Life Project Austria 2005-2010 Event Photos

Here you can find photos of selected events (relevant links are blue and underlined).

July 31, 2010: The “Great Bustard” LIFE Project was successfully finalised. Collision with overhead power lines was the most significant mortality factor for fully grown (i.e. immature and adult) Great Bustards in Austria for many years. The main objective of this LIFE project was to deal with this threat and at the same time to continue Austria's intensive habitat management efforts to result in a long-term increase not only of the Austrian, but of the entire cross-border West-Pannonian population of the Great Bustard. Numerous measures were implemented in the project period from August 1st, 2005 till July 31st, 2010 to reach this aim. All of the undergrounding of in total 47,4 km (20% more than previously planned) medium voltage power lines is finished in the two Project areas “Westliches Weinviertel” (33,2 km) and “Parndorfer Platte – Heideboden” (14,2 km). Thus larger areas free of power lines are available for the Great Bustard due to the LIFE project The marking of in total 153 km (22% more than previously planned) high voltage power lines (110, 220 and 380 kV) is finished in all of the 3 project areas (80,0 km in the project area “Westliches Weinviertel”). Due to undergrounding and marking of power lines and various other conservation efforts the Austrian as well as the entire cross-border West-Pannonian population of Great Bustard clearly increased in the last years.

July 22, 2010: Visit of the project area “Westliches Weinviertel” by a camera crew of ORF Niederösterreich (editor Fabian Fessler and a cameraman) (Action E.4: PR, media, papers, presentations)

July 9, 2010: Opening of the information and observation point by member of the government of Lower Austria Dr. Stephan Pernkopf, LJM ÖkR Dr. Christian Konrad (hunting association of Lower Austria) und department head DI Günter Liebel (Lebensministerium - Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management) as well as Bgm. Albert Holluger (Straning-Grafenberg), Bgm. Reinhold Reif (Austrian Society for Great Bustard Conservation) and Mag. Rainer Raab (Central European bustard coordinator and bustard supervisor) at the church of Wartberg in Straning-Grafenberg together with 180 visitors. (Action E.6: “Info Point“ in “Westliches Weinviertel”)

July 9, 2010: Visit of the project area “Westliches Weinviertel” by member of the government of Lower Austria Dr. Stephan Pernkopf (Action D.4: Central European bustard coordinator)

July 8 and 9, 2010: Finalisation of the of the information and observation point at the church of Wartberg in Straning-Grafenberg (A) (Action E.6: “Info Point“ in “Westliches Weinviertel”)

June 1-2, 2010: Green Week 2010 in Brussels (B), Presentation of the LIFE project in many dialogues by R. Raab (Action D.4: Central European bustard coordinator)

May 31 - June 1, 2010: LIFE Nature and Biodiversity Conference in Brussels (B), Presentation of the LIFE project in many dialogues by R. Raab (Action D.4: Central European bustard coordinator)

May 27, 2010: “March-Auen-Symposium” in Vienna (A), Presentation of the LIFE project in many dialogues by R. Raab (Action D.4: Central European bustard coordinator)

May 11, 2010: Start of construction work at the information and observation point at the Wartberger Kirche” in Straning-Grafenberg (A) (Action E.6: “Info Point“ in “Westliches Weinviertel”)

May 10, 2010: Discussion about the usage of field tracks in the border area of Austria and Hungary in Rajka (H) under participation of R. Raab (Action D.4: Central European bustard coordinator)

May 7, 2010: Visit of the project area „Parndorfer Platte – Heideboden“ by employees of Verbund APG (Action D.4: Central European bustard coordinator)

April 30, 2010: Finalisation of the marking of high voltage power lines of the Great Bustard LIFE project by ÖBB Infrastruktur AG in the project area „Westliches Weinviertel“ (Action C.5: Marking of ÖBB 110 kV power lines Westliches Weinviertel). The marking of in total 153 km (22% more than previously planned) high voltage power lines (110, 220 and 380 kV) is finished in all of the 3 project areas.

April 29-30, 2010: Dr. Felix Bergmann of the EU monitoring team in is visiting the LIFE project in the project areas “Westliches Weinviertel” and “Sandboden und Praterterrasse” (Action F.1: General project implementation)

April 24, 2010: Presentation „ Great Bustard – Results of the LIFE projects in Austria (AT), Hungary (HU) and Slovakia (SK)” in Illmitz (A) in the frame of the Birdexperience 2010 by R. Raab and following excursion through the Natura 2000 area”Waasen – Hanság“ (Action D.4: Central European bustard coordinator)

April 24, 2010: The Senior Representative of the Official Hunters’ Association of Lower Austria ÖKR Dr. Christian Konrad together with the ORF reporter Claudia Reiterer and Gabi Waldner are visiting the LIFE project in the project area “Westliches Weinviertel“ (Action E.3: Information sessions for public relations and board meetings of the project)

April 22, 2010: Burgenland-environmental advocate Prof. Hermann Frühstück is visiting the LIFE project in the project area “Parndorfer Platte - Heideboden” (Action F.1: General project implementation)

April 22, 2010: A Czech delegation visited the Great Bustard LIFE project in the project area “Westliches Weinviertel”; Discussion with R. Raab about the planned measures for conservation of Great Bustard in the Czech Republic (Action D.4: Central European bustard coordinator)

