: private

Organisation type: Interest groups including NGOs

Website: http://www.zarand.org

Total budget: EUR 109 611.60

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 87 689.28

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 21 922.32

Ministerstvo životního prostředí

Name: Ministerstvo životního prostředí

Department: Department of Species Protection and Implementation of International Commitments

PIC (Participant Identification Code): 890202757

Partner’s ID if not PIC: CZ00164801

Address: Vršovická, 100 10 Prague 10, Czech Republic

Department address: Vršovická, 100 10 Prague 10, Czech Republic

Legal status: public

Organisation type: National public authority

Website: https://www.mzp.cz/

Total budget: EUR 294 606.20

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 235 684.96

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 58 921.24

Hnutí DUHA Šelmy

Name: Hnutí DUHA Šelmy

PIC (Participant Identification Code): 908851783

Partner’s ID if not PIC: CZ44936354

Address: Dolní náměstí, 77900 Olomouc, Czech Republic

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Interest groups including NGOs

Website: http://www.selmy.cz

Total budget: EUR 220 346.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 176 276.80

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 44 069.20

Štátna ochrana prírody Slovenskej republiky

Name: Štátna ochrana prírody Slovenskej republiky

PIC (Participant Identification Code): 926809587

Partner’s ID if not PIC: SK2021526188

Address: Tajovského, 974 01 Banská Bystrica , Slovakia

Legal status: public

Organisation type: National public authority

Website: http://www.sopsr.sk

Total budget: EUR 339 950.52

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 271 960.41

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 67 990.11

Contractors:

Name: IBO s.r.o.
VAT registration or tax identification number: SK2021902267

Tatrzański Park Narodowy

Name: Tatrzański Park Narodowy

PIC (Participant Identification Code): 912785424

Partner’s ID if not PIC: PL7361715304

Address: Kuźnice, 34-500 Zakopane, Poland

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Other

Website: http://www.tpn.pl

Total budget: EUR 256 576.24

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 205 260.99

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 51 315.25

Contractors:

Name: Drums And Films
VAT registration or tax identification number: NIP 125-085-25-49
Name: LINGUA LAB s.c.
VAT registration or tax identification number: NIP 6772353115
Name: VECTRONIC Aerospace GmbH
VAT registration or tax identification number: DE813227798
Name: Instytut Ochrony Przyrody PAN
VAT registration or tax identification number: NIP: 675-000-19-17

Bükki Nemzeti Park Igazgatósága

Name: Bükki Nemzeti Park Igazgatósága

Department: Természetmegőrzési Osztály (Nature Conservation Department)

Partner’s ID if not PIC: HU15323864

Address: Sánc, 3411 Eger, Hungary

Department address: Sánc, 3411 Eger, Hungary

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Other

Website: http://www.bnpi.hu

Total budget: EUR 103 335.15

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 82 668.12

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 20 667.03

Contractors:

Name: ATOS Magyarország Kft.
VAT registration or tax identification number: 10378144-2-43
Name: SERCO Informatika Zrt.
VAT registration or tax identification number: 27880056-2-41
Name: Leitz-Hungaria Kft.
VAT registration or tax identification number: 11820170-2-42

Technická univerzita vo Zvolene

Name: Technická univerzita vo Zvolene

Department: Faculty of Forestry/Department of Applied Zoology and Wildlife Management

PIC (Participant Identification Code): 949401178

Partner’s ID if not PIC: SK2020474808

Address: T. G. Masaryka, 960 01 Zvolen, Slovakia

Department address: T. G. Masaryka, 960 01 Zvolen, Slovakia

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Higher education and research organisations

Website: https://www.tuzvo.sk/en

Total budget: EUR 317 405.88

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 253 924.70

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 63 481.18

Contractors:

Name: Súkromný podnikateľ Ihor Dykyy
VAT registration or tax identification number: 2737011334
Name: RICOm secure s.r.o.
VAT registration or tax identification number: CZ08572852
Name: IBO, s.r.o., Trenčín
VAT registration or tax identification number: Sk2021902267
Name: CINEMA + spol. s.r.o.
VAT registration or tax identification number: SK2020453743

