LIFE-Nature-2005
Restoration of the Wetlands
of Zahorie Lowland
prepared by: Jaromír ŠÍBL – project manager
Beneficiary and partners
 State Nature Conservancy of SR
 Slovak Water Management Enterprise
 BROZ
Duration + budget
 start: February 2005
 end: December 2008
 total budget: 624,000 EURO
 EC contribution: 50%
Objectives
General: development of NATURA 2000 network
Specific:
 improve habitat conditions of wetlands
degraded by drainage
 reach / maintain favourable conservation status
of species and habitats targeted
 public awareness on wetlands conservation /
restoration
NATURA 2000
- 8 proposed Sites of Community Importance
Habitats:
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semi-natural pine, oak, birch and alder forests
pine monucultures
inland sand dunes
dry grasslands and heaths
wetlands
meadows
running waters
Species (all species recorded):
 higher plants - more than 500
 fish - 30
 amphibians - 13
 reptiles - 6
 birds - 48
 mammals - 24
Species of Community interest
(Annex II of Habitats Directive)
 higher plants - 1
 beetles - 6
 butterflies - 3
 dragonflies - 4
 cyclostomes and fish - 7
 amphibians - 1
 mammals - 7
 birds (Annex I of Birds Directive) - 48
Threats
 drainage of wetlands, regulations of
watercourses
 unsustainable forest management (clearcuts,
pine monocultures)
 fish migration obstacled by weir at Rudava River
 lack of management of meadows
 lack of awareness
Problems
- Consequences
 Lack of scientific information on MTA´s
biodiversity (inventories)
 Unsustainable forest management (in terms of
biodiversity)
- large scale clear-cuts
- planting pine monocultures
- increased danger of forest fires – loss of
biodiversity
 Deterioration of water regime - drainage of
wetlands, stream regulations
- interruption of fish migration routes (barriers)
- loss of biodiversity - loss of retention capacity
of the landscape – increased danger of climatic
extremes (drought, floods)
Actions
A.1. Management Plans for 8 project sites
elaborated
 deadline: 31/12/2007
 status: on-going
 outputs:
- botanical and zoological inventories carried
- GIS database developed
- draft Management plans elaborated for 4 project
sites
A.2. Education and training of project personnel
 deadline: 31/07/2007
 status: on-going
 outputs:
- study visit to Czech repulic (2 persons) acomplished
- study visit to Poland (11 persons) acomplished
A.3. Amendments to forest management plans for
7 project sites
 deadline: 31/12/2006
 status: on-going
 outputs:
- proposals elaborated for 3 project sites,
- draft proposals elaborated for 4 project sites
C.1. Implementation of specific restoration and
management measures
 deadline: 31/03/2008
 status: on-going
 outputs:
- Bahno - dead trees removed from 2,8 ha (100%)
- Vanišovec - 140 m of drainage canals filled (100%)
- Zelienka - 90 m of drainage canals filled (60%)
- Jasenácke - 20 m of drainage canals filled (50%)
- Kotlina - restoration works start in September 2006
C.2. Construction of the fish by-pass at Rudava
River
 deadline: 30/11/2007
 status: on-going
 outputs:
- the technical documentation for the construction
project revised, construction budget updated
C.3. Restoration of lowland hay meadows along
Rudava River
 deadline: 30/09/2008
 status: on-going
 outputs:
- base line survey carried on the butterfly species
targeted
- restoration works started at the area of 12 ha
E.1. Produce educational materials on the project
for general public and for media
 deadline: 31/10/2008
 status: on-going
 outputs:
- 5 articles published, 1 press release, 3 TV
and 1 radio broadcasts released
- interim project website established, new website
under preparation
- film/video/DVD producer selected
E.2. Workshops and public meetings
deadline: 31/10/2008
status: on-going
outputs:
- 1 public meeting prepared
F.1. Project management + monitoring
status: on-going
F.2. Bookkeeping
status: on-going
F.3 Auditing
status: pending
F.4 After LIFE - Conservation Plan
status: pending
Project focus in 2006
 Management Plans + Restoration Projects
Forest management plans
 wetland restoration - filling the drainage ditches and
canals) at 4 project sites
 documentation for construction permit of fish by-pass at
Rudava River
 restoration of degraded meadows at pSCI Rudava
Thank you for your attention !