CONCEPT FOR RESTORATION OF NATURA 2000 SITES … · for Restoration of NATURA 2000 Sites in...

1 Floodplain Management and Habitat Network – Joint Elaboration of Management Plans – „Concept

for Restoration of NATURA 2000 Sites in Bratislava Capital Region „– WP4.1

CONCEPT FOR RESTORATION OF

NATURA 2000 SITES IN BRATISLAVA

CAPITAL REGION

Mgr. Miroslava Rudá, RNDr. Tomáš Kušík, Mgr. Matúš Kúdela PhD.

2010



Content

Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 3

Summary Description of the Concept ........................................................................................ 4

General Description of the Area ................................................................................................. 9

Map of the Target NATURA 2000 Sites ................................................................................. 22

Conservation and Biodiversity Threats .................................................................................... 23

Previous Conservation Efforts in the Area ............................................................................... 30

Details of Proposed Actions ..................................................................................................... 33



Introduction

This concept elaborated by BROZ (Regional Association for Nature Conservation and Sustainable Development) should serve as a management plan for the NATURA 2000 sites in Bratislava capital region. The concept is written in a form of consistent project proposal with potential to be submitted to certain programme schemes or instruments for the environment.

BROZ has got rich long-term experience with nature conservation issues, especially restoration management of target habitat in the region as well as good previous cooperation with institutions from the cross-border region in Austria and Hungary. After implementation of plenty of diverse projects in the region (some of them international) BROZ is aware of the conservation threats and concrete needs in the area.

This project proposal consists of basic description of the project area (the trilateral cross-border region), especially aimed at 17 target NATURA 2000 sites and its target habitats. For introduction the key conservation and biodiversity threats are listed and explained. All important previous efforts and action in the region are mentioned. Conservation actions are explained in detail, divided logically into five main parts – preparatory actions, land purchase/ lease, concrete conservation actions, awareness rising activities and project operation and monitoring. Text is supported by coloured maps showing potential localities for implementation of particular project actions.



Summary Description of the Concept

Objectives:

The Bratislava Region and its surrounding display high diversity of natural conditions with high number of habitats and species of European importance. The trilateral cross-border region of Slovakia, Austria and Hungary including valuable sites of NATURA 2000 network represent strategic region where natural heritage should be preserved transnationally. Joint conservation efforts including suitable restoration management should lead to active nature protection and promotion of natural values in the region.

The main objective is to establish a functional network of NATURA 2000 areas in the trilateral region of Bratislava and to secure favourable conservation status for habitats of Community interest by restoration and management of 17 sites within the project site (SK010 Bratislava kraj, SK021 Trnavský kraj, HU221 Győri, NUTS2 Niederösterreich, NUTS3 Weinviertel).

Specific objectives:

1. Restoration and introduction of appropriate management of habitats of Community interest

2. Restoration of river branch connectivity, water regime and flowing water conditions

3. Land purchase and lease and following introduction of appropriate habitat management

4. Implementation of measures preventing uncontrolled tourism and disturbance in target SCIs

5. Awareness rising of key stakeholders and public

Actions and means involved:

A. Preparatory actions: are necessary for later implementation of specific conservation actions.

A.1 Elaboration of management plans for selected SCIs – The management plans will serve as a base for suitable restoration and conservation management of target habitats

A.2 Background research study on present distribution, ecology, population fragmentation and specific habitat requirements of fauna of project site – Study revealing important information about studied populations will serve as a base for identification of localities for restoration activities, monitoring, creation of non-managed areas and will also contribute to successful implementation of other project actions.

A.3 Preparation of expert study on restoration and management of forest habitats – This study will propose the most suitable way of restoration of forests (removal of invasive and planting of native species and individual protection) and will also include proposals for Forest management plans.



A.4: Preparation of expert study on restoration of forest steppe habitats – The study will verify potential proposed localities to restore forest steppes and propose the most suitable management measures.

A.5 Preparation of expert study on restoration of grassland habitats – The study will define threaten areas and activities needed to be taken for restoration of different grassland habitats.

A.6 Preparation of expert study on restoration of traditional habitat management by grazing – Study will propose best methods and grazing models for particular locations, composition of grazing animals and places for temporary keeping of animals.

A.7 Preparation of expert study and technical documentation on restoration of water and wetland habitats – Within this study methods for restoration of proposed river branch systems and side arms will be planned.

A.8 Preparation of expert study on restoration and protection of rocky habitats and caves –The study will verify potential proposed localities to implement restoration and protection measures for all these rocky habitats and caves.

