Partners
Callisto - Wildlife and Nature Conservation Society
The Environmental Organization for Wildlife and Nature CALLISTO was founded in 2004 in Northern Greece (Thessaloniki) by scientists with extensive experience in the field of environmental research and management. Their actions mainly concern the promotion of the sustainable coexistence of humans and wildlife, emphasizing three species of carnivores (bear, wolf, and jackal) and their habitats. Their aims include environmental protection, biodiversity preservation, wildlife study, support for protected areas, and community involvement in conservation.
In the LIFE Wild Wolf project, CALISTO is managing general project communication activities and coordinating the implementation of participatory processes.
Istituto di Ecologia Applicata - Coordinating Beneficiary
The Istituto di Ecologia Applicata (IEA) is a non-profit private organisation founded in 1987 with the aim of supporting conservation of natural heritage through applied scientific research. IEA activities include conservation, ecology and management of wildlife and habitats, protected areas planning and management, and environmental education and training. IEA works on large carnivores’ conservation since 1991 and the activities developed since prove its ability to support effective management and its capacity to work at multiple levels to achieve specific conservation objectives.
Based on the experience with wolf management and applied research and coordination of several LIFE projects, IEA will be overlooking the overall implementation of LIFE Wild Wolf project. IEA will also be responsible for monitoring and evaluation of project’ results and testing and replicating actions in areas outside the project sites. IEA will also participate in data collections for understanding and reducing drivers of wolf habituation, development of intervention protocols, analysis of drivers for wolf-dog interactions, and all communication activities and implementation of participatory processes.
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb
The Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb (FVM) is a public institution providing professional education to undergraduate and postgraduate students in Croatia being a national leader in wildlife scientific research.
The FVM’s large carnivore research team is active since 1981. In the LIFE Wild Wolf project, FVM is responsible for the implementation of tasks dealing with reduction of wolf-dog interactions, by limiting the sources of hybridization: capture and sterilization of free-ranging dogs in pilot project areas. Additionally, hotspots and variables associated with lethal wolf-dog interactions will be identified.
Croatian Hunting Association
(Hrvatski lovački savez)
The Croatian Hunting Association (Hrvatski lovački savez, HLS) is an association of Croatian hunters acting through the 21 counties’ associations, with the membership of 1050 hunting associations and 50 other legal and physical persons engaged in hunting. Overall, more than 66000 hunters have been registered with the Croatian Hunting Association. Through its work and the work of its members, HLS takes care of nature protection, conservation, breeding and proper game hunting, and it plays a strong social role in rural areas. HLS is well represented in the public structures, through active involvement in the working and expert groups related to biodiversity and nature protection policy.
In the LIFE Wild Wolf project, HLS will be involved in participate in understanding and reducing drivers of wolf habituation, development of procedural basis for the reduction of wolf-human interactions in urban and peri-urban areas, reduction of wolf-dog interactions by testing dog protecting devices, and setting the guidelines for reducing damages to hunting and guarding dogs. Due to the extensive network of HLS members in local communities in Dalmatia, it will have a coordination role for the case of Dalmatia and activities within stakeholder involvement and participatory meetings with local communities.
Lower Saxony State Agency for Water Management, Coastal Protection and Nature Conservation - NLWKN
The Lower Saxony State Agency for Water Management, Coastal Protection and Nature Conservation (NLWKN) is the technical agency for dyke safety, clean water and maintaining biodiversity. Within the NLWKN, the professional wolf management has continuously been developed and led to the founding of the Wolf office on July 1, 2015. The Wolf office is responsible for the official assessment of wolf occurrence and behavior, and for reporting within the Habitat Directive’s framework. The Wolf office is planning and, if necessary, implementing or coordinating management measures (e.g. wolf capture and collaring, deterring of wolves), grants permits under the species protection law and is also the central contact point for citizens, advises the public and authorities and develops information material.
Slovenia Forest Service
(Zavod za Gozdove Slovenije)
Slovenia Forest Service (SFS) is a public service, directing the development of all Slovenian forests (nearly 60 % of total Slovenian territory); no matter of ownership. SFS is also the wildlife management planning authority in Slovenia, which includes management planning of game species and involvement in all large carnivore conservation/management issues. One of the expert departments on SFS is Department for wildlife and hunting, which is responsible for preparation of crucial strategic documents (Management strategies, Action plans, etc.), for wildlife monitoring, registration and evaluation of damages done by protected wildlife species, emergency team for large carnivores, elaboration of The Game Management Plans for Hunting Districts, subsidies for improving forest habitats, etc. SFS is also responsible for managing 10 State Hunting Grounds with Special Purpose, of which seven cover an area of total 145.743 ha in the proposed project area.
