Management of the biocorridor on Střítež Hill

Our experiences

The Bumblebee PLUS Association connects a vast community of bumblebee keepers and is dedicated to protecting
bumblebees, habitat creation or regeneration, popularisation of insects and increasing awareness
publicly.
We cooperate with Czech and foreign experts (e.g. Bumblebee Conservation Trust)

The association's members are also involved in monitoring and breeding less common and rare bumblebee species,
which is a source of much information about these species.

In the vicinity of Polička, this project is one of several measures, which in cooperation with ČSOP Polička
We are undertaking the sowing of nectar-rich plants along the cycle path, and the turfing of approximately 7 hectares of the former field with various species.
a varied grass-herb mixture with a high proportion of legumes.

Intention

As part of the project, we will introduce phased mowing. Twice a year, two-thirds of the area will be mown,
longitudinal strips of 7000m², the remainder of the area will be left for the next cut.
Each cut leaves a different strip.

One third of the area will therefore only be mown during the first cut, the second third during both cuts, and
the last part only during the second mowing. The order of swaths will alternate over the years.

This method of care will ensure that the plants gradually recover and provide
sufficient food resources throughout the entire growing season.

The strip mower, removal, transport and disposal of organic matter will be handled by the local private
a farmer we occasionally work with. They have all the necessary equipment, but
also understanding the meaning of things and the desire to carry out this activity responsibly.

Further care carried out by members of the association will consist of reducing smaller areas of undesirable growth
plants (e.g. goosefoot or nettles) with a scythe or brushcutter, local disturbances for
maintenance of early successional flowering weeds and possible reseeding with other suitable plants.

The dates for mowing and other interventions will always be set by the members of the association, taking into account the condition of the vegetation.
at the site, the condition of the surrounding meadows, but also, for example, according to precipitation conditions during
seasons.

Project objectives

• Introduction of management that ensures sufficient food supply on the biostrip throughout the growing season
  season and thus become a functional support area in areas where rare bumblebee species are found.
  This strip will also allow better passage through the agricultural landscape for these species.
• Model concept of a biocorridor, which, thanks to the use of largely readily available co-
  plants and simple management easily replicable elsewhere, for example in
  in other areas where target bumblebee species occur.
• For these species, nectar-producing areas sown with, for example, the massively supported phacelia are only
  unattractive and hosts of the Bombus genus are mostly abundant, generalist species, who support
  do not really need, or the publicly idolised domesticated honeybee.
• With the established measure, we will be able to continue gathering insights into endangered species in the field.
  of bee species, which can further help protect these species