Between May 27-28, in ‘Hotel nad Wigrami’, Gawrych Ruda, a conference organized by Wigry National Park was held. The conference was organized within the project ‘Active protection of endangered species and habitats in the Nature 2000 area - Ostoja Wigrierska’, which is financed by the LIFE+UE Financial Instrument and the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management.

Over 50 people took part in the conference, including the representatives of several national parks, universities and institutions involved in nature protection. There were 16 presentations, including the ones related to other projects carried out within the LIFE+ program:

• Lech Krzysztofiak, Wigry National Park – The project ‘Active protection of endangered species and habitats in the Nature 2000 area - Ostoja Wigrierska’ characteristics
• Dorota Zaborowska, Łukasz Skiendziul, Wigry National Park – Land purchase as the method of species and habitats protection
• Lech Krzysztofiak, Wigry National Park – Fighting Impatiens glandulifera in Wigry National Park
• Anna Krzysztofiak, Wigry National Park – Amphibians protection in the area of ‘Ostoja Wigierska’
• Joanna Adamczewska, Wigry National Park – Educational activities within the carried out LIFE+ project
• Skarżyński Dariusz, Krzysztofiak Anna, Piwnik Agata, University of Wrocław, Wigry National Park – Soil biodiversity protection in the Nature 2000 area - Ostoja Wigrierska’ in the light of the pilot studies on the springtails fauna (Collembola)
• Urszula Biereżnoj-Bazille, Biebrza National Park – Predator-pray relationship. Is it possible to reduce the impact of American mink predation on bird populations? Exapmle: Biebrza National Park
• Danuta Pepłowska-Marczak, Dawid Marczak, Kampinos National Park - Active protection of rare invertebrates species and birds open habitats in Kampinos National Park
• Radosław Olszewski, Polesie National Park – Active protection of pond turtle in the area Nature 2000 area – ‘Ostoja Poleska’
• Marek Maciantowicz, Regional Directorate of State Forests in Zielona Góra – Protection of pond turtle and fire-bellied toad (Bombina) in the lowlands of northern Europe
• Tadeusz Wilczyński, Dorota Ławreszuk, Głęboki Bród Forest District – Grouse protection in Augustów Primeval Forest, Life project
• Marzena Kaczor, Polesie National Park – Active protection of natural habitats in the Nature 2000 area – ‘Ostoja Poleska’
• Wiesław Fałtynowicz, Wrocław University – Is the protection of plants and fungi species needed?
• Małgorzata Karczewska, Andrzej Karczewski, Białowieża National Park – Active protection of endangered plants species in Białowieża National Park
• Barbara Tokarska-Guzik, Artur Wojtasik, University of Silesia in Katowice, Silesian Voivodeship Landscape Parks – Implementation of the selected protection activities in the framework of LIFE+ project - ‘Protection of valuable non-forest habitats, characteristic for the area of Eagles’ Nests Landscape Park
• Zygmunt Dajdok, Marek Malicki, Remigiusz Pielech, Ewa Szczęśniak, Wrocław University – Invasive species in lowland commercial forests on the example of LKP Barycz Valley Forests – patterns of location and size of populations

The conference was opened by the Director of Wigry National Park, dr. Jacek Łoziński, who by the way, informed the participants that in the current year the Park celebrates its 25 anniversary. The first presentations session was chaired by prof. dr. Wiesław Fałtynowicz. The first speech was presented by dr. Lech Krzysztofiak, presenting an overview of the project, within which the conference was held. Then, Wigry National Park’s employees expanded the topics of particular tasks. After the break, the guests invited from other national parks and various academic institutions had their presentations. After dinner, there was another session, chaired by dr. hab. Dariusz Skarżyński. After the presentations session, a poster session was held and 6 posters were presented.

Next, the participants went to the nearby Field Educational Station of Wigry National Park,
located by the Słupiańska Bay. The Park’s education employees presented equipment of the object, which hosts the highly popular classes, including those carried out within the project ‘Active protection of endangered species and habitats in the  Natura 2000 area - 'Ostoja Wigierska’.

On the second day of the conference, a field session was held. At the beginning, the organizers presented the culverts system for amphibians and small animals built as a part of the project, located near the village of Wiatrołuża. Then, the participants went on trip on an educational path ‘Suchary’, at which, as one of the project’s tasks, the footbridge was renewed. From this place, everyone moved to Sobolewo, where the results of fighting impatiens glandulifera were presented. Finally, one of the manure plates in Sobolewo, built within the project, was presented. The plate’s task is to stop the flow of organic pollutants from farm to the Czarna Hańcza river. This element of the program was the final for the field session, and thus for the whole conference.