When most people are grumbling about the cold weather, trying to stay indoors and drinking hot tea, naturalists don’t have time for that. The cold has created the right conditions to continue habitat restoration work in bird conservation territories in the Klaipėda, Ignalina and Alytus regions. While it’s freezing outside, naturalists have the opportunity to use wide-wheel tractors to remove shrubs and reeds. This helps restore wetlands and prepare potential breeding sites for the return of Europe’s rarest songbird – the Aquatic Warbler – and it’s neighbors. 

“Winter is an intensive season in abandoned fen mire habitats. Because of ice and frozen ground, heavy equipment can reach swampy territories and leave the surface undamaged. This year the weather conditions weren’t easy. Naturalists waited patiently for colder days and rushed into territories” – said Žymantas Morkvėnas, manager of the aquatic warbler conservation project and director of Baltic Environmental Forum Lithuania.

Žymantas Morkvėnas in the territory near, Alksnas lake, Ignalina dstr.

Arūnas Pranaitis, director of Žuvintas biosphere reserve, added: “We were able to work with heavy machinery cutting down woody vegetation, removing stumps and bigger humps in our reserve only for a few days in January. During the first weeks of February we continued work in territories that were not covered by water. With these conditions it was possible to clean only 9 ha in Žuvintas. When weather got colder, we continued our work.“

Habitat restoration in Žuvintas biosphere reserve

Habitat restoration work is also taking place in Kliošiai landscape reserve (Klaipėda region). During the wave of the first cold it was possible to do the hardest part – cut down territory (about 10 ha) overgrown by 3-4 meter bushes. Now work is taking place in other areas of the reserve, and it is expected that during winter 40 ha will be restored.

Habitat restoration in Kliošiai landscape reserve (Klaipėda dstr.) from the cabin of the tractor

Restored habitats in Kliošiai landscape reserve (Klaipėda dstr.)

Meanwhile in the third territory near Alksnas lake (Ignalina region) it was possible to finish all of the restoration work in January during the first cold wave.  This is the second year when the same territory of 17 ha was cleaned. Last year bushes and reeds were removed, while this year newly grown bushes and reeds were removed.

Restored habitats in territories near Alksnas lake (Ignalina dstr.)

While clearing the marshes we faced some challenges and difficulties. In Kliošai landscape reserve and territory near Alksnas lake tractors fell through ice and other tractors were needed to pull them out. “These challenges are a part of habitat restoration work in wetlands. Experienced and brave tractor drivers are doing this work. You can never be sure that ice won’t break. There are always deeper places and weak ice. “ – said  Žymantas Morkvėnas. Luckily, all of our technology was pulled out.

Tractors fell through ice in Kliošiai landscape reserve (Klaipėda dstr.) while doing habitat restoration work

Restored habitats in Kliošiai landscape reserve (Klaipėda dstr.)