LIFE-DIVERSEED (LIFE23-NAT-SK-LIFE DIVERSEED, 101148306) is a 7-year habitat restoration project funded by the European Union’s LIFE programme
Project Duration: 1st July 2024 – 31st October 2031 (7 years)
Total Budget: 1.460.000 euro; IBRC budget: 152.800 euro
LIFE-DIVERSEED project in Romania is coordinated by Fundația ADEPT (https://fundatia-adept.org/diverseed/). IBRC Contract number: CTR NR 7704/31.10.2024
Background: DIVERSEED is a 7-year project focused on the restoration of priority grassland habitats shared between Slovakia and Romania, and brings innovative mapping and restoration techniques which will have wide and long-lasting impact after project end.
It will target 10 habitats (9 Priority Habitats in Annex I of Habitats Directive, and one Endangered habitat in the European Habitats Red List) in 33 SCIs, 30 in Slovakia and 3 in Romania. At least 920 ha of priority grassland habitats will be restored directly, and a further 1200 ha indirectly through replications. In addition, the project will give a significant boost to future grassland restoration by demonstrating, and leaving sustainable capacity for, the harvesting of seeds from priority habitats, and by developing protocols for seed collection and reseeding in protected grasslands.
Local seed mixtures are not available in Slovakia or Romania, and are needed to meet increasing demand for restoration. DIVERSEED will work closely with farmers and farmer associations, environment agencies and national authorities, who have all expressed their interest. Restoration will use classic measures including grazing, mowing, removal of invasive species. In addition, the innovative seeding approach will restore species composition of grasslands. This will also benefit pollinators; flora and pollinators will be monitored to assess project impact.
Importantly, the project will also properly map and assess the critical decline of grasslands in Romania, underestimated owing to lack of mapping capacity, and will demonstrate use of latest mapping techniques. Project results will assist improvements of agri-environment schemes in Romania which are failing to halt grassland declines. Many activities for volunteers, schools and general public will take place, as well as policy work with authorities and extensive farmer training. The seed mixtures will be designed for market uptake for further replication after the project ends.
The objective of the IBRC team:
T3.1 Mapping and planning of restoration/seed collection sites targeting habitats from ROSCI0227 Sighișoara-Târnava Mare (Romania).
T4.1 Monitoring of project restoration activities impacts on target habitats in ROSCI0227 Sighișoara-Târnava Mare (Romania)
IBRC project team:
Senior Researcher II: Dr. Anamaria Roman (project responsible at IBRC)
Senior Researcher II: Dr. Tudor Ursu
Research Assistant: PhD Student Zsombor Miholcsa
Research Assistant: Șandor Dorottya-Mária
Internship Student: Alexia Gabriela Barbu