In the LIFE Wild Wolf project, SFS will address hot spots of conflict and respond with field visits. We will work preventively in areas where conflicts occur by working with farmers, pastoralists and livestock breeders who are interested in preventing wolf attacks on their grazing animals. To this end, we will distribute kits of high-electric fences, livestock guarding dogs, and additional intervention kits will be available for quick response and assistance to farmers in the field. Based on the results and experience, we will also prepare a manual for cattle protection. SFS will review existing data and information on the occurrence of wolves near settlements and monitor new cases of encounters with wolves near settlements by looking into the situation on the ground. SFS will also participate in a variety of communication activities including the series of events with a participatory process with different levels of involvement.
Slovenian Chamber of Agriculture and Forestry -(Kmetijsko Gozdarska Zbornica Slovenije)
The Slovenian Chamber of Agriculture and Forestry is the trade union organization of farmers in the Republic of Slovenia. Its mission is to represent the interests of its membership in legislative procedures, to provide technical, legal, and economic advice in agriculture and forestry, to inform members of current events in the sector and to promote agriculture, forestry and fisheries. Through its work, the Chamber also contributes to the settlement of the countryside, the maintenance and preservation of the cultural landscape, the preservation of national identity, food security, the protection of the environment from pollution and the prevention of land overgrowth, not only for the benefit of its members, but for the benefit of all the inhabitants of Slovenia. The Chamber’s advice on farmers’ problems and the occurrence of large carnivores has increased significantly over the last ten years, as the number of carnivores has increased, as has their spatial distribution.
As the Chamber combines agricultural and forestry knowledge, and knowledge about game and carnivores, its role in the project is to reduce or remove potential attractants that would draw wolves to the vicinity of human settlements. To this end, we will work with farmers’ representatives to identify the most critical or conflict points and distribute sets of electric nets and related equipment, as well as experimenting with alternative ways of protecting grazing animals. We will verify the performance of the measures on the ground with cameras and indirectly through farmer satisfaction. To ensure that the measures are implemented effectively and that they will continue to be used after the end of the project, the Chamber will also liaise and establish protocols with local communities, municipalities, tourism organisations and other stakeholders. At the Chamber, we consider it important to take into account the social aspects of rural areas and their inhabitants when implementing measures and actions.
University of Ljubljana
(Univerza V Ljubljani)
University of Ljubljana is the oldest and largest higher education and scientific research institution in Slovenia. It has approximately 40,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students and employs approximately 6,000 higher education teachers, researchers, assistants and administrative staff in 23 faculties and three arts academies. Its member faculties have been involved in numerous projects, both national and EU, and have sufficient expertise and resources to coordinate and manage even the largest and most difficult ones. In this project, UL is involved with its member, the Biotechnical Faculty and its Department of Biology. The Biotechnical Faculty has long been on the forefront of large carnivore conservation in Slovenia, providing support for managers in decisions regarding these difficult-to-manage species and pushing for a hard scientific basis in conservation-related decision making. The University has much experience and success in promotion and improvement of management and conservation of the all three Slovenian large carnivores–the wolf, the bear, and the lynx. Dedication of UL researchers to conservation has been a driving force behind recent successes in this field.
Guarda Nacional Republicana
The Guarda Nacional Republicana (GNR) is a Security Force constituted by military elements that are organized in a Special Body of Troops, which actively and permanently veil for the execution of the law and are dedicated to the security and public order maintenance cause as well as to the protection and defense of the people and their goods. Due to its nature and versatility, the GNR, as a Gendarmerie-type force, is institutionally positioned amongst the military forces and the security forces and services. The GNR Nature and Environment Protection Service (SEPNA) has the authority to ensure compliance with the legal and regulatory provisions on the conservation and protection of nature and the environment, water resources, soil, hunting, fishing, forestry, etc., provided for in environmental legislation, as well as to investigate and prosecute related criminal and administrative offences. The K-9 Intervention Group (GIC) is part of the Intervention Unit (UI) and participates in several missions, such as patrolling, surveillance, tracking, drug detection, explosives, search and rescue, tactical intervention, protection and assistance, and criminal investigation support missions.
In terms of LIFE projects, the GNR has participated as a Beneficiary Partner in several projects, which have produced excellent results and brought extensive experience. The participation of the GNR in this project, namely through the SEPNA and K-9 teams, shall effectively enhance efficiency (particularly in poison detection) and consequently increase wild prey in Portugal.
