General 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 Data provider REC Source(s) WETREST - Restoration of Wetlands at Zahorie Lowland Restoration at Zahorie Lowland NWRM(s) implemented in the case study Wetland restoration and management Longitude 17.0018 Latitude 48.5028 Site information Climate zone warm temperate dry Mean rainfall 580,599975585938 Mean rainfall unit mm/year Average temperature 9,5 Average runoff coefficient 0,200000002980232 Type Case Study Info Vegetation class Alluvial forests with Alnus glutinosa and Fraxinus excelsior Design & implementations 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 Public consultation 1 Design contractual arrangement Arrangement type Responsibility Role Comments Name 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 Natural grasslands Design authority Authority type Role Responsibility Name Comments National water authority Implementation State Nature Conservancy of the Slovak Republic National water authority Implementation Slovak Water Management Enterprise, Department Bratislava NGO Implementation BROZ- Regional Association for Nature Conservation and Sustainable Development Local water authority Implementation SNC- Administration of Zahorie PLA Lessons, risks, implications... 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 Financing Financing type 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 Financing share Financing share type Share Comments European funds 50 View Private funds 50 View Policy, general governance and design targets 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 Policy wider plan Wider plan type Wider plan focus Name Comments Policy requirement directive Requirement directive Specification Socio-economic Costs total 624000 Full Context Pathway(aka Context) Default view Area(aka Level or Site) ALL