Seed Collection and Plant Tissue Services for Protected Species

This contract involves providing services for the collection and delivery of seed material, tissue fragments, and herbarium specimens of protected and endangered plant species found in nature reserves and Natura 2000 areas managed by the State Forests. The service is part of a comprehensive project titled 'Together for Nature - Protection of Species and Habitats in Valuable Natural Areas,' which is being implemented by multiple entities, including the Kostrzyca Forest Gene Bank, focusing on ex situ plant conservation. This project is co-financed by external funds under the European Funds for Infrastructure, Climate, and Environment Program 2021-2027 (FEnIKS). Seed material and tissues will be collected annually over four consecutive years (2025-2028), while herbarium specimens will be collected once in a single year. Additionally, the service includes monitoring the locations of the species being collected and analyzing them for conservation purposes. A detailed description of the contract is included in Annex 1 to the Terms of Reference, which consists of: Annex 1A - List of locations designated for collection; Annex 1B - Manual for collecting seeds of wild species developed by ENSCONET; Annex 1C - Methodology for obtaining empirical samples of plants (tissue fragments, herbarium specimens) for research related to banking and DNA barcoding of selected plant species; Annex 1D - Guidelines for conducting phytosociological photography and determining the population size of species; Annex 1E - List of alternative locations for specific species.