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Description
Project is focused on restoration of two wetlands situated in south-western and south-eastern part of Slovakia (total area of 155 ha). The natural water regime in both sites have been changed in the past decades by regulation of the rivers to prevent the floods and fertilize the agricultural land. Significant areas of alluvial meadows and pastures, permanent and periodical wetlands have been destroyed together with its unique fauna and flora. The traditional farmland was converted to conventional intensive agriculture land. Ground and underground water level has decreased for years, wetlands were degraded, lateral wetland connectivity was interrupted and important non-production environmental functions of wetlands are not filled. Both project areas are attacked by clima change impact especially by droughts and less frequent but dangerous floods. Actual way of water management allow us to simulate the spring floods just partially. We need to implement the project to improve the water regime of both project areas tend restore degraded wetlands.
Expected Project results/outputs are:
- 155 ha of restored wetlands in 2 wetland ecosystems (70 ha in Velka Krcava lake, 85 ha in Zitavsky luh);
- water management infrastructure constructed (2 water sluices/gates constructed, 1 water sluice reconstructed, 1 flow diversion structure, 1 dyke repaired, 3000 m of water channel reconstructed;
- 2 manipulation regulations elaborated and approved;
- 2 wetland habitat and species monitoring reports elaborated;
- 1 awareness raising campaign.
Basic target groups of the project are: general public and the population living in the area targeted by the project. In addition, the project results will prove and provide good practices examples for cooperation between public (state) institutions and no-profit sector (NGOs).
Summary of project results
The Project aimed to address following challenges in the field of climate change adaptation and mitigation:
- enhance of ability of two degraded wetlands to adapt to climate change and provide flood protection for local communities. One of degraded wetland is located on boundary between Slovakia and Hungary.
- restore and preserve of wetlands biodiversity including threatened bird species, such as ducks (Anas clypeata, Anas querquedula), species of predatory birds (Circus aeruginosus) and other waterbird species,
- monitoring of wetland habitat and species,
- raise awareness on wetlands among young population, academics and general public.
Following Project activities were implemented within the Project:
- technical project and building permission for wetland restoration,
- restoration of wetlands by infrastructure measures such as construction of water sluices and restoration of flood protection dams,
- elaboration of manipulation regulations,
- elaboration of reports on monitoring of status of wetland habitats and species in restored wetlands,
- installation of two information boards on restored wetlands.
Overall, 2 wetland ecosystems were restored on the area of 1,550,000 m2.
The Project improved environmental status of 2 wetlands, one of them situated on the southern boundary between Slovakia and Hungary. More than 7,000 local people benefit from ecosystems improvement measures. Promotion activities were addressed to general public and local communities.