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 proposed Sites of Community Importance Habitats:  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 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 !