Archive

Biodiversity is the basis of Nature. The “International Biodiversity Day” reminds us that this basis of life is under threat. Up to 150 species become extinct daily. This includes also crops and livestock. Their protection is often neither part of the agriculture nor part of nature conservation. SAVE Foundation based with its Project Office in St. Gallen, Switzerland, and the SAVE Network Office in Wageningen, The Netherlands, cares to them Europeanwide, like for example in the Alps.

Document

SAVE Focus 2005

The situation of numerous cross-border breeds in Europe has been regularly analyzed by SAVE. The addresses of contact persons, population numbers of breeding stocks in each country, and any necessary actions were published in the ‘SAVE Focus’ in English. Now, this data is being kept up-to-date in online databases known as Breed Atlases.

SaveFocus_2005

SAVE Focus, Special Edition Balkan

Racial descriptions, images, breeding data, and addresses of cross-border livestock breeds in Europe in 2004/2005 can be found in the ‘SAVE Focus’ publications and other relevant resources from that time period.

SaveFocus 2004/2005

Letter to the EU Commission: Protection of Endangered Breeds in the Event of Epidemics

NGO-Zoom “Fruits”

Obstsorten-Erhalten
NGO-Zoom_2001
The print edition is unfortunately out of stock and can no longer be ordered

Projects & Documentation

Pan-european

Model Project on Agrobiodiversity at Lake Constance

Agricultural Diversity at Lake Constance:
The consumer/tourist brochure provides, over 58 pages, an overview of dedicated farmers, gardeners, breeders, initiatives, projects, and institutions that are engaged in various aspects of agro-biodiversity in the international Lake Constance region (covering surrounding areas of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland).

Old Fruit Varieties on the Western Lake Constance:
This brochure documents the diversity of fruit varieties, describes them, and includes a contact section listing sources for individual fruit varieties as well as for scions and nursery material (34 pages).

Both brochures are available from: SAVE Foundation Project Office: office@save-foundation.net

Alps

Long-term Monitoring:
The Alpine Delphi 2007

The monitoring studies (see below) indicated that a permanent, straightforward monitoring infrastructure with an early warning system is necessary. The “Alpine Delphi” enables a continuous overview of the status of genetic resources in the Alps with relatively little effor

Kurzfassung
Schlussbericht (en)

Carpathian

Interregional

Carpathian Network for Agrobiodiversit
Report

Conservation of Agrobiodiversity

Forum Carpaticum 2010
Final Report 2008

Water Buffalo

Bulgaria

Conservation of the Karakachan Horses and Shee

The Karakachan sheep and horses are regional breeds that have developed in the rural areas of Bulgaria under the simplest living conditions.

The Karakachans are a Balkan nomadic people of livestock breeders, regarded by most historians as descendants of the ancient Thracian herding communities.

Project Description (en)
Projekt Report 2002 (de)

Carpathian Mountains

Rare Livestock Breeds and Plant Varieties in the Carpathians – Monitoring and Conservation Strategie

Project Report (en) Suceava, Romania, 26–28 May 1999

Poland

Podgorska Red Cattle: Conservation and Nucleus Breeding

Project Report “Last Red Cattle Herd”

Romania

Animal Genetic Resources

The old breeds, optimally adapted to their specific environments, lost their breeding value, were abandoned, and disappeared. However, these breeds are of great importance for extensive production. The aim of the project was therefore to locate Romania’s traditional breeds and varieties (or their remnants), to assess their status and possibilities for conservation, and, where appropriate, to initiate concrete measures.

List of Breeds in Romania
Final Report 2012

Ukraine

Collection of old local fruit varieties in Transcarpathia

According to the tasks outlined in the cooperation agreement, research expeditions were conducted from September to December 2008 to explore the fruit crops of old plantations in the Beregovo, Khust, and Tyachevo districts of the Transcarpathian region.

1. intermediate report (en)
2. intermediate report (en)
3. intermediate report (en)

Wallachia

Wallachia-Sheep: Conservation breeding and cross-border blood exchange
(SK, CZ, D)

Coordination Meeting
Genetic Refreshment of the Wallachian Sheep

Mediterranean

Italy

Agricultural Genetic Resources

Italy is rich in livestock breeds and cultivated plant varieties, some of which have been exemplary documented (for example, in the three volumes of the Atlante Etnografico). However, comparatively little has been done for their conservation at the European level.
The aim of this study was to present the institutions and individuals engaged in conservation work in the private, academic, and governmental sectors, and to assess the need for action based on updated data.

German Translation of the Study

Italy

Girgentana Goat

In Sicily, the endangerment of certain breeds is particularly evident due to the specific circumstances of local agriculture. The Girgentana goats, which differ markedly from other goat breeds, are especially affected. SAVE, the European umbrella organization for in-situ conservation, aims to preserve this distinctive breed in cooperation with Italian institutions.

Project Description (de)
Interim report 2004 (de)
Interim report 2010 (de)

Greece

Animal Genetic Resources

The aim of the project “Animal Genetic Resources in Greece” was to launch nationwide monitoring of traditional livestock breeds, to assess the need for action for each species and breed, and to initiate conservation measures.

