LIFE Apollo2020 at International LIFE Meetings in Poland and Czechia (2026)
LIFE projects as a platform for cooperation and real impact
LIFE projects are much more than field-based conservation actions. The LIFE Programme – the EU’s main tool supporting nature, biodiversity, climate action, ecosystem restoration, financing mechanisms and policy integration – thrives on cooperation, exchange of experience, and shared learning across borders.
At LIFE Apollo2020, we strongly believe that real impact comes not only from implementing conservation actions on the ground, but also from actively engaging with other projects, sharing experience, learning from different approaches, and building long-term partnerships. Participating in international meetings is therefore an essential part of our work. These events allow us to present our activities, gain new perspectives, and connect with organisations working on similar challenges across Europe. Very often, these exchanges lead to further collaboration in conservation actions and strengthen the overall effectiveness of LIFE-funded initiatives.
Poland – Earth Day in Warsaw
On Earth Day, we took part in the 2nd Central and Eastern European LIFE Projects Meeting 2026 in Warsaw (22–24 April), an event organised within the LIFE KAMPINOS WETLIFE (LIFE19 NAT/PL/000746) project in cooperation with its partners – Kampinos National Park, the Warsaw University of Life Sciences (SGGW), CINEA (LIFE Programme) and REC Poland.
The event brought together over 100 participants from across Central and Eastern Europe – including Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Romania, Croatia and Poland – creating a vibrant space for collaboration, knowledge exchange, and discussion on the future of nature conservation and climate action.
One of the key elements of the meeting were field visits demonstrating real-life conservation and climate resilience outcomes. Participants visited Kampinos National Park and surrounding areas, where they could see wetland restoration, protection of dune habitats and bats, educational activities along the Vistula River, and long-term ecohydrological research in practice.
We were proud to represent the LIFE Apollo2020 project, with our Polish team members – Magda and Grzegorz actively contributing to discussions and networking.
Czechia – International LIFE Projects Conference
At the same time, our colleagues from the Czech team (VIS Bílé Karpaty) participated in the International LIFE Projects Conference held in Czechia on 22–23 April 2026, organised as the final international conference of the One Nature project (LIFE IP: N2K Revisited).
This integrated initiative supports biodiversity conservation and the strengthening of ecosystem services within the Natura 2000 network in the Czech Republic.
The conference brought together LIFE projects from across Europe, creating a collaborative space to exchange experience, present innovative solutions, and discuss lessons learned from environmental and sustainability projects.
Participants also joined a field trip to the České středohoří Protected Landscape Area and Karlštejn National Nature Reserve, where conservation actions could be seen in real conditions. We also presented the LIFE Apollo2020 project, which attracted strong interest from other participants.
Why these meetings matter
Events like these clearly demonstrate the value of the LIFE Programme as a platform that connects people, ideas, and practices across Europe. They also show that conservation work is most effective when it is supported by strong collaboration, open dialogue, and continuous learning between projects.
We are grateful for the opportunity to participate in both meetings and to contribute to this growing European network of environmental cooperation. These experiences reinforce our motivation and provide new inspiration for our ongoing work within LIFE Apollo2020.
Main photo, credits: REC Polska Regional Environmental CentrePhoto