Mendel University in Brno
Mendel University in Brno is a public university and research institution that focuses on large carnivores both in teaching and research activities. It is one of only two universities offering Forestry as a study programme. The project is coordinated by the Department of Forest Ecology whose team is experienced in various methods of large carnivore research and monitoring such as GPS telemetry, camera trapping, sign surveys and diet analyses. The team is also experienced in communication with different stakeholders such as hunters, foresters, and livestock breeders. Mendel University has a contract with Nature Conservation Agency of the CzechRepublic (state body responsible for species protection) focused on cooperation in wolf research and management and has also all necessary permissions for handling wolves, which are protected species, for the purpose of monitoring and research.
In the LIFE WILD WOLF project, Mendel University is responsible for analysis of past and current cases of the bold wolf behavior, organizing the final conference and activities related to the wolf intervention team in the Czech Republic.
Biopolis
Association BIOPOLIS (BIOPOLIS-CIBIO) is a private, non-profit institution that benefits from administrative and financial autonomy. It was created in the scope of the Project Teaming BIOPOLIS - Teaming to Upgrade to Excellence in Environmental Biology Ecosystem Research and Agrobiodiversity, funded by the European Commission in the scope of the Horizon 2020 Widening programme. The vision of BIOPOLIS-CIBIO is to firmly establish itself as a strong, competitive, and internationally recognized network of excellence in the fields of evolutionary biology, biodiversity and conservation, integrating all levels of biological organization from genes to ecosystems. Research at BIOPOLIS-CIBIO aims to advance knowledge on the origins and maintenance of biodiversity, and to apply this knowledge to address societal challenges related to climate and land use changes, environmental degradation, the loss and sustainable use of biodiversity and agrobiodiversity, and the management, restoration and sustainable use of ecosystems and their services. CIBIO-InBIO has developed or participated in several research or conservation projects focusing wolf census, ecology, population genetics, damage prevention measures and public awareness in Portugal, and conducts since 2007 long-term monitoring of two wolf populations in Portugal which occur in different ecological settings (Peneda-Gerês and South Douro), aimed to evaluate demographic traits, population dynamics, health status and predator-prey relationships by using a multi-method approach.
For more than 10 years, CIBIO-InBIO have developed several research projects on genetics, ecology, and conservation of grey wolves, with special emphasis on applied wolf research in human-dominated landscapes in order to produce effective prescriptions regarding the sustainable development of anthropogenic activities and promote knowledge-transfer among public institutions, private companies and other decision-makers or stakeholders related to wolf conservation.
Arma dei Carabinieri
The Arma dei Carabinieri is an Italian state police force with a military order. The CUFA (Environmental and Agri-Food Forestry Unit Command) is the structure that deals with environmental protection through additional specialist departments distributed throughout the national territory and comprising around 8,000 carabinieri. Through the "Environmental Protection", "Forest and Park Protection", "Biodiversity Protection" and "Agri-food Protection" Commands, the CUFA military are engaged in the prevention and repression of crimes to the detriment of the environment, wildlife, for the protection and management of the natural heritage, for the protection of animal welfare as well as for the safeguarding of agri-food quality. In addition to the normal control and investigation activities on penal and administrative violations, the CUFA departments also deal with the direct management of 130 State Natural Reserves, the ex-situ conservation of some species or breeds threatened with extinction, as well as the monitoring of the phytosanitary status of forests and the National Forest Inventory.
As part of the LIFE Wild Wolf project, CUFA is engaged in various actions, including the qualified collection of information concerning cases of confident wolves and collaboration in communication activities. In particular, the CUFA is responsible for leading the action on the implementation of intervention teams for the most critical cases that require the adoption of active deterrence activities, also through the use of rubber bullets.
Federation of Associations for Hunting and Conservation of the EU-FACE
The Federation of Associations for Hunting and Conservation of the EU (FACE) is an international, non-profit, nongovernmental organisation that acts in the interests of European hunters, since its founding in 1977. FACE represents national hunting organisations from 37 countries within the Member States of the European Union and other Council of Europe countries. FACE has been a member of the IUCN since 1987 and of Wetlands International since 2008. FACE’s vision is for: “Sustainable hunting to be widely accepted as an integral part of European culture and as a vital tool for the conservation and management of European nature and wildlife”. FACE undertakes the following key objectives: •Promoting hunting in accordance with the principles of sustainable use of natural resources. •Informing decision-makers, media and public on issues covering sustainable hunting and biodiversity conservation. •Advocating the collective interests of its members at the level of European and international institutions, so that the interests of hunters are taken into account in relation to hunting, wildlife management, nature conservation, protected areas, animal health, game meat.