Final report monitoring phase (de)
Final report Phase 2
Breedatlas 2010

Croatia

Survey and Breeding Program for Turopolje Pigs

The Turopolje pigs were on the brink of extinction during the Yugoslav wars of the 1990s. The safeguarding of the pig population by the SAVE Foundation was possibly one of the most dramatic actions ever undertaken.

Description (en)

Greece and Albania

Prespa Cattle

As part of the study “Animal Genetic Resources in Greece,” funded by the MAVA Foundation and conducted by the Monitoring Institute, several reports emerged of a “dwarf cattle” in the village of Psarades in the Greek part of the Prespa region. In the winter of 2005/06, efforts were therefore made to verify the reliability of these reports and to document the population.

Prespa-Cattle und Greece and Albania
Prespa cattle
Interim Report 2011 (de)
Interim Report 2012
Final Report 2014 (de)

Greece and Albania

Ethology of the Axios Horses

The wild horses of the Axios River are an important component of the regional fauna and also attract the attention of tourists. Due to the modernization of agriculture, the domestic horses of this area were left free, as they were no longer needed for regular field work.

Project report 2008

Network Conferences

18. – 20. September 2014 – Lonjsko Polje, Kroatien

10. europ. Seminar zur Agrobiodiversität: “Agrobiodiversität und Naturschutz”

Presentations:
> Roman Ozimek: Agrobiodiversity & Nature in the Balkans
> Antje Feldmann: ANGR in Biosphere Reserves Germany
> Andra Gadpardy: Establishing of maternal lineages in Tsigai sheep
> Waltraud Kugler: Feral Populations in Europe
> Waltraud Kugler: Plant genetic Resources and Nature Conservation
> Atila Sedefchev: Rare Breeds Center Vlahi

19. – 21. September 2013 – Biezenmortel, NL

9. europ. Seminar zur Agrobiodiversität: “Agrobiodiversität und die GAP: Eine Chance für die ländliche Entwicklung”

Presentations:
> Welcome in Noord Brabant: Stichting Zeldzame Huisdierrassen
> Elli Broxham: A chance for rural and social development
> Hans Brand: The CAP 2014-2020
> Loek Hilgers: Agrobiodiversity in the “Kempen” region
> Stichting Duinboeren: The Dune Farmers Platform
> Tobias Hiemstra: Saving rare breeds by eating them
> Hape Grünenfelder: The Sortengarten Suedtirol

18. – 20. September 2014 – Lonjsko Polje, Kroatien

8. europ. Seminar zur Agrobiodiversität: “Der ökonomische Wert lokaler Rassen und Varietäten”

Presentations:
> Bundesamt für Landwirtschaft: Preservation Strategies for Swiss Breeds
> Philippe Ammann: From the Old Breed to the New Product
> Jakob Kortegaard: Marketing of Lamb from Eco-Grazing in Denmark
> Muriel Hendrichs: Project Pro Frutteti – Fruit Conservation in Ticino
> Ulrich Schulze: Nutritional Values and Marketing of Rare Cultivated Plants
> Elzbieta Lenarczyk: Agro-Biodiversity for Rural development in Poland
> Elli Broxham: The HERITASTE® quality label

23. September 2011 – Dimitrovgrad, Serbien

7. europ. Seminar zur Agrobiodiversität: “Bewahrung oder Anpassung? – Erhaltungsarbeit angesichts ändernder Umwelt”

Presentations:
> Elli Broxham: Agrobiodiversity conservation in a changing environment
> Michel Jacobi: From an endagered breed of Waterbuffalo
> Pauline Wolters: Education about preservation and adaptaion & (Extrakt)
> Svitlana Kostenko: Variability of cytogenetic and molecular-genetic descriptions of cattle
> Stijn Hilgers: The Kempen heathsheep
> Atila Sedefchev: Conservation of two native Bulgarian goat breeds & (Extrakt)
> Sider Sedefchev: Rare Breeds Centre in Vlahi & (Extrakt)
> András Gaspardy: Ecotypes – breed variants adapted & (Extrakt)
> Elli Broxham: The HERITASTE® quality label

04. September 2010 – Criewen, Brandenburg/Deutschland

6. europ. Seminar zur Agrobiodiversität: “AgroBiodiversity – ein wesentlicher Teil der Biodiversität”

Presentations:
> Waltraud Kugler: Welcome and project overview
> Kristaq Kume: Albania – Rescue of endangered local pig breeds
> Konstantinos Koutis: Biodiversity and ecology in Greek agriculture
> András Gáspárdy: Present and forgotten diversity of the Racka sheep group
> Michael Miklis: Biodiversity in Ireland will it vanish with the credit crunch?
> Hysen Bytyqi: Genetic conservation programs and initiatives in Kosovo
> Hysen Bytyqi: Buffaloes in Kosovo
> Ruta Sveistiene: Agrobiodiversity in Lithuania
> Neshad Azemovski: FYROM – Conservation of agrobiodiversity
> Monika Slotwinska: Poland – The Rural Development Foundation
> Marcel Matiuti: Cattle breeds livestock in Transylvania and Banat
> Sergej Ivanov: Rare breeds in Stara Planina Nature Park
> Michél Jacobi: Arc & Rescue Station Saldobosh, Transcarpathia

21. August 2009 – Gent, Belgien

5. europ. Seminar zur Agrobiodiversität: “Innovative Aspekte für die In-Situ Erhaltun