WWF Világ Természeti Alap Magyarország Alapítvány

Name: WWF Világ Természeti Alap Magyarország Alapítvány

PIC (Participant Identification Code): 950446935

Partner’s ID if not PIC: HU18226814

Address: Álmos vezér útja, 1141 Budapest, Hungary

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Interest groups including NGOs

Website: https://wwf.hu/

Total budget: EUR 278 499.20

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 222 799.36

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 55 699.84

WWF Slovensko, občianske združenie

Name: WWF Slovensko, občianske združenie

PIC (Participant Identification Code): 898469873

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 52204430 | Business ID (EN)

Address: Medená, 811 02 Bratislava, Slovakia

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Interest groups including NGOs

Website: https://slovakia.panda.org/

Total budget: EUR 288 581.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 230 864.80

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 57 716.20

Contractors:

Name: Skrivanek Slovensko, s.r.o.
VAT registration or tax identification number: SK2020107958
Name: IBO s.r.o.
VAT registration or tax identification number: SK2021902267

Fundacja WWF Polska

Name: Fundacja WWF Polska

PIC (Participant Identification Code): 939106471

Partner’s ID if not PIC: PL5213241055

Address: Usypiskowa, 02-386 Warszawa, Poland

Legal status: private

Organisation type: Interest groups including NGOs

Website: http://www.wwf.pl

Total budget: EUR 176 907.60

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 141 526.08

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 35 381.52

Contractors:

Name: WIM Michał Olejarz
VAT registration or tax identification number: NIP 6572571770
Name: IBO PL sp. z o.o.
VAT registration or tax identification number: NIP 6772363102
Name: Bartosz Pirga
VAT registration or tax identification number: PESEL 76112515437
Name: Can Agri Rydziński Sp. Komand.
VAT registration or tax identification number: NIP: 1251619714

Partners map

Lead partner

Project partner

Summary

Project name (EN): Supporting the coexistence and conservation of Carpathian LargE CArnivores

Project acronym: LECA

Project ID: CE0100170

Project start date: 2023-04-01

Project end date: 2026-03-31

Project status: ongoing

Relevant linked projects:

LIFE SWiPE (Successful Wildlife Crime prosecution in Europe) (EN) | LIFE SWiPE contributes to reducing wildlife crime (e.g. poaching, poisoning) in 11 countries in Europe (EU, non-EU) by improving compliance with the EU Environmental Law and increasing the number of successfully prosecuted offences. Establishing relations with law enforcement authorities on national level, data collection on WLC cases and training of professionals will be a good basis for LECA to bring these to a cross-border and transnational level, with a focus on the pilot area level. (EN), LIFE Lynx (LIFE16 NAT/SI/000634) (EN) | LIFE Lynx aims to preserve the Dinaric-SE Alpine lynx population from extinction by reinforcing it with animals from a viable source population from the Carpathians. LECA will build on the established methodology and cooperation among the forestry, hunting, conservation communities, and all stakeholders in LIFE Lynx (and other previous projects: LIFE Luchs, LIFE13) as excellent examples of cooperation and mutual trust, conservation, mgtt & resolving human-carnivore conflicts. (EN), LIFEstockProtect (EN) | LIFEstockProtect is a EU-funded project (LIFE programme, 2020-2025) supporting human-lifestock-wildlife coexistence in the predominantly German-speaking Alpine region. Being also aimed at conflict management in the mountain areas, LECA will seek to establish contacts with the LIFEstockProtect representatives and cross-feed their findings during the planning and the implementation of conflict prevention pilot actions in WP2 and the resulting guidelines in WP1. (EN), LIFE WOLFALPS EU (2013-2018; 2019-2024) (EN) | LIFE WOLFALPS works comprise two projects; one is still ongoing and based on the previous “LIFE Award for Nature” project. LECA’s work would be similar to the one of WOLFALPS where LECA could build synergies by taking up some of the best practices from the Alpine Region and adapt them to the Carpathian conditions during WP2 pilots, Improving wolf-human coexistence through participatory approaches. (EN), Carpathian Convention and Alpine Convention (EN) | The Carpathian Convention (CC) and Alpine Convention (AC) are transnational treaties, covering and representing many environmental topics including large carnivores (CC International Action Plan, AC Declaration of XVI Conference). LECA preparations will be based on CC (Working Group on Biodiversity) and AC consultations about previous results, and project results will feed the agenda of these organisations for transnational implementation, roll-out and transferability. (EN), 3Lynx (2017-2020)
(EN) | The 3Lynx project (LP MoE CZ) helped to improve the lynx population’s status at a population level by preparing joint strategies and management plans for 3 lynx international populations - the Bohemian-Bavarian-Austrian, Dinaric, and South-East Alpine. LECA will build on experiences with involving policy makers and preparing species protection strategies on the population level. Synergy will also come from the targeted activities – methods of monitoring, reducing poaching, conflict prevention and stakeholder´s participation in different countries and landscapes. (EN)