Natural Environment & Climate Change Agency
Natural Environment & Climate Change Agency (NECCA) is responsible for the implementation of policies formulated by the Greek Ministry of Environment and Energy for the management of protected areas, biodiversity conservation, promotion and implementation of sustainable development actions and climate change mitigation. NECCA consists of 24 decentralized Protected Area Management Units, which are responsible for the management of the Natura 2000 network of Greece. Parnitha National Park is under the jurisdiction of the Management Unit of Parnitha and Schinias National Parks and Saronikos Gulf Protected Areas. The Management Unit participates in the design and implementation of the Park’s management plans, the monitoring of species and habitat types of international, EU and national interest, the preparation of studies and research in the area and the consultation with stakeholders, in order to facilitate integrated management, effective protection and promotion of the Park’s values.
In the LIFE Wild Wolf project, NECCA, via the decentralised Management Unit of Parnitha and Schinias National Parks and Saronikos Gulf Protected Areas, will engage in various tasks with different levels of involvement. NECCA will have a role in understanding and reducing drivers of wolf habituation though data collection and removal of detected attractors. In order to develop a procedural basis for the reduction of wolf-human interactions, an emergency team will be established and operate in collaboration with other competent authorities. NECCA will also be responsible for the reduction of wolf-dog interactions by facilitating the capture and sterilisation of free-ranging dogs, in and around Parnitha National Park. Finally, NECCA will contribute to the overall project management, engage in stakeholder involvement and communication, and participate in the monitoring, evaluation, replicability, and sustainability of the project’s results.
Município de Paredes de Coura
Município de Paredes de Coura is the public authority in charge of managing the territories included in the municipality of Paredes de Coura, located in Northwest Portugal (District of Viana do Castelo). Nature conservation and environmental education are two major concerns, as the area of this municipality encompasses the “Corno do Bico” Protected Landscape Area (CBPLA), created in 1999 through an initiative of MPC, and which includes a Natura 2000 site (“Corno do Bico – PTCON0040”). CBPLA has several infrastructures to support research and environmental education activities, such as a Centre for Environmental Education and Interpretation to allow local children, elder people and the general public to get in contact with nature.
In the previous years, the MPC promoted a project, which included several activities related to wolf conservation and awareness.
Parco Nazionale della Maiella
The Maiella National Park is located in the Central Apennines and its 74.000Ha territory is characterized by the presence of 4 mountain ranges, one of which is the Majella massif. The Park is located in the Alpine Biogeographical Region, with elevations from 400 to 2.793 m altitude. (Mount Amaro – the second peak of the Apennines), and more than 50 identified habitats, with 140 floristic endemics. The MNP has been one of the last areas in Italy where Apennine wolves (Canis lupus italicus) survived human persecution and its population worked as a source for the recolonization of all the former range. The wolf is now present in all the Apennines and in part of the Alps. MNP is also one of the most important areas to preserve the endemic and critically endangered Apennine brown bear. In the last 15 years at least 30% of the total bear population frequented the MNP and at least 2 reproductive females gave birth to 5 cubs in 4 years.
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
The Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) brings a sustainable Swedish perspective to the study of biological natural resources. Aside from our unique academic focus, we’re known for high graduate employability, one of Sweden’s highest teacher-to-student ratios, and our vibrant and historical campuses, now updated with brand new, modern facilities. The Swedish Wildlife Damage Centre provides information and education about management of protected wildlife, such as large carnivores and large grazing birds. Our research provides a scientific basis for the management of Swedish wildlife and large carnivores. Information is needed on how the animals live and where in Sweden they are found, alongside biological studies. We also conduct research on people’s attitudes to large carnivores and what can be done to reduce the conflict between humans and wildlife.
Università di Torino
The University of Turin (UNITO) is one of the largest Italian Universities, with about 70.000 students, 3.900 employees, 1.800 post-graduate and post-doctoral research fellows. Its legal status is a public body. UNITO is deeply involved in scientific research and technology transfer and manages roughly 500 projects per year. UNITO participates in the present project with the Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology (DBIOS).
UNITO-DBIOS is currently in charge of the technical-scientific coordination of the entire LIFE WOLFALPS EU. The Department has been already a Supporter of the previous LIFE WolfAlps project, and provided support in decisions regarding this difficult-to-manage species and allowed for a robust scientific basis in conservation decision making.