A.9 Elaboration of project documentation for building of NATURA 2000 Management Centre – This action includes elaboration of technical documentation for the planning and implementation of construction works and for issuing the necessary building permission for the construction of the NATURA 2000 Management Centre.

B. Land lease and purchase: strategic land within the project site will be purchased and long-term leased to introduce appropriate land management and/ or to implement following specific conservation actions, mainly to allow restoration and log-term preservation of NATURA 2000 sites.

B.1 Purchase and/ or long-term lease of land – Together 2 ha of land will be purchased and 70 ha long-term leased for 30 years with the aim to implement planned conservation actions.

C. Concrete conservation actions: will secure favourable conservation status for habitats of Community interest by restoration and management of 17 sites within the project site.

C.1 Restoration and management of forest habitats – The state of forest habitats will be improved by direct conservation actions and will be secured through the new Forest management plans.

C.2 Restoration of forest steppe habitats – Restoration action will include removal of tree and shrub vegetation, locally also mulching and mowing/ removal of overgrown vegetation. 115 ha of forest steppes will be restored and prepared for regular recurring management.

C.3 Restoration of grassland habitats – Mowing, grazing and clearing of trees and bushes will improve conservation status of 150 ha of different grassland habitats.

C.4 Restoration of traditional habitat management by grazing – Suitable species composition of grazing animals will be used for restoration of overgrown abandoned forest steppes and non-forest habitats through elimination of invasive weeds, trees and shrubs.



C.5 Restoration of water and wetland habitats – Improvement of hydrological conditions of water and wetland habitats will enhance the quality and nature of riverine areas. At six places dried-up, destroyed or isolated river branches will be restored.

C.6 Restoration and protection of rocky habitats and caves – Restoration and protection measures on 1,67 ha will include local removal of trees and shrubs, making barriers and facilities to regulate movement of tourists. For most vulnerable spots, access of people will be restricted completely.

C.7 Establishment of NATURA 2000 Management Centre – The main objective of NATURA 2000 Management Centre is to improve and maintain the favourable conservation status of habitats and species of community interest in NATURA 2000 sites in the Bratislava region. It reflects the strong need for establishing the coordination unit that will substantially contribute to restoration and long-term management of NATURA 2000 sites based on latest scientific knowledge and findings.

C.8 Regulation of disturbing human impact on habitats and species – disturbance of species and negative effects on target habitats will be reduced by implementation of tourism controlling by rangers.

D. Public awareness and dissemination of results: different tools will be used to rise the public awareness; information, education and promotion will be focused on different groups of stakeholders and key decision makers, local inhabitants and general public of different age.

D.1 Web site development and maintenance – The wide public including stakeholders will have an access to the information about project activities and results trough the web site. It will allow also communication and discussion about issues related to the project topics and NATURA 2000 network.

D.2 Communication and regular meetings with key stakeholders and decision makers, preparation of expert workshops and seminars, sharing of experience – Meetings with stakeholders will be prepared in order to discuss current conservation issues, connected with project actions and implementation of suitable management.

D.3 Environmental awareness raising and improvement of interpretation value of NATURA 2000 sites – Information panels, educational elements, interactive exhibition, maps, and leaflets about NATURA 2000 Management Centre will contribute to increase of public awareness about NATURA 2000 habitats that might significantly contribute to the improvement of habitat nature conservation status.

D.4 Publishing of information, educational and promotional materials – The action includes elaboration of materials, which will be distributed to increase awareness of target public of different groups.

D.5 Elaboration and implementation of complex educational programs on the NATURA 2000 in the region for schools – Educational programs will be elaborated and implemented in order to increase environmental knowledge of young generation.



D.6 Installation of wildlife watching hides – Installation of observation towers for watching birds and wildlife will raise awareness of the public and visitors and improve their understanding of nature conservation actions.

D.7 Promotional and educational films – Educational film about NATURA 2000 and documentary film about the project will be produced and presented.

D.8 Education, trainings and staff exchange of project personnel aimed at nature and visitor management – Key project personnel from the institutions involved will be trained on nature and visitor management and encouraged in the mutual exchange of information and experiences.

D.9 Presentations for students, teachers and public, guided walks and excursions in SK-HU-AT trilateral cross-border area – Numerous presentations and field excursions (walking, cycling, by boat) for students and public will be organized. Expert guides will guarantee that visitors can have the best experience from the visits.

D.10 Promotion of project on conferences and in media – Project will be promoted by presentation during national and international conferences and by publishing of press releases and articles.

