Description
The project focuses on conservation, research and sustainable use of wetlands and their biodiversity in the Czech Republic. Wetlands are among the most important but also the world's most threatened ecosystems, which provide irreplaceable ecosystem services. Wetlands occupy about 1.5% of the territory, but their condition is often dismal. The objective of the project is to determine the current status of wetlands, to assess the impact of selected activities on wetlands, to evaluate the current approach to the protection and use of wetlands and to propose measures to ensure the proper management of wetlands. The project will contribute to improving the state of the Czech countryside and water retention in the agricultural landscape and establishing principles of wise use of wetlands. The project also contributes to the development of bilateral cooperation with Norway, which is not only a donor, but also a partner who will manage the project and implementation of the activities involved.
Summary of project results
The project was prepared with considerations of national needs and priorities in the field of protection, research and sustainable use of wetlands in the Czech Republic. For these matters, the Ministry of the Environment took the responsibility in the Czech Republic for preparation and coordination of the project. The realization of the project fulfilled the tasks arising from the Czech Republic's membership in the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands (e.g. the identification of the ecological status of wetlands, the interaction of wetlands of education etc.). An important contribution of the project is also the deepening of the bilateral cooperation between the Czech Republic and the Kingdom of Norway in the field of revitalization and rehabilitation of wetlands, education on wetlands and research of various types of wetlands. During the implementation of the project following outputs were created: • wetlands Database of the Czech Republic • assessment of the current ecological status of wetlands of international importance of the Czech Republic and their biodiversity • evaluation report of the current enlargement and the extent of the wetlands of the Czech Republic • recommendations for protection, management and sustainable use of wetlands in the Czech Republic and recommendations for the conservation and management of the biodiversity of wetlands in the Czech Republic • Assessment of wetland interaction and agriculture, wetland and industrial mining, wetlands and climate change • Set of educational and teaching materials Project outputs will be used over the next years to protect wetlands and their biodiversity, to spread awareness of wetlands and their significance. They will be used both by the Project Promoter and the project partners, as well as by state nature conservation workers at various levels, NGOs, farmers, environmental education centers, science and biology teachers, children and the general public. An important result of the project is also the acquisition of comprehensive knowledge on the status and extent of wetlands in the Czech Republic, the identification of the overall status of selected biotic and abiotic indicators and the state of the biodiversity of wetlands. On the basis of this knowledge, the management of wetlands and the care of their biodiversity will be developed in cooperation with the relevant state administration bodies.
Summary of bilateral results
The project was implemented in cooperation with the Norwegian Environmental Agency (NEA). The project coordinator was in regular contact with NEA representatives via email, constantly informing them about the status of the activities and of all major project issues. The partners participated in the preparation of the study journey to the Czech Republic with the aim of sharing experience with the revitalization of wetlands. On the contrary, there was a journey for Czech partners to Norway organized within the project. During the project implementation, experience was exchanged with the management of intact wetlands and in the area of environmental education. The partners participated in three sessions of the Steering Committee, two of which were organized in Norway, and at the final project conference where they informed about their involvement in the project implementation. The NEA also participated at preparation of bilateral initiative of the Project Promoter which took place in Svalbard. At the final project conference bilateral cooperation within the project was evaluated by the donor partner as successful. Positive experience from the project by expressing interest in the partnership in the project under consideration in the next programming period of the Norwegian Grants was expressed.