Skip to main content

Wetland restoration in the Zahorie lowland, Slovakia

National Id
Slovakia_03
Site name
Borska nižina lowland
Summary
WETREST Project, in Zahorie Lowland (western Slovakia), takes actions focusing restoration activities and increasing awareness about wetlands conservation and restoration. The project is funded by the LIFE program in coordination with the Ministry of Environment.
Light or indepth?
Light
NUTS Code
Západné Slovensko
RBD code
SK40000
Transboundary
0
Contact
REC
Source(s)
WETREST - Restoration of Wetlands at Zahorie Lowland
Restoration at Zahorie Lowland
Sponge Measure(s) implemented in the case study
Wetland restoration and management
Longitude
17.0018
Latitude
48.5028
Climate zone
warm temperate dry
Precipitation
580,599975585938
Mean rainfall unit
mm/year
Temperature
9,5
Runoff coefficient
0,200000002980232
Type
Case Study Info
Vegetation class
Alluvial forests with Alnus glutinosa and Fraxinus excelsior
Application scale
Field Scale
Installation date
2008-12
Performance timescale
1 - 4 years
Area subject to Land use change or Management/Practice change (ha)
165
Community involvment
Yes
Design contractual arrangement
Arrangement type Responsibility Role Name Comments
Design consultation activity
Activity stage Key issues Name Comments
Training courses
with 26 and 19 participants
Study visits
four study visits with around a dozen participants each were organised for project personnel, as well as five additional short study visits with just two or three key personnel at a time
Informative deliverables
information in various printed and electronic formats as well as erecting information posts and engaging actively with the media to build public support for the protection of the sites
Public events and meetings
Design land use change
Land use change type Comment
Natural grasslands
Design Authority
Authority type Authority name Role Comments
National water authority
State Nature Conservancy of the Slovak Republic
Implementation
National water authority
Slovak Water Management Enterprise, Department Bratislava
Implementation
NGO
BROZ- Regional Association for Nature Conservation and Sustainable Development
Implementation
Local water authority
SNC- Administration of Zahorie PLA
Implementation
Key lessons
A successful project is an integrated project. Public awareness campaigns on the importance of wetlands and restoration and conservation is a key factor in order to keep good results.
Success factor(s)
Success factor type Success factor role Comments
Barrier
Barrier type Barrier role Comments
Legal obligations / restrictions
At the same time, further threats to the vulnerable habitats from policies in areas of forestry, hunting and tourism are increasing.
Driver
Driver type Driver role Comments
Policy description
During the preceding two decades, the total wetland area in Slovakia had declined dramatically and the vast majority of remaining natural and semi-natural wetlands were seriously threatened by human activities. The main cause of the decline were changes in the natural water regime, brought about by extensive drainage, peat extraction and land-reclamation schemes - mostly to provide more agricultural land, but also as part of intensification of forest management.
The changes had led to a decline in habitats and species associated with the wetlands and a reduction of the retention capacity of the areas concerned. Many species that were once common - such as amphibians or storks - had become rare, some of them even locally extinct. One of the most valuable remaining wetlands is located in the Zahorie Lowland, which is also one of the most important regions in Slovakia for biodiversity in general.
Policy target
Target purpose
Improved Biodiversity
Policy pressure
Pressure directive Relevant pressure
Policy area
Policy area type Policy area focus Name Comments
Policy impact
Impact directive Relevant impact
Wider plan type
Wider plan type Wider plan focus Name Comments
Requirement directive
Requirement directive Specification
Total cost
624000