April 21, 2010: 4. board meeting of the Austrian Society for Great Bustard Conservation (ÖGG) on the LIFE project in Deutsch Jahrndorf (A), Presentation of some results of the LIFE project in the presentations “News on the Great Bustard in Austria and the West-Pannonian region“, “the actual state of the submitted Great Bustard LIFE+ Project“, “Implemented measures of the LIFE project”, “Upcoming measures of the LIFE project“ and First results of the GIS aided bustard habitat analysis in the LIFE project area LIFE project area Westliches Weinviertel“ by R. Raab (Action E.3: Information sessions for public relations and board meetings of the project)

April 19, 2010: Discussion with representatives of nature conservation and hunters chaired by LR Ing. Werner Falb-Meixner and following information session for chosen farmers about the possibilities of new management measures on the bustard protection areas in Zurndorf (A); Presentations of D. Stieglmahr and R. Raab (Action E.3: Information sessions for public relations and board meetings of the project)

April 17, 2010: The Senior Representative of the Official Hunters’ Association of Burgenland DI Peter Prieler is visiting the LIFE project in the project area “Parndorfer Platte - Heideboden“ (A); presentation of the LIFE project by R. Raab (Action E.3: Information sessions for public relations and board meetings of the project)

April 16, 2010: Excursion for selected pupils from Lower Austria in the Natura 2000 area „Waasen – Hanság“ (A); Presentation of the Great Bustard LIFE project by R. Raab (Action E.3: Information sessions for public relations and board meetings of the project)

April 15, 2010: Further education sessions for chosen farmers with bustards protection fields in the project area "Westliches Weinviertel" within the frame of nature conservation plan or for training of monitoring on behalf of the office of the Lower Austrian government, department of nature conservation in Roseldorf (A) from R. Raab; two presentations and a connected excursion to bustard area for the presentation of the Natura 2000 area under special consideration of Great Bustard in small groups of about 20 to 40 persons (Action E.3: Information sessions for public relations and board meetings of the project)

April 7, 2010: Further education sessions for chosen farmers with bustards protection fields in the project area "Westliches Weinviertel" within the frame of nature conservation plan or for training of monitoring on behalf of the office of the Lower Austrian government, department of nature conservation in Sitzendorf (A) from R. Raab; two presentations and a connected excursion to bustard area for the presentation of the Natura 2000 area under special consideration of Great Bustard in small groups of about 20 to 40 persons (Action E.3: Information sessions for public relations and board meetings of the project)

March 19, 2010: Press conference with LR Ing. Werner Falb-Meixner, LJM DI Peter Prieler, Bgm. Reinhold Reif und R. Raab in Deutsch Jahrndorf (A) on the successful protection of Great Bustard in the Natura 2000 area Parndorfer Platte – Heideboden, the good co-operation between nature conservation ,agriculture and hunting and the successful implemantation of the Great Bustard LIFE-project. (Action E.4: PR, media, papers, presentations)

March 2, 2010: Bustard experts of the LIFE project in Austria and from Hungary and Slovakia meet as usual on the synchronous counting day at the border triangle to consult each other about the results of the bustard counting and to exchange information on the state of the LIFE project in A and the activities after the LIFE projects in H and SK (Action D.4: Central European bustard coordinator)

February 19, 2010: Further education sessions for chosen farmers with Nature protection fields in the project area "Waasen - Hanság" within the frame of nature conservation plan on behalf of BERTA and the LFI in Tadten (A) from R. Raab; presentation and a connected excursion to bustard area for the presentation of the Natura 2000 area under special consideration of Great Bustard in small groups of about 20 to 40 persons (Action E.3: Information sessions for public relations and board meetings of the project)

February 4, 2010: Information session for farmers in the context of the plenary meeting of the association „Interessensgemeinschaft Hanság“ in St. Andrä (A), presentation of the LIFE project by C. Schütz (Action E.3: Information sessions for public relations and board meetings of the project)

January 25, 2010: Further education sessions for chosen farmers with Nature protection fields in the project area "Waasen - Hanság" within the frame of nature conservation plan on behalf of BERTA and the LFI in Wallern (A) from R. Raab; presentation and a connected excursion to bustard area for the presentation of the Natura 2000 area under special consideration of Great Bustard in small groups of about 20 to 40 persons (Action E.3: Information sessions for public relations and board meetings of the project)

January 19, 2010: Further education sessions for chosen farmers with Nature protection fields in the project area "Waasen - Hanság" within the frame of nature conservation plan on behalf of BERTA and the LFI in Tadten (A) from R. Raab; presentation and a connected excursion to bustard area for the presentation of the Natura 2000 area under special consideration of Great Bustard in small groups of about 20 to 40 persons (Action E.3: Information sessions for public relations and board meetings of the project)

January 15, 2010: Further education sessions for chosen farmers with Nature protection fields in the project area "Waasen - Hanság" within the frame of nature conservation plan on behalf of BERTA and the LFI in Andau (A) from R. Raab; presentation and a connected excursion to bustard area for the presentation of the Natura 2000 area under special consideration of Great Bustard in small groups of about 20 to 40 persons (Action E.3: Information sessions for public relations and board meetings of the project)

December 4, 2009: Presentation “LIFE project: Cross-border protection of the Great Bustard in Austria“ held in the frame of the transnational project meeting TransEcoNet – Transnational Ecological Networks “Facing the reality – Challenges for research on transnational ecological networks” in Illmitz (A) by R. Raab (Action D.4: Central European bustard coordinator)

