Description
Nowadays husbandmen carry out farming activities in the bed of Lake Kolon, drained in the last century. From the point of nature conservation this causes severe problems. Several habitat rehabilitations have been carried out on the lake, but none have included the water habitats. The water habitat should be made known by people living in the region and solutions must be found for the conflicts caused by the water regulation. Hence the project seeks to create a network of volunteers, supporting conservation and rehablitation activities as well as to have panels where conflicts with farmers can be managed. A new educational nature trail will be created in the outskirts of Páhi, while information about the flora and fauna of the habitat will be introduced through interactive tasks to children in grade 6.
Summary of project results
The aim of the project was to resolve the conflict between local residents, farmers and nature conservation interests regarding water management issues of the Lake Kolon, and to eradicate some deficits of the local ecotourism infrastructure. For the sake of the former, a forum with local farmers were held and different information activities were promoted for local schools and the local public. These included 5 field school sessions, numerous publicly announced field actions (waste collection, planting and invasive plant species, etc.), 2 public events and 3 guided tours. For awareness raising the natural values of the area were presented at major events of the target area by the means of a mobile exhibition, and drawing and photo competition on Lake Kolon was announced in the nearby settlements, and for which nearly 150 entries were submitted. For the development of ecotourism infrastructure a new, eight-station long, barrier-free pathway was developed and built in the outskirts of Pahi village, and with the cooperation of a local entrepreneur a ramp and a new tower was attached to one of the bird watching point of the lake.
Summary of bilateral results