E. Overall project operation and monitoring: includes project management and bookkeeping; monitoring of impact of project actions on target species and habitats (habitat and fauna monitoring); networking with other projects; project auditing and after- project conservation plan.

E.1 Project management – Project personnel employed for the period will ensure implementation of all project actions. External subcontractors, providers of goods and services will be selected by public tenders in accordance with the project implementation schedule. The project office will be set up in Bratislava.

E.2 Project bookkeeping and financial management – Financial manager will ensure the appropriate bookkeeping and financial management during the whole duration of the project.

E.3 Monitoring of impact of project actions on target habitats – The monitoring will record and evaluate changes in vegetation and in hydrological and pedological conditions caused by restoration measures.

E.4 Monitoring of impact of project actions on main fauna species – Direct monitoring of the indicatory species will enable to measure the effect of implemented conservation actions.

E.5 Networking with other projects – Networking with other projects will allow mutual exchange of information and know-how, sharing of experiences, presentation of the successful examples and best practices.

E.6 Project auditing – External audit will control if all the legal requirements are fulfilled.

E.7 After- project conservation plan – An After-project conservation plan will set out how it is planned to continue and to develop the conservation actions initiated during the project in the years after the project and how the long-term management of the project site will be assured.



Expected results:

Forest habitats will be restored on the area of 460 ha (420 ha by removal of invasive species, 40 ha by planting of new forests of natural species composition). 9 000 valuable old trees marked and preserved from felling. Almost whole forests of the project site targeted with new Forest management plans, securing sustainable forest management, covering the area of 15 000 ha.

Forest steppe habitats will be restored on the area of 115 ha.

Grassland habitats will be restored on the area of 150 ha.

Grazing as traditional habitat management will be established on the area of 185 ha. Restored grassland and forest steppe habitats regularly grazed by the end of the project.

Water and wetland habitats will be restored at 6 localities. Minimum of 3 000 m of river branches will be re-connected and/ or restored, migration barriers for water organisms will be removed. Population of fish species and amphibians will increase and due to restricted access to some places after restoration also significant decrease of human disturbance will be achieved on 12 ha.

Rocky habitats and caves will be targeted by restoration and protection measures on their whole area within the project site (size of 1,67 ha).

The fully operational and sustainable NATURA 2000 Management Centre in the Bratislava city region will be effectively staffed and equipped with special restoration and management equipment with aim to improve and maintain the favourable conservation status of habitats and species of community interest in the region.

Regulation of disturbing human impact on habitats and species will be regularly applied in project site. Negative and illegal actions will be reported to responsible authorities, disturbance of sensitive species significantly reduced at 550 ha, 5 organised actions against illegal car access, 10 organised actions to control nature conservation regulations and 10 organised actions to collect the litter and removal of illegal camping sites will be implemented. Borders of project site and nature reserves will be implemented visibly marked in field, in SCI Devinska Kobyla 250 m of trails will be improved, fences, arbors, benches and information panels will be installed.



General Description of the Area

Name of the project area: Bratislava cross-border region

Surface area (ha): 36 033.88

EU protection status:

SPA 1 NATURA 2000 Code :

SKCHVU007 Dunajské luhy

SKCHVU014 Malé Karpaty

SKCHVU016 Záhorské Pomoravie

HUFH 30004 Szigetköz

pSCI 1 NATURA 2000 Code :

SKUEV0064 Bratislavské luhy

SKUEV0090 Dunajské luhy

SKUE 0104 Homolské Karpaty

SKUEV0117 Abrod

SKUEV0168 Horný les

SKUEV0269 Ostrovné lúčky

SKUEV0270 Hrušovská zdrţ

SKUEV0276 Kuchynská hornatina

SKUEV0279 Šúr

SKUEV0280 Devínska Kobyla

SKUEV0295 Biskupické luhy

SKUEV0312 Devínske alúvium Moravy

SKUEV0313 Devínske jazero

SKUEV0314 Rieka Morava

SKUEV0388 Vydrica



SKUEV0396 Devínske lúky

HUFH30004 Szigetköz

Other protection status according to national or regional legislation:

The project area includes/ overlaps with high number of distinct areas protected according to national legislation:

Protected Landscape Area Záhorie

Protected Landscape Area Malé Karpaty

Protected Landscape Area Dunajské luhy

Protected Landscape Area – Szigetközi Tájvédelmi Körzet

Protected Landscape Area – Panónhalmi Tájvédelmi Körzet

National Nature Reserve Abrod

National Nature Reserve Devínska Kobyla

National Nature Reserve Dolný les

National Nature Reserve Horný les

National Nature Reserve Ostrov orliaka morského

National Nature Reserve Šúr

Nature Reserve Dunajské ostrovy

Nature Reserve Foráš

Nature Reserve Gajc

Nature Reserve Kopáčsky ostrov

Nature Reserve Nad Šenkárkou

Nature Reserve Ostrovné lúčky

Nature Reserve Pod Pajštúnom

Nature Reserve Starý háj

Nature Reserve Strmina

Nature Reserve Topoľové hony



Nature Reserve Zlatá studnička

Nature Monument Limbašská vyvieračka

Nature Monument Kráľovská lúka

Nature Monument Panský diel

Protected Site Bajdel

Protected site Devínske alúvium Moravy

Protected site Chorvátske rameno

Protected Site Poľovnícky les

It also overlaps with several sites of international importance:

Trilateral Ramsar Site Floodplains of Morava – Dyje – Danube Confluence

Dunajské luhy Ramsar Site

Šúr Ramsar Site

General description of the area:

The project site of the cross-border Bratislava capital city region is of special importance for nature conservation, with very high biodiversity concerning the conditions of Slovakia and Central Europe.

Within the project site, both bio-geographical regions in Slovakia meets – the Pannonian and the Alpine bio-geographical regions. The project site represents wide range on natural conditions and habitats: The lothic aquatic habitats are represented with the large-scale floodplains of the Danube River (bifurcating river bed with many islands, mountain hydrological character and corresponding fluvial habitats and biota) and Morava River (typical meandering lowland river) with preserved floodplains; with several types of small Carpathian streams and with many mountain spring areas. Among the lenithic aquatic habitats are the most important various floodplain water bodies and the large complex of Šúr wetland (with dominating alder fen). A rich mosaic reaching from the Pannonian lowland to the peaks of Small Carpathians Mountains represents the terrestric habitats. There are present diverse man-made habitats managed for hundreds or thousands of years (meadows, managed beech and oak forest, various forest steppes) to pristine natural forest. High habitat diversity results in high species diversity. From the Habitats directive 60 Annex II species occur within the project site – 6 species of plants (2 of them occur in Slovakia in this project site only) and 54 species of animals.



Within the relatively small project site, in the surroundings of the Bratislava capital city, large proportion (the majority!) of all species recorded in Slovakia is present. For example, just the site SKUEV0280 Devínska Kobyla hosts up to 50 % of vascular plants of Slovakia*.

There are also important specifics of the cross-border capital region. Rivers Morava and Danube create natural as well as state borders between Slovakia and Austria. For decades, until early 90ties, border zones were strictly protected, access forbidden and all human activities strictly limited. Huge areas of outstanding natural values have been preserved in this area – floodplain meadow, natural forests, endangered and shy species, etc. Former border zones are nowadays included in protected areas, including NATURA 2000 sites and the area is also an important part of the Pan-European Green Belt Corridor.

After the political and socio-economical changes in Slovakia in last two decades, there are many challenges for nature conservation in the cross-border Bratislava capital region. Bratislava capital city is rapidly growing and developing, which creates pressure on surrounding natural sites. Traditional land use practices are largely abandoned, there is lack of interest and technical means to manage small natural areas. On the other hand, valuable NATURA 2000 sites, which are located next to human settlements (some of them almost within the capital city centre), are facing very high intensity of unregulated tourists and one day visitors. Actions will deal with all these challenges focusing on 17 SCIs located in the Bratislava capital city itself or at its nearest surrounding.

* Feráková, V., 1998: Mt Devínska Kobyla near Bratislava, Slovakia: A pilot study for an Important Plant Area. In: Synge, H., Akeroyd. J., 1998: Planta Europa Proceedings of the second European conference on the conservation of wild plants.

Main land uses and ownership status of the project area:

Ownership structure of the project area is very diverse. It includes areas with dominant private ownership, while other parts are mostly state owned. Beyond these two types of ownership the community ownership (especially in forests and pastureland) and church ownership are also present.

The main land use types include agriculture areas, forestry, water management, though urban areas represent significant part of the project area surface.

Scientific description of project area:

The project area nowadays represents diverse landscape which had been formed in the past by various natural processes, such as the Alps-Carpathian orogenisis and performance of large rivers – the Danube and its tributaries. The project area thus includes floodplain of Danube and Morava Rivers created by erosive and sedimentary activities of the both rivers, the lowlands of Záhorská níţ ina created by both floodplain and eolian processes and



Podunajská níţ ina lowland a part of the Pannonian basin. On the other hand the orogenetic processes had created Malé Karpaty Mts., which belong to Carpathians.

