The Restoration ecology group went to the field again after the winter. This time, we visited two localities in the PLA Podyjí where Exmoor ponies will start to graze at the end of April. It is a unique opportunity to compare development of extensively grazed vegetation with non-grazed vegetation. Our colleagues from Brno who already have experience with similar observations, a representative of Administration of the PLA, and Miloslav Jirků who is responsible for the ponies accompanied us into the field. Together we have found suitable plots for monitoring of the vegetation development. And now the ponies can come and start to graze!
Both localities enthralled us by numerous flowers of Pulsatilla grandis and Gagea bohemica. And we even could see snowy tops of Alps.
Miguel Ballesteros Jiménez, who spent several months of his internship with our group, defended his dissertation thesis last week at the University of Granada. His thesis on Restoration of gypsum habitats affected by quarrying: Guidance for assisted vegetation recovery received an excellent evaluation. Klára Řehounková, who also participated, immediately shared her impression with us: "The defense was really great. None of the opponents had any major comment and I believe the results of the thesis will have practical applications." We congratulate Miguel and hope that he will continue with his interesting work. 
We thank all our colleagues and co-workers for the huge amount of work we have done this year. We wish to all a pleasant Christmas time and a lot of enthusiasm into the next year.
Even the freezing weather cannot discourage us from going out into the field. This time we visited Moldavite mining site Hrbov. Although a large part of the site is planned for forestry reclamation, some water and wetland plots and their surroundings will be left for spontaneous development. We are happy that they are willing to use spontaneous development as a reclamation measure, and that the owner of the mining company is interested in working with us.
November is full of conferences. Our student Anička Müllerová participated in the 9th conference for master and doctoral students Kostelecké inspirování with her presentation Succession of aquatic and wetland vegetation in abandoned sandpits. This conference is organized by the Czech University of Life Sciences with the aim to exchange experience and establish contacts between students of biological and environmental disciplines.
Last week, a conference entitled Reconciling biodiversity protection and extractive activities organized by the European Commission took place in Brussels. The main aim of the conference was to complement Commission's guidelines on non-extractive industry and Natura2000 and provide inputs for implementing the measure of the Action Plan for Nature, People and Economy. Klára Řehounková was invited as a speaker for the session Biodiversiy during after-mining rehabiliation. She demonstrated the effectiveness of ecological restoration in post-mining sites at a country and also global scale. She also promoted the Society for Ecological Restoration (SER) Europe, which can facilitate the transfer of knowledge through the network of experts from different fields. Meeting with people from various fields involved in extraction of natural resources clearly demonstrated an interest in efficient and economically advantageous restoration of sites disturbed by mining activities.
Two of our students have succeeded in the 7th edition of the contest Jihočeská ratolest which aim is to contribute to improvement of the environment and to rise knowledge in this issue in the South Bohemian region. Our students Anička Müllerová and Míla Prošková have been awarded in the category of bachelor's and master's theses. Anička came second with her master thesis Succession of aquatic and wetland vegetation in abandoned sandpits, and Míla came fourth with her bachelor thesis Establishment of selected late successional and alien woody species in forestry reclaimed and spontaneously developed postmining habitats.
In September, our German colleagues, who study flowering strips and their role in increasing biodiversity of plants and insects in agricultural landscape, visited České Budějovice. They spent here 6 and 17 days, respectively. 
