E-Learning from Nature

NAME OF THE LOCAL AREA
Plomėnai Ornithological Reserve

COUNTRY
Lithuania

CITY
Trakai

THEMATIC AREA
Geography

WEB SITE
http://www.trakai-visit.lt/lt/turistiniai-marsrutai http://www.seniejitrakai.lt/lr-kult-ros-ministro-sakymas-2/

DESCRIPTION OF THE LOCAL AREA
Plomėnai Ornithological Reserve is located in south-eastern Lithuania, in Trakai district, 1 km to the west of Trakai. It can be reached by travelling the road 107 Trakai -Vievis.
Plomėnai Ornithological Reserve is included in the Natura 2000 network. The reserve covers an area of 500,64 hectares and includes Plomėnai lake, Plomėnai marshlands and vilages Plomėnai, Dūbninkai and Būkliai. The reserve was established in 1977 to protect rare species of plants and birds which are on the List of extinct and endangered species of Lithuania.
Plomėnai marshes are of thermocarst origin and cover 150 hectares of irregularly shaped raised bogs (bogs make about 60% of marshes) with some dry elevations. Plomėnai lake covers an area of 18.2 hectares and is surrounded by marshes. The reserve is rich in bird species. Some species breed here, while other species choose Plomėnai marshes as their migratory rout. Eighty-nine species of birds have been discovered in Plomėnai Ornithological Reserve. These include Montagu’s harrier, common crane, corn crake, and black stork.
The biggest part of the territory of the reserve – 284,4 hectares is covered by forest. Pines, birches and willows grow in wet areas of the reserve. In dry places, a lot of mushrooms can be found, bogs are rich with cranberries. As many as 12 protected plant species have been found in the dry islands of the marshlands: fragrant orchids (Gymnadenia conopsea and Gymnadenia odoratissima), green-winged orchid, sword lily, and various ground orchids.
Plomėnai Ornithological Reserve was established to preserve Plomėnai marshlands with their rich and diverse ornithofauna and to conduct research. Educational activities and bird watching are also carried out.


	Plomėnai marshes	Plomėnai marshes are of thermocarst origin and cover 150 hectares of irregularly shaped raised bogs (bogs make about 60% of marshes) with some dry elevations. Plomėnai lake covers an area of 18.2 hectares and is surrounded by marshes. The reserve is rich in bird species. Some species breed here, while other species choose Plomėnai marshes as their migratory rout. Eighty-nine species of birds have been discovered in Plomėnai Ornithological Reserve. These include Montagu’s harrier, common crane, corn crake, and black stork.
	Mosses. Sphagnum	Sphagnum, commonly known as peat moss, grows abundantly in Plomėnai swamp. It is not a rare or protected plant, as it grows in various types of wetlands. However, the spread of moss has reduced as large areas of wetlands have been drained and converted to agricultural land. Sphangum moss has not got any roots. The plant accumulates water with all its body. Sphangum moss is a short lived plant which eventually builds up into layers. Layers of dead moss is called peat.
	Forest path around the lake and the marshes	A narrow forest path can be used to go around the lake and the marshes. It streches among broadleaf and coniferous trees. Pine, spruce, birch, hasel and bird cherry trees line the path. In the eastern part of the lake, the path is very close to the marshes and there is no access to the lake. In the western part of the lake, the path goes up the hill and offers a great panoramic view of the lake and the marshes.
	Wetlands surrounding Plomėnai lake	Plomėnai lake is surrounded by marshes from all its sides. Marshes are expanding and overgrowing the lake leaving no access to it. Marshes is definitely not the best place for a walk, but it is a perfect habitat for many species of birds, insects and wetland plants.
	Nymphaea or Nuphar?	Nymphaea is a genus of hardy and tender aquatic plants in the family Nymphaeaceae. The genus has a cosmopolitan distribution. Plants of the genus are known commonly as water-lilies. It is on the List of extinct and endangered species of Lithuania. Nuphar is genus of aquatic plants in the family Nymphaeaceae, with a temperate to subarctic Northern Hemisphere distribution. Common names include water-lily, pond-lily, and spatterdock (North American species). Both plants look very similar when they do not bloom. In both genera the leaves float and have a radial notch from the circumference to the point of attachment of the petiole.
	Caltha palustris	Caltha palustris, known as marsh-marigold and kingcup, is a small to medium size perennial herbaceous plant of the family Ranunculaceae, native to marshes, fens, ditches and wet woodland in temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. It flowers between April and August, dependent on altitude and latitude, but occasional flowers may occur at other times. The plant is poisonous. Horses and cows sometimes poison themselves. It is one of not many plans that bloom in Plomėnai marshes in May.
	Primula veris	Primula veris (cowslip) is a herbaceous perennial flowering plant in the primrose family Primulaceae. The species is native throughout most of temperate Europe and Asia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primula_veris Primula veris grows in the meadows surrounding the marshes.


	The Corn Crake	The Corn Crake or landrail (Crex crex) is a bird in the rail family. It breeds in Europe and Asia as far east as central Siberia and western China, and migrates to Africa in winter. The Corn Crake bird was extinct in Lithuania because modern farming practices mean that nests and birds are destroyed by mowing or harvesting before breeding is finished. Conservation measures have been taken and the population has been restored. Plomėnai Ornithological reserve is one of the places where the Corn Crake nests.The corn crake\'s breeding habitat is grassland. This secretive species builds a nest of grass leaves in a hollow in the ground and can be heard better than seen.


Plomenai lake and marshlands Plomėnai lake is not big. This oval-shaped lake covers an area of 18,2 hectares. It is 0,6 km long and 0,5 km wide at the widest point. The lake is surrounded by marshlands, which are expanding into the lake. This video is filmed in mid-April. Deciduous trees are still without leaves, the lake and surrounding wetland meadows are not green yet, but voices of birds can already be heard. Most birds are not visible because they are hiding in last year\'s dry grass. Not only birds cannot be seen, but also ticks. Trakai National Park has warned that the meadows surrounding the marshlands are full of ticks, making walking dangerous.
Plomėnai lake and marshlands in May Plomėnai lake and marshlands look different in May. The trees are olready green and old dry grass is overgrown by fresh and green.

Geographical Areas