Summary:

With the financial support of the European Union, as part of the Twinning Project PHARE PL/IB/2001/EN/02 "Implementation of NATURA 2000 Network in Poland", management plans of selected sites within the NATURA 2000 network have been prepared. The project was carried out by IUCN with considerable support from the French Ministry of Ecology and Sustainable Development and the Polish Ministry of the Environment. Part of this project, apart from preparing plans of management of selected pilot areas within the NATURA 2000 network, was preparing methodological tools for area management. Among other things, programmes have been prepared for the management of two existing sites: a bird site “The Małopolska Vistula Gap” (PLB140006) and a habitat site “The Zwolenka River Valley” (PLH140006) as well as a planned habitat site “The Vistula Gap in Małopolska. The following strategic aims in protecting habitats and species have been formulated:

1. Sustaining natural processes that shape the Vistula Valley, maintaining suitable habitat conditions for ecosystems to function, especially maintaining and, if necessary, recreating appropriate water relations as well as maintaining the high quality and appropriate physico-chemical composition of local waters.

2. In forest ecosystems and plantings in the Vistula Valley the main strategic aim is sustaining or re-naturisation of areas covered with riparian and dry-ground forests as well as maintaining or improving life conditions of species connected with them, especially birds. Another important aim for the Vistula Gap in Małopolska is protecting habitats connected with agriculture: (a) meadow habitats – through maintaining or re-introducing their extensive use as meadows or grazing areas, (b) xerothermic grasslands with their precious plant and animal species.

3. It is extremely important to keep the ecological corridor of the Vistula passable along its whole length, form the source to the mouth of the river. In order to do that it is necessary to move the embankments away from the river channel. For protecting the species and habitats of the Zwolenka River Valley it is vital to maintain the existing water relations.