December 3, 2009: Project visit by members of the RVS committee meeting in the project area Parndorfer Platte – Heideboden“ (Action D.4: Central European bustard coordinator)

December 3, 2009: Toru Tamakawa, chief correspondent of the Viennese office of the Japanese daily newspaper „The Asahi Shimbun“, and his co-worker Martina Klima are visiting the project area „Parndorfer Platte – Heideboden“, to write an article about the European Green Belt and the achievements of the Austrian project for Great Bustard(Action E.4: PR, media, papers, presentations)

December 2, 2009: Annual meeting of the bustard protection association "Grüne Welt" in Sitzendorf (A) with participation of HR Mag. Martin Tschulik, presentation of the progress within the LIFE project by R. Raab (Action E.3: Information sessions for public relations and board meetings of the project)

December 1, 2009: Bustard experts of two LIFE projects (A, SK) and from Hungary meet as usual on the synchronous counting day at the border triangle to consult each other about the results of the bustard counting and to exchange information on the state of the LIFE projects (Action D.4: Central European bustard coordinator)

November 27, 2009: Presentation “Cross-border protection of the Great Bustard in Austria - results of the ongoing LIFE project and priority objectives for the future“held in the frame of the “Great Bustard workshop” in Bratislava (SK) by R. Raab (Action D.4: Central European bustard coordinator)

November 24, 2009: Presentation “Natura 2000-Vogelschutzgebiete und LIFE als Instrumente zur Umsetzung von Maßnahmen am Beispiel des grenzüberschreitenden Artenschutzprojektes Großtrappe“held in the frame of the lecture “Schutzgebietsmanagement und Wildtiere in Mitteleuropa“ at the University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU) by R: Raab (Action E.3: Information sessions for public relations and board meetings of the project)

November 11 -12, 2009: 1. Austrian RAMSAR expert conference in Eisenstadt (A), introduction of the LIFE project in numerous conversations by R. Raab, apart from the presentation of important results by LR Ing. Werner Falb-Meixner (Action D.4: Central European bustard coordinator)

October 29, 2009: Further education sessions for chosen farmers with bustards protection fields in the project area "Westliches Weinviertel" within the frame of nature conservation plan or for training of monitoring on behalf of the office of the Lower Austrian government, department of nature conservation in Roseldorf (A) from R. Raab; two presentations and a connected excursion to bustard area for the presentation of the Natura 2000 area under special consideration of Great Bustard in small groups of about 20 to 40 persons (Action E.3: Information sessions for public relations and board meetings of the project)

October 9, 2009: Information session for the hunters of project area Westliches Weinviertel in Straning(A) by R. Raab (Action E.3: Information sessions for public relations and board meetings of the project)

October 1, 2009: Invited by the Lower Austrian government, department of nature conservation, authorized experts on nature conservation of Lower Austria are visiting the project area “Sandboden und Praterterrasse”. Presentation of progress of the LIFE project by R. Raab (Action D.4: Central European bustard coordinator)

September 22, 2009: Meeting of the Rotary Club Vienna-Schwechat in Vienna. Presentation of progress of the LIFE project by R. Raab (Action D.4: Central European bustard coordinator)

September 17, 2009: Meeting of the ÖGG (coordinating beneficiary) with the project partners (associated beneficiary) of the new submitted LIFE+ project, invited by the ÖGG and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management (Lebensministerium) in Vienna. Presentation of achievements of the LIFE project as well as introduction of the planned LIFE+ project by R. Raab and T. Kaufmann (Action D.4: Central European bustard coordinator)

September 10 - 11, 2009: 11. LIFE+Nature platform in Waldkirchen am Wesen (A) presentation of the progress within the LIFE project by R. Raab (Action E.4: PR, media, papers, presentations)

September 3, 2009: Presentation of the LIFE project and the planned LIFE+ project at the board meeting of the Hungarian nature conservation association Szigetköz in Dunaszeg (H) by R. Raab and P. Spakovszky (Action D.4: Central European bustard coordinator)

August 22, 2009: Project visit by Astrid Johann from Germany, who cycles along the European Green Belt to visits different projects and to prepare an article(Action D.4: Central European bustard coordinator)

August 13, 2009: Meeting with the Slovakian bustard experts and Jan Sliva from the EU-monitoring team for information exchange in the project area “Parndorfer Platte – Heideboden“ (Action D.4: Central European bustard coordinator)

August 4, 2009: Bustard experts of the LIFE projects (A, SK) and Hungary meet as usual on the synchronous counting day at the border triangle to tune the counting results and to exchange information about the current situation of the LIFE projects. Ing. Marián Šebo and Bc. Tibor Benčič of the Slovakian hunting magazine “Poľovníctvo a rybárstvo“ are present to interview the bustard experts for their article about the project (Action D.4: Central European bustard coordinator)

July 28, 2009: Ing. Marián Šebo and Bc. Tibor Benčič of the Slovakian hunting magazine “Poľovníctvo a rybárstvo“ are visiting the project area „Parndorfer Platte – Heideboden“ together with R. Raab, to prepare an article about the achievements of the Austrian Great Bustard LIFE project (Action E.4: PR, media, papers, presentations)

July 4, 2009: Opening of the exhibition “The European Green Belt Borders.Wilderness.Future” in Castle Museum Linz. End of the exhibition was January 10, 2010 (www.schlossmuseum.at). Contributions of the LIFE project are Great Bustard-wooden sculptures and texts about the project. Presentation of the LIFE project at the opening in several one-on-one interviews from R. Raab (Action E.7 - new: exhibition and BBC-Great Bustard film)