The diversity of orographic and geological conditions predetermined naturally high diversity of habitats, which had even increased due to activities of human. In the floodplain areas the soft-wood alluvial forests of Salicion albae (91E0) as well as riparian mixed forests of Ulmenion minoris with Quercus robur, Ulmus laevis, Ulmus minor and Fraxinus angustifolia (91F0) had developed as well as alluvial meadows of river valleys of Cnidion venosi and lowland hay meadows with Alopecurus pratensis, Sanguisorba officinalis (6510) had been created by agricultural activities. In the floodplains also the various wetland habitats had developed including muddy river banks with Chenopodion rubri p.p. and Bidentition p.p.vegetation (3270) and natural eutrophic and mesotrophic lakes with Magnopotamion or Hydrocharition – type vegetation (3150). The lowland areas used mainly for agriculture activities also include valuable natural habitat types. Except meadows there are mires and fens which had developed in the terrain depressions on lowland and these include alkaline fens (7230), transition mires and Molinia fen meadows (6410) those had developed on locations with partly altered water regime. A special type of habitat developed in lowland conditions, with specific soil conditions and water regime are inland salt meadows (1340).

The mountains of Malé Karpaty also host various forest and non-forest habitats. The forests include vast areas of beech forests of various types: 9110 Luzulo-Fagetum beech forest, 9130 Asperulo-Fagetum beech forests as well as 9150 Cephalanthero-Fagion developed according to substrate. On screes and ravines the forests of Tilio-Acerion (9180*) had developed. The warmer stands are occupied by oak forests of different types including Pannonic woods with Quercus petraea and Carpinus betulus (91G0*), woods with Quercus pubescens (91H0*) and Euro-Siberian steppic woods with Quercus spp. (91I0). The deforested parts of Malé Karpaty are home of valuable grassland habitats, such as the rupicolous grasslands of the Alysso-Sedion albi (6110*), rupicolous pannonic grasslands of Stipo-Festucetalia pallentis (6190), semi-natural dry grasslands and scrubland facies on calcareous substrates of Festuco-Brometea with presence of number of orchids (6210*) and Sub-Pannonic steppic grasslands (6240*). As Malé Karpaty Mts. belong to so called core mountains of the Carpathians, it has a crystaline core zone and calcareous outer zone. The geological conditions predetermine occurrence of specific habitats including calcareous screes (8160), rocky slopes with chasmophytic vegetation (8210) and caves (8310).

The flora of the project area is rich in species. From botanical point of view the most valuable part of the area is undoubtedly Devínska Kobyla (part of Malé Karpaty) with its dry grasslands, which represent a very important orchid site with 26 species of orchids occurring here including Himantoglossum adriaticum, Orchis ustulata, Orchis tridentata, Orchis militaris, Ophrys apifera, Ophrys holoserica, Ophrys insectifera, Ophrys sphegodes. On the other hand relatively poor in species but rich for specific flora are fen grasslands of Abrod, which hosts species as Cirsium brachycephalum, Dactylorchiza ochroleuca, Gladiolus palustris, Gentiana pneumonantae etc. For the latter the alluvial meadows of Cnidion venosi



are also important as well as for the number of other important plant species, e.g. Clematis integrifolia.

The fauna of the project area includes various species of Community interest, such as invertebrates Maculinea teleius, Maculinea nausithous, Lycaena dispar, *Callimorpha quadripunctaria, Leptidea morsei, Dioszeghyana schmidtii, Zerynthia polyxena, Lucanus cervus, Osmoderma eremita, Cerambyx cerdo, Rosalia alpina, Rhysodes sulcatus, Cucujus cinnaberinus, Bolbelasmus unicornis, Limoniscus violaceus, Graphoderus bilineatus, Leucorrhinia pectoralis, Ophiogomphus cecilia, Anisus vorticulus, Vertigo angustior, Unio crassus, Austropotamobius torrentium, fish Aspius aspius, Cobitis taenia, Gobio kessleri, Gymnocephalus schraetser, Pelecus cultratus, Sabanejewia balcanica, Zingel streber, Rhodeus sericeus amarus, Misgurnus fossilis, Gymnocephalus baloni, Gobio albipinnatus, amphibians Triturus dobrogicus, Bombina bombina, Bufo viridis, Hyla arborea, Rana lessonae mammals Barbastella barbastellus, Myotis myotis, Myotis dascyneme, Myotis bechsteini, Castor fiber, Lutra lutra.