Total budget/expenditure: EUR 2 932 983.57

Total EU funding (amount): EUR 2 346 386.84

Total EU funding (co-financing rate): 80.00%

Co-financing sources:

ERDF: Amount, EUR 2 346 386.84. Co-financing rate, 80.00%.

Investments, deliverables, policy contributions

(bullets are inserted automatically and may be incorrectly placed)

Deliverables:

Status report on current monitoring practices of large carnivores in the Carpathians
Status report on existing large carnivore population data and information in pilot areas
Analysis on the current status of poaching investigations of large carnivores in the Carpathians
Analysis on conflict prevention practices between humans and large carnivores in the Carpathians
Series of online consultations on A1.1 analyses with Carpathian Convention (CC) WG Biodiversity
Series of online consultations on the LC analyses with the Alpine Convention
3 Draft Thematic Guidances to be validated in pilot areas
Concluding consultations held on the validated LC guidances with the Carpathian Convention (CC)
Conclude consultations on the validated LC guidances with Alpine Convention (AC)
Joint thematic meeting to agree on three final Thematic Guidelines
Guidance to the implementation of the Intl Action Plan on LCs, incl. through updating Report on LCs
European recommendations and transnational harmonisation of LCs based on validated Final Guidances
Dissemination (and webinar) event on LCs organised at Carpathian and Alpine Convention level
Prepare Pilot Actions for the 4 core and 2 reference areas
Peer review among partners to harmonize pilots and ensure high standards
Joint peer review meeting of partners to fine-tune pilot plans for second season
Kick-off meetings for the local public of pilot areas to launch pilots.
Pilot Action in Pilot Area 1 - Tatras (SK, PL), bear
Pilot Action in Pilot Area 2 - East Carpathians (PL, SK, UA), lynx
Pilot Action in Pilot Area 3 - Slovak Karst -North Hungarian Mountains (SK, HU), lynx
Pilot Action in Pilot Area 4 Beskydy-Kysuce (CZ, SK) wolf
Cooperation with / study visits for livestock keepers and beekeepers
Series of seminars to tackle poaching
Report on Reference Area nr 1 (Slovenia) activities on wolf conservation
Report on Reference Area 2 (RO) activities on BEAR
Joint synthesis of pilot results from 4+2 pilot areas to feed into Thematic Guidances in WP1
Local info days or Info stands at local events in Pilot Areas to present pilot action result
Established cross-border stakeholder platforms in each of the 4 core Pilot Areas
Up to 6 consultations of cross-border stakeholder platforms
Peer reviewed draft strategies finalised through workshops (4)
Final Pilot Area level strategies
Meeting report / declaration of intent
Hunters’ training material
Integration of recommendations into university curricula
Series of national roundtable discussions to engage policymakers into formulation of recommendations
National recommendations on LC conservation and management
Supporting the uptake of national recommendations
IT solution for stakeholder engagement
Awareness raising events of LCs based on project outputs and results for the national public
Genuine press and media content to dispel misinformation

Contribution to wider strategies and policies:

EuropeanGreenDeal LECA contributes to the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 (part of the European Green Deal) commitment to “put in place a new European biodiversity governance framework” by creating recommendations for the European Agriculture and Fisheries Council on large carnivore governance (monitoring, poaching investigation and conflict prevention) in Central Europe (D1.4.2, resp.: MoE CZ).
TerritorialAgenda2030 LECA will support “green and blue infrastructure networks that link ecosystems and protected areas in spatial planning, land management and other policies” by creating strategies for the cross-border pilot areas (AT3.2, AT3.4) that, if endorsed by relevant authorities, can support the mainstreaming of project results towards national policies and their harmonization across CE countries.
EUStrategyDanubeRegion LECA contributes to Priority Area 6 target 2 “Strengthen the efforts to halt the deterioration in the status of species and habitats occurring in the Danube Region and covered by EU nature legislation and in particular to continue the ongoing work and efforts to securing viable populations of Danube sturgeon species” by supporting large carnivore conservation in the project areas falling within the Danube region (all activities).
EUStrategyAdriaticIonianRegion The LECA partnership includes one partner (SFS, Slovenia) that has territorial relevance for the EUSAIR. In this regard, LECA supports the programme’s goal of protecting transnational terrestrial habitats and biodiversity, with a specific focus on the “development of national and transnational management plans for large carnivores.” Besides, the joint guidelines and recommendations created by LECA can be easily transferred to the relevant bodies of other countries in the region.
EUStrategyAlpineRegion The LECA consortium includes one partner (SFS, Slovenia) that has territorial relevance for the EUSAIR. Functioning as a catalyst for transnational data and knowledge sharing, LECA will contribute to addressing the EUSALP AG7 objective “to strengthen, improve and restore biodiversity” in the region.
Other UN Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development
LECA will directly address the UN Sustainable Development Goal 15, specifically: ensuring the conservation of mountain ecosystems; halting the loss of biodiversity; integrating ecosystem and biodiversity values into national and local development processes; taking global actions to end poaching and trafficking.

Deliverable (other than infrastructural investment) areas:

Česko (CZ)
Slovensko (SK)
Slovensko (SK)
Magyarország (HU)

Programme Common Output Indicator:

RCO 084 - Pilot actions developed jointly and implemented in projects, Measurement unit:
RCO 116 - Jointly developed solutions, Measurement unit:
RCO 083 - Strategies and action plans jointly developed, Measurement unit:
RCO 087 - Organisations cooperating across borders, Measurement unit:

Delivered output indicator(s):

(RCO116) Jointly developed solutions: 1.0
(RCO87) Organisations cooperating across borders: 27.0

Programme Common Result Indicator:

RCR 084 - Organisations cooperating across borders after project completion, Measurement unit:
RCR 104 - Solutions taken up or up-scaled by organisations, Measurement unit:
RCR 079 - Joint strategies and action plans taken up by organisations, Measurement unit:

Project part of European Union Macro-Regional or Sea Basin Strategy: EUSALP

EUSALP Priority (Policy) area / Horizontal action:

EUSALP Degree of compliance:

Project part of European Union Macro-Regional or Sea Basin Strategy: EUSDR

Project part of European Union Macro-Regional or Sea Basin Strategy: EUSAIR

EUSAIR Priority (Policy) area / Horizontal action:

EUSAIR Degree of compliance:

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

Financing programme

2021 - 2027 Interreg VI-B Central Europe

Last month that data in keep.eu was retrieved from the Programme's website or received from the Programme

2025-03-31

No. of projects in keep.eu / Total no. of projects (% of projects in keep.eu)

100 / 100 (100%)

No. of project partnerships in keep.eu / Total no. of project partnerships (% of project partnerships in keep.eu)

1 017 / 1 018 (99.9%)

Notes on the data

Programme's webpage last visited on 2025-03-17.

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Supporting the coexistence and conservation of Carpathian LargE CArnivores

Description

Thematic information

Partners (12)

Partners map

Summary

Investments, deliverables, policy contributions

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

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