June 5, 2009: The advisory board of the Landschaftsfonds (Fund for sponsoring conservation and preservation of nature and landscape) in Lower Austria is visiting the LIFE project in the project area “Westliches Weinviertel“ (Action E.3: Information sessions for public relations and board meetings of the project)

May 14, 2009: Further education sessions for chosen farmers with bustards protection fields in the project area "Westliches Weinviertel" within the frame of nature conservation plan on behalf of the office of the Lower Austria government, department of nature conservation and the LFI in Roseldorf (A) from R. Raab; a presentation and a connected excursion to bustard area for the presentation of the Natura 2000 area under special consideration of Great Bustard in small groups of about 20 to 40 persons (Action E.3: Information sessions for public relations and board meetings of the project)

May 13, 2009: Further education sessions for chosen farmers with bustards protection fields in the project area "Parndorfer Platte - Heideboden" within the frame of nature conservation plan or for training of monitoring on behalf of the office of the Burgenland government, department of nature conservation and the LFI in Deutsch Jahrndorf (A) from R. Raab; two presentations and a connected excursion to bustard area for the presentation of the Natura 2000 area under special consideration of Great Bustard in small groups of about 20 to 40 persons (Action E.3: Information sessions for public relations and board meetings of the project)

May 6, 2009: Further education sessions for chosen farmers with bustards protection fields in the project area "Westliches Weinviertel" within the frame of nature conservation plan on behalf of the office of the Lower Austria government, department of nature conservation and the LFI in Sitzendorf (A) from R. Raab; a presentation and a connected excursion to bustard area for the presentation of the Natura 2000 area under special consideration of Great Bustard in small groups of about 20 to 40 persons (Action E.3: Information sessions for public relations and board meetings of the project)

April 29 - 30, 2009: Dr. Felix Bergmann of the EU monitoring team in is visiting the LIFE project in the project areas “Parndorfer Platte - Heideboden” and “Sandboden und Praterterrasse” (Action F.1: General project implementation)

April 27, 2009: Burgenland-environmental advocate Prof. Hermann Frühstück is visiting the LIFE project in the project area “Parndorfer Platte - Heideboden” (Action F.1: General project implementation)

April 25, 2009: The Senior Representative of the Official Hunters’ Association of Lower Austria ÖKR Dr. Christian Konrad and his deputy DI Erhard Brandstetter are visiting the LIFE project in the project area “Westliches Weinviertel“ (Action E.3: Information sessions for public relations and board meetings of the project)

April 24, 2009: The Croatian secretary of state Zoran Šikić is visiting the LIFE project in the project area “Sandboden und Praterterrasse” (Action F.1: General project implementation)

April 2, 2009: Further education sessions for chosen farmers with bustards protection fields in the project area "Parndorfer Platte - Heideboden" within the frame of nature conservation plan or for training of monitoring on behalf of the office of the Burgenland government, department of nature conservation and the LFI in Deutsch Jahrndorf (A) from R. Raab; two presentations and a connected excursion to bustard area for the presentation of the Natura 2000 area under special consideration of Great Bustard in small groups of about 20 to 40 persons (Action E.3: Information sessions for public relations and board meetings of the project)

April 1, 2009: Bustard experts of three LIFE projects (A, SK, H) meet as usual on the synchronous counting day at the border triangle to consult each other about the results of the bustard counting and to exchange information on the state of the LIFE projects. A film team of the ORF Burgenland filmed the meeting and Great Bustards for a film which was broadcasted all over Austria on April 24, 2009. (Action D.4: Central European bustard coordinator)

March 23, 2009: Further education sessions for chosen farmers with bustards protection fields in the project area "Parndorfer Platte - Heideboden" within the frame of nature conservation plan or for training of monitoring on behalf of the office of the Burgenland government, department of nature conservation and the LFI in Deutsch Jahrndorf (A) from R. Raab; two presentations and a connected excursion to bustard area for the presentation of the Natura 2000 area under special consideration of Great Bustard in small groups of about 20 to 40 persons (Action E.3: Information sessions for public relations and board meetings of the project)

March 20, 2009: Further education sessions for chosen farmers with bustards protection fields in the project area "Parndorfer Platte - Heideboden" within the frame of nature conservation plan or for training of monitoring on behalf of the office of the Burgenland government, department of nature conservation and the LFI in Zurndorf (A) from R. Raab; two presentations and a connected excursion to bustard area for the presentation of the Natura 2000 area under special consideration of Great Bustard in small groups of about 20 to 40 persons (Action E.3: Information sessions for public relations and board meetings of the project)

March 17, 2009: Meeting of the bustard protection association "Interessensgemeinschaft Europaschutzgebiet Parndorfer Platte - Heideboden" in Zurndorf (A) with participation of member of the government of Burgenland Ing. Werner Falb-Meixner, presentation of the progress within the LIFE project by R. Raab (Action E.3: Information sessions for public relations and board meetings of the project)

March 12, 2009: Further education sessions for chosen farmers with bustards protection fields in the project area "Parndorfer Platte - Heideboden" within the frame of nature conservation plan or for training of monitoring on behalf of the office of the Burgenland government, department of nature conservation and the LFI in Zurndorf (A) from R. Raab; two presentations and a connected excursion to bustard area for the presentation of the Natura 2000 area under special consideration of Great Bustard in small groups of about 20 to 40 persons (Action E.3: Information sessions for public relations and board meetings of the project)

