Authors
Václav Beran, Kateřina Poledníková, Lukáš Poledník, Michal Porteš, Tomáš Růžička
Publisher
ALKA Wildlife, o.p.s.
Publishing year
The aim of this methodology was to prepare instructions for the implementation of basic management measures that can be implemented to support the existing nesting population of Tawny Pipit (Anthus campestris) in the open mining quarries of Krušne Hory.
Due to the specific environmental requirements such as low vegetation and sparsely overgrown areas, the Tawny pipit has nearly completely disappeared across the Czech Republic with the only reproducing population situated in coal quarries of the Ústí Region. The population in the Czech Republic has a maximum of 200 nesting pairs and is now fully dependent on active mining.
Nowadays, there is pressure to reduce the number of coal quarries and in some, to stop mining completely. This, therefore, means there will be a gradual reduction of areas suitable for this species to nest in. As a result, further decline of the population will occur including the the minimum number of pairs needed to maintain this species in our country and its complete disappearance may well come quicker than predicted.
Therefore, this methodology was developed to plan effective support measures for this species. The draft measures are based on the results of many years of cooperation with mining companies and the detailed knowledge of the local population of the Tawny pipit. These measures were formulated to be directly applicable to quarries and to be as economical as possible, with the least possible negative impact on other species inhabiting these quarries. To a certain extent, we can consider the Tawny pipit to be a so-called umbrella species whose conservation management is beneficial to other endangered species.