Life-Nature Project
LIFE2002NAT/D/8458
Life-Project: "Large freshwater mussels Unionoidea in the border area of
Bavaria, Saxony and the Czech Republic"
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Summary
The aim of the LIFE-Nature project is to protect the freshwater pearl mussel Margaritifera margaritifera and the common river mussel Unio crassus in the border area of Bavaria - Saxony – Czech Republic.
The project shall reduce the mud drag-in. Altogether eight semi-natural mud collectors were built in front of the mouths of side streams. They keep away 20 to 30 m3 of mud from the main brook every year. Five drains were opened to retain harmful iron mud (ochre). Three sites for cattle passage were developed into reinforced fords.
The habitat of the mussel and its host fish was improved: A cased side brook was given back its brook bed. At altogether ten sites, silty gravel was cleaned in the mussel brooks so that young mussel and fish spawn can live here again. The fish population was clearly improved by newly designed small structures in the streams made of deadwood and rootstocks and by levelling the banks.
The rejuvenation of the mussel populations was supported. For one, host fish were caught and infected on the spot with larvae of the common river mussel and placed back in the streams. Also, brown trout in a fish farming facility were infected with freshwater pearl mussel larvae and young mussel was collected. As a result, altogether more than 100,000 common river mussels and 300,000 freshwater pearl mussels could be directly released into the brooks.
Guided tours and road shows, as well as press conferences in the area made the mussel protection and the project public. Display boards on the grounds, information material and a project exhibition support the public awareness even beyond the runtime of the project. A special sign of hope for the long-term success of the project measures and for the protection of the freshwater pearl mussel altogether is represented by the rare find of more than 50 naturally grown young mussels.