March 9, 2009: Further education sessions for chosen farmers with bustards protection fields in the project area "Parndorfer Platte - Heideboden" within the frame of nature conservation plan or for training of monitoring on behalf of the office of the Burgenland government, department of nature conservation and the LFI in Zurndorf (A) from R. Raab; two presentations and a connected excursion to bustard area for the presentation of the Natura 2000 area under special consideration of Great Bustard in small groups of about 20 to 40 persons (Action E.3: Information sessions for public relations and board meetings of the project)

February 26, 2009: Information session for farmers in the context of the plenary meeting of the association „Interessensgemeinschaft Hanság“ in Andau (A), presentation of the LIFE project by R. Raab (Action E.3: Information sessions for public relations and board meetings of the project)

February 18, 2009: Information session for the hunters of project area “Westliches Weinviertel“ within the framework of the LIFE project in Sitzendorf (A) by R. Raab (Action E.3: Information sessions for public relations and board meetings of the project)

January 22, 2009: 3. board meeting of the Austrian Society for Great Bustard Conservation (ÖGG) on the LIFE project in Deutsch Jahrndorf (A), Presentation of some results of the LIFE project in the presentation “Overview on the current state of the Life project “ by R. Raab (Action E.3: Information sessions for public relations and board meetings of the project)

November 27, 2008: Annual meeting of the bustard protection association "Grüne Welt" in Sitzendorf (A) with participation of member of the government of Lower Austria DI Josef Plank, presentation of the progress within the LIFE project by R. Raab (Action E.3: Information sessions for public relations and board meetings of the project)

November 17 - 19, 2008: LIFE NATURE thematic conference “Protecting Europe’s Nature: Learning from LIFE” in Brussels (B), presentation of the LIFE project in several one-on-one interviews from R. Raab (Action F.1: General project implementation)

November 9 - 12, 2008: Scientific Symposium on the Conservation of Great Bustard in Middle Europe and Second meeting of the signatories to the Memorandum of Understanding on the conservation and management of the Middle-European population of the Great Bustard (Otis tarda) in Feodosia (UA), presentation of the progress within the LIFE project by R. Raab (Action D.4: Central European bustard coordinator)

September 2, 2008: Bustard experts of three LIFE projects (A, SK, H) meet as usual on the synchronous counting day at the border triangle to consult each other about the results of the bustard counting and to exchange information on the state of the LIFE projects (Action D.4: Central European bustard coordinator)

August 26, 2008: Information session about the planned enlargement of the SPA Parndorfer Platte - Heideboden for farmers in Zurndorf (A) presentation of the Bustard project by R. Raab (Action E.3: Information sessions for public relations and board meetings of the project)

August 5, 2008: Bustard experts of three LIFE projects (A, SK, H) meet as usual on the synchronous counting day at the border triangle to consult each other about the results of the bustard counting and to exchange information on the state of the LIFE projects (Action D.4: Central European bustard coordinator)

July 22, 2008: Information session about the planned enlargement of the SPA Parndorfer Platte - Heideboden for farmers in Deutsch Jahrndorf (A), Presentation of the Bustard project and the new agri-environmental scheme for bustard protection areas in Deutsch Jahrndorf in the environmental programme (Action E.3: Information sessions for public relations and board meetings of the project)

July 4, 2008: Information session about the planned enlargement of the SPA Parndorfer Platte - Heideboden together with A. Ranner for farmers in Kittsee (A), Presentation of the Bustard project and the new agri-environmental scheme for bustard protection areas in Kittsee in the environmental programme (Action E.3: Information sessions for public relations and board meetings of the project)

June 11, 2008: 10. LIFE platform in Murau (A), presentation of the progress within the LIFE project by R. Raab (Action E.4: PR, media, papers, presentations)

June 5, 2008: Hungarian Conference „Madárvédelem a villamos hálózatokon kiállítás és szakmai konferencia“ in Budapest (H), presentation „Túzokvédelem Ausztriában - Great Bustard conservation in Austria” by Rainer Raab (A), Eike Julius (D) & Péter Spakovszky (H) about measures within the LIFE project by P. Spakovszky in Hungarian language (Action D.4: Central European bustard coordinator)

June 3, 2008: Bustard experts of three LIFE projects (A, SK, H) meet as usual on the synchronous counting day alt the border triangle to consult each other about the results of the bustard counting and to exchange information on the state of the LIFE projects (Action D.4: Central European bustard coordinator)

May 9-10, 2008: The marking of the guard wire with black and white "bird protection plates" of approx. 6.3 km existing BEWAG 110 kV power lines was finished in a subarea in the project area Parndorfer Platte – Heideboden. In total approx. 15.7 km existing BEWAG 110 kV power lines in the project area Parndorfer Platte – Heideboden are marked completely (Action C.6: Marking of BEWAG 110 kV power lines Parndorfer Platte – Heideboden)

April 23, 2008: Some employees of the Lower Austrian chamber of agriculture who professionally deal with bustard protection fields visit the project area Westliches Weinviertel. Everybody was introduced in detail to the Great Bustard and its habitat with a presentation by R. Raab and a common excursion (Action E.3: Information sessions for public relations and board meetings of the project)

April 2008: A film team of the BBC is filming the bustards in Burgenland for a documentation about the "green belt" in Europe. The transboundary bustard project should be introduced within this documentation (approx. 5 minutes) (Action E.7-new: Great Bustard film)

