ŁośBonasus-Crossing!

A European project to protect and manage moose and wisents

Project Summary
European bison and moose once roamed the forests of Europe. Habitat loss, hunting and poaching led to the extermination of the European bison in Poland and Germany, and only few moose were able to survive in the Polish forests. Since then, breeding and reintroduction programs as well as improved protection regulations contributed to the gradual population recoveries of both species in Poland, from where they are increasingly finding their way towards Germany. The project “ŁośBonasus-Crossing!” was launched in 2019 to initiate cross-border cooperation for the protection and management of moose and wisents, and to strengthen public acceptance for the return of these large herbivores. The project has the following main goals:

• Creation of a solid knowledge and decision basis on the distribution and habitat requirements of European bison and moose in Poland and Germany.
• Joint, cross-border development and initiation of management options for a low-conflict coexistence with bison and moose.
• Strengthening acceptance via participation of relevant stakeholders such as authorities, land and forest users, as well as via environmental education and communication activities in the project region.

More information
More information on the project webpage.

Funding
This cross-border, European project is funded by the EU-Interreg program (Interreg 5a) (01.07.2019 – 31.12.2022)

Contact
hendrik.bluhm@hu-berlin.de