The avifauna of the project area is also rich and the site includes several important bird areas. Among noteworthy bird species the Merops apiaster, Ciconia ciconia, Ciconia nigra, Accipiter gentilis, Buteo buteo, Falco subbuteo, Charadrius dubius, Gallinago gallinago, Columba oenas, Streptopelia turtur, Strix aluco, Alcedo atthis, Sylvia nisoria, Lanius collurio, Bubo bubo, Dryocopus martius, Dendrocopus syriacus, Lanius collurio, Milvus milvus, Ardea cinerea, Dendrocopos medius, Dendrocopos minor, etc. can be mentioned.

Target habitat types of the Habitats Directive Annex I:

3150 Natural eutrophic and mesotrophic lakes with Magnopotamion or Hydrocharition – type vegetation

3270 Muddy river banks with Chenopodion rubri p.p.and Bidentition p.p.vegetation

6210* Semi-natural dry grasslands and scrubland facies on calcareous substrates (Festuco-Brometea)

6430 Hygrophilous tall herb fringe communities of plains and of the montane to alpine belts

6440 Alluvial meadows of river valleys of Cnidion venosi

6510 Lowland hay meadows (Alopecurus pratensis, Sanguisorba officinalis) are present in excellent representativity

91E0 Alluvial forests with Alnus glutinosa and Fraxinus excelsior (Alno-Padion, Alnion incanae, Salicion albae)

91F0 Riparian mixed forests of Quercus robur, Ulmus laevis and Ulmus minor, Fraxinus excelsior or Fraxinus angustifolia, along the great rivers of the Atlantic and Middle-European provinces (Ulmenion minoris)



91G0 – Pannonic woods with Quercus petrea and Carpinus betulus

From the list of plants for the Gladiolus palustris the site is the only locality in Slovakia (100% of the national population). For another two species Himantoglossum adriaticum and Cirsium brachycephalum the local population present in the project area represents 100% - 15% of their national population. Among animal species of EU importance Unio crassus, Ophiogomphus cecilia, Cobitis taenia are present with 100% - 15% of their national population. The project area hosts the largest populations of the Habitat Directive Annex II fish species in Slovakia. The project area represents one of the TOP 10 sites in Slovakia for Habitats Directive Annex II fish species: Zingel streber, Zingel zingel, Gobio kessleri, Pelecus cultratus, Gymnocephalus schraetser and Gymnocephalus baloni (Koščo & Pekárik, 2010 unpubl.). Also for butterflies Maculinea teleius and Maculinea nausithous the project area is one of their TOP 10 sites in Slovakia (Ţitňan, unpubl.). For another two species Anisus vorticulus and Graphoderus bilineatus the project area represents a TOP 2 site in Slovakia (Čejka, unpubl., Csefalvay, unpubl.).

Source of information - Standard Data Form (SDF), version October 2006.

Detailed information on habitats targeted by the project:

(coverage indicated in ha and % of the total area of the project area; conservation status indicated in categories A – excellent, B – good, C – average or reduced).

1340 *Inland salt meadows

2.169 ha (0.01%) within project area, including:

SKUEV0279 Šúr – 2.169 ha (0.01%); conservation status: B

3130 Oligotrophic to mesotrophic standing waters with vegetation of the Littorelletea uniflorae and/or Isoëto-Nanojuncetea


HUFH30004 Szigetköz – 17.178 ha (0.05%); conservation status: -

3150 Natural eutrophic and mesotrophic lakes with Magnopotamion or Hydrocharition – type vegetation


SKUEV0064 Bratislavské luhy – 20.047 ha (0.06%); conservation status: A

SKUEV0090 Dunajské luhy – 214.894 ha (0.6%); conservation status: B

SKUEV0168 Horný les – 12.704 ha (0.04%); conservation status: A



SKUEV0269 Ostrovné lúčky – 12.271 ha (0.03%); conservation status: B

SKUEV0270 Hrušovská zdrţ – 1.657 ha (0.00%); conservation status: B

SKUEV0295 Biskupické luhy – 8.690 ha (0.02%); conservation status: B

SKUEV0312 Devínske alúvium Moravy – 25.993 ha (0.07%); conservation status: B

SKUEV0313 Devínske jazero – 78.47 ha (0.22%); conservation status: A

SKUEV0314 Rieka Morava – 29.786