April 4, 2008: Two members of the BBC film team come for a short visit to Burgenland, to prepare the last details for the filming(Action E.7-new: Great Bustard film)

March 14, 2008: All EVN employees who have been involved in the marking or undergrounding of EVN power lines in the Westliches Weinviertel within the framework of the LIFE project visit the project area Westliches Weinviertel with their families. Everybody was introduced in detail to the Great Bustard and its habitat with a presentation by R. Raab and a common excursion (Action E.3: Information sessions for public relations and board meetings of the project)

March 12, 2008: On invitation of the Slovakian LIFE project pupils from Germany and Slovakia visit the transboundary bustard project within the framework of the project “Youth in Europe”. Two presentations about the LIFE project in Jarovce (SK) by R. Raab (Action D.4: Central European bustard coordinator)

March 10, 2008: A Great Bustard hen had to be put to sleep after a collision with an unmarked powerline off the bustard area " Westliches Weinviertel " because of incurable injuries (Action D.9: Monitoring for the control of success of the chosen marking methods)

March 2008: The removal of powerlines within the frame of the undergrounding of EVN 20-kV powerlines in the Westlichen Weinviertel is completed to a large extent (Action C.1: Undergrounding EVN 20 kV power lines Westliches Weinviertel)

January 28, 2008: Further education sessions for chosen farmers with bustards protection fields in the project area "Westliches Weinviertel" within the frame of nature conservation plan or for training of monitoring on behalf of the office of the Lower Austrian government, department of nature conservation in Sitzendorf (A) from R. Raab; two presentations and a connected excursion to bustard area for the presentation of the Natura 2000 area under special consideration of Great Bustard in small groups of about 20 to 40 persons (Action E.3: Information sessions for public relations and board meetings of the project)

January 8, 2008: Bustard experts of three LIFE projects (A, SK, H) meet as usual on the synchronous counting day at the border triangle to consult each other about the results of the bustard counting and to exchange information on the state of the LIFE projects (Action D.4: Central European bustard coordinator)

December 13, 2007: Annual meeting of the bustard protection association "Grüne Welt" in Sitzendorf (A), presentation of the progress within the LIFE project by R. Raab (Action E.3: Information sessions for public relations and board meetings of the project)

December 6, 2007: 2. board meeting of the Austrian Society for Great Bustard Conservation (ÖGG) on the LIFE project in Zurndorf (A), Presentation of some results of the LIFE project in the three presentations “Implemented measures of the LIFE project”, “Upcoming measures of the LIFE project“ and First results of the GIS aided bustard habitat analysis in the LIFE project area LIFE project area Parndorfer Platte – Heideboden“ by R. Raab (Action E.3: Information sessions for public relations and board meetings of the project)

December 3, 2007: Further education sessions for chosen farmers with bustards protection fields in the project area " Sandboden und Praterterrasse " within the frame of nature conservation plan or for training of monitoring on behalf of the office of the Lower Austrian government, department of nature conservation in Lassee (A) from R. Raab; two presentations and a connected excursion to bustard area for the presentation of the Natura 2000 area under special consideration of Great Bustard in small groups of about 20 to 40 persons (Action E.3: Information sessions for public relations and board meetings of the project)

November 21, 2007: Invited by the Austrian LIFE project a film team of the BBC visited the project area „Parndorfer Platte – Heideboden” (Action E.7-new: Great Bustard film)

November 19, 2007: Further education sessions for chosen farmers with bustards protection fields in the project area "Westliches Weinviertel" within the frame of nature conservation plan or for training of monitoring on behalf of the office of the Lower Austrian government, department of nature conservation in Roseldorf (A) from R. Raab; two presentations and a connected excursion to bustard area for the presentation of the Natura 2000 area under special consideration of Great Bustard in small groups of about 20 to 40 persons (Action E.3: Information sessions for public relations and board meetings of the project)

November 15, 2007: Further education sessions for chosen farmers with bustards protection fields in the project area "Westliches Weinviertel" within the frame of nature conservation plan or for training of monitoring on behalf of the office of the Lower Austrian government, department of nature conservation in Roseldorf (A) from R. Raab; two presentations and a connected excursion to bustard area for the presentation of the Natura 2000 area under special consideration of Great Bustard in small groups of about 20 to 40 persons (Action E.3: Information sessions for public relations and board meetings of the project)

November 13, 2007: Information session for the hunters of project area Sandboden und Praterterrasse within the framework of the LIFE project in Lassee (A) by R. Raab (Action E.3: Information sessions for public relations and board meetings of the project)

November 12, 2007: Further education sessions for chosen farmers with bustards protection fields in the project area "Westliches Weinviertel" within the frame of nature conservation plan or for training of monitoring on behalf of the office of the Lower Austrian government, department of nature conservation in Sitzendorf (A) from R. Raab; two presentations and a connected excursion to bustard area for the presentation of the Natura 2000 area under special consideration of Great Bustard in small groups of about 20 to 40 persons (Action E.3: Information sessions for public relations and board meetings of the project)

November 9, 2007: Further education sessions for chosen farmers with bustards protection fields in the project area "Westliches Weinviertel" within the frame of nature conservation plan or for training of monitoring on behalf of the office of the Lower Austrian government, department of nature conservation in Sitzendorf (A) from R. Raab; two presentations and a connected excursion to bustard area for the presentation of the Natura 2000 area under special consideration of Great Bustard in small groups of about 20 to 40 persons (Action E.3: Information sessions for public relations and board meetings of the project)

November 8, 2007: Further education sessions for chosen farmers with bustards protection fields in the project area "Westliches Weinviertel" within the frame of nature conservation plan or for training of monitoring on behalf of the office of the Lower Austrian government, department of nature conservation in Roseldorf (A) from R. Raab; two presentations and a connected excursion to bustard area for the presentation of the Natura 2000 area under special consideration of Great Bustard in small groups of about 20 to 40 persons (Action E.3: Information sessions for public relations and board meetings of the project)

November 7, 2007: Further education sessions for chosen farmers with bustards protection fields in the project area "Westliches Weinviertel" within the frame of nature conservation plan or for training of monitoring on behalf of the office of the Lower Austrian government, department of nature conservation in Sitzendorf (A) from R. Raab; two presentations and a connected excursion to bustard area for the presentation of the Natura 2000 area under special consideration of Great Bustard in small groups of about 20 to 40 persons (Action E.3: Information sessions for public relations and board meetings of the project)

November 5, 2007: Further education sessions for chosen farmers with bustards protection fields in the project area "Westliches Weinviertel" within the frame of nature conservation plan or for training of monitoring on behalf of the office of the Lower Austrian government, department of nature conservation in Sitzendorf (A) from R. Raab; two presentations and a connected excursion to bustard area for the presentation of the Natura 2000 area under special consideration of Great Bustard in small groups of about 20 to 40 persons (Action E.3: Information sessions for public relations and board meetings of the project)

October 31, 2007: Further education sessions for chosen farmers with bustards protection fields in the project area "Westliches Weinviertel" within the frame of nature conservation plan or for training of monitoring on behalf of the office of the Lower Austrian government, department of nature conservation in Roseldorf (A) from R. Raab; two presentations and a connected excursion to bustard area for the presentation of the Natura 2000 area under special consideration of Great Bustard in small groups of about 20 to 40 persons (Action E.3: Information sessions for public relations and board meetings of the project)

October 30, 2007: Further education sessions for chosen farmers with bustards protection fields in the project area "Westliches Weinviertel" within the frame of nature conservation plan or for training of monitoring on behalf of the office of the Lower Austrian government, department of nature conservation in Sitzendorf (A) from R. Raab; two presentations and a connected excursion to bustard area for the presentation of the Natura 2000 area under special consideration of Great Bustard in small groups of about 20 to 40 persons (Action E.3: Information sessions for public relations and board meetings of the project)

October 29, 2007: Further education sessions for chosen farmers with bustards protection fields in the project area "Westliches Weinviertel" within the frame of nature conservation plan or for training of monitoring on behalf of the office of the Lower Austrian government, department of nature conservation in Sitzendorf (A) from R. Raab; two presentations and a connected excursion to bustard area for the presentation of the Natura 2000 area under special consideration of Great Bustard in small groups of about 20 to 40 persons (Action E.3: Information sessions for public relations and board meetings of the project)

October 2007: Representatives of the European Commission visit the LIFE project and take a look at the two project areas Sandboden und Praterterrasse and Parndorfer Platte – Heideboden (Action F.1: General project implementation)

October 2007: A total of approx. 21.5 km existing EVN 110 kV power lines in the project area Westliches Weinviertel are marked with black and white "bird protection plates". Only in a subarea the marking was finished in January, 2008 (Action C.4: Marking of EVN 110 kV power lines Westliches Weinviertel)

October 2007: A total of approx. 15.7 km existing BEWAG 110 kV power lines in the project area Parndorfer Platte – Heideboden are marked with black and white "bird protection plates". Only in a subarea the marking of the guard wire was finished in May, 2008 (Action C.6: Marking of BEWAG 110 kV power lines Parndorfer Platte – Heideboden)

October 5-6, 2007: European seminar “Which is the best conservation strategy for the protection of Bustards in Europe: reinforcement/reintroduction of populations or habitat conservation measures?” in Zoodyssée, Villiers-en-Bois (F), Presentation of some results of the LIFE project in the presentation “Reinforcement of Great bustard populations in Austria” by R.Raab (Action D.4: Central European bustard coordinator)

September 20, 2007: Some employees of the Lower Austrian chamber of agriculture and an employee of the department for nature conservation who both professionally deal with bustard protection fields visit the project area Westliches Weinviertel. Everybody was introduced in detail to the Great Bustard and its habitat on a common excursion with R. Raab (Action E.3: Information sessions for public relations and board meetings of the project)

September 17, 2007: The head of the Czech "federal environment office" and an employee of the Czech ministry of environment visit the bustards project area Westliches Weinviertel for the exchange of experience on invitation of the Central European bustard coordinator. Rainer Raab (Action D.4: Central European bustard coordinator)

September 14, 2007: Delegates of the small game committee of the Lower Austrian hunting association visit the project area Parndorfer Platte – Heideboden on invitation of the Central European bustard coordinator Mag. Rainer Raab to get to know the Great Bustard and its habitat (Action E.3: Information sessions for public relations and board meetings of the project)

September 5, 2007: Information session for the hunters of project area Parndorfer Platte – Heideboden within the framework of the LIFE project in Deutsch Jahrndorf (A) by R. Raab (Action E.3: Information sessions for public relations and board meetings of the project)

September 2007: A total of approx. 23.6 km existing ÖBB 110 kV power lines in the project area Westliches Weinviertel are marked with black and white "bird protection plates", but so far only the conductor ropes. Due to operational constraints the guard wire will be marked later than planned (Action C.5: Marking of ÖBB 110 kV power lines Westliches Weinviertel)

August 28, 2007: European Ornithologists' Union, sixth conference in Vienna (A), Presentation of some results of the LIFE project in the presentation “Distribution and movements of the West-Pannonian Great Bustard (Otis tarda) population: influence on the cross-border conservation” by R. Raab, P. Spakovszky, R. Rybanič, V. Škorpíková and E. Julius (Action D.4: Mitteleuropäischer Trappenkoordinator).

EOU-Abstract (pdf, 1,95 MB)

August 16, 2007: Invited by the Austrian LIFE Project, Great Bustard experts of the three LIFE projects (A, SK, H) are meeting for a workshop in Deutsch-Wagram (Action D.4: Central European bustard coordinator)

June 2007: Transfer of just under 29 km 20 kV cable below the soil in “Westliches Weinviertel” (Action C.1: Undergrounding EVN 20 kV power lines Westliches Weinviertel)

June 14, 2007: District commissioner of the “Waldviertel“ are visiting the LIFE project in “Westliches Weinviertel” (Action E.3: Public relations and board meetings)

April 18, 2007: A member of the provincial government Mrs. LR for Health and Nature protection Karin Kadenbach is visiting the LIFE project in “Westliches Weinviertel” (Action D.1: Site supervision Westliches Weinviertel – Management )

April 17, 2007: Invited by provincial head of the hunting association wHR Dipl. Ing. Friedrich Prandl, thefederal Minister for agriculture and forestry, environment and water management Josef Pröll and member of the provincial government DI Nikolaus Berlakovich are visiting the LIFE project in the project area “Parndorfer Platte – Heideboden” (Action D.3: Site supervision Parndorfer Platte – Heideboden – Management)

April 16, 2007: Dr. Felix Bergmann of the EU monitoring team in is visiting the LIFE project in the project areas “Parndorfer Platte- Heideboden” and “Westliches Weinviertel” (Action F.1: General project implementation)

February 27, 2007: Invited by the Central European bustard coordinator Mag. Rainer Raab, Great Bustard experts of the Slovakian and Hungarian LIFE projects are visiting the Austrian LIFE project areas “Parndorfer Platte – Heideboden”, “Sandboden und Praterterrasse” and “Westliches Weinviertel” (Action D.4: Central European bustard coordinator)

February 15, 2007: Invited by the Central European bustard coordinator Mag. Rainer Raab, representatives of Austrian, Slovakian and Hungarian power supply companies are meeting in “Parndorfer Platte- Heideboden” to inspect the newly marked and undergrounded power lines. (Action D.4: Central European bustard coordinator)

January 17, 2007: Invited by the Slovakian LIFE Project, Great Bustard experts of the three LIFE projects (A, SK, H) are meeting for a workshop in Bratislava (Action D.4: Central European bustard coordinator)

January 2007: Marking of 20,5 km Verbund APG 220 kV power lines in the project area “Parndorfer Platte – Heideboden” with black and white “bird protection balls”(2 780 pieces) long before the targeted date (Action C.7: Marking of Verbund APG 220 kV power lines Parndorfer Platte – Heideboden)

November 2006: Transfer of 14 km 20 kV cable below the soil in and the removal of the 20 kV power line in the project area “Parndorfer Platte – Heideboden” long before the targeted date (Action C.2: Undergrounding BEWAG 20 kV power lines Parndorfer Platte – Heideboden)

November 22, 2006: Invited by the Austrian and Slovakian LIFE project a team of a Slovakian TV station visited the project area „Parndorfer Platte – Heideboden” (Action D.4: Central European bustard coordinator)

November 22, 2006: Invited by the Austrian and Slovakian LIFE project a team of the radio station BBC 4 visited the project area „Parndorfer Platte – Heideboden” (Action D.4: Central European bustard coordinator)

November 3, 2006: Invited by the Central European bustard coordinator a Czech delegation visited the project area “Westliches Weinviertel” (Action D.4: Central European bustard coordinator)

September 2006: Marking of 23,6 km Verbund APG 380 kV power lines in the project area “Westlichen Weinviertel” with black and white “bird protection plates” (1 883 pieces) and “bird protection balls” (946 pieces) long before the targeted date (Action C.4: Marking of Verbund APG 380 kV power lines Westliches Weinviertel)

September 1, 2006: A delegation from Malta (10 Maltese from the Nature Protection Unit) visited within a Natura 2000 Traineeships the project area Parndorfer Platte – Heideboden and discussed together with the hunters about management measures in the project area (Action D.4: Central European bustard coordinator)

July 11, 2006: The Central European bustard coordinator Mag. Rainer Raab attended the project visitation of the european commission and the monitoring team of the Slovakian LIFE project in SK (Action D.4: Central European bustard coordinator)

July 2006: Marking of in total about 20,3 km Verbund APG 380 kV power lines in the project area “Parndorfer Platte – Heideboden” with black and white “bird protection plates” (1 202  pieces) and “bird protection balls” (754 pieces) long before the targeted date (Action C.8: Marking of Verbund APG 380 kV power lines Parndorfer Platte – Heideboden)

March 20, 2006: Workshop on cooperation and exchange of data and information among the three LIFE projects (A, H, SK), attended by the project leaders hosted by R. Raab (Action D.4: Central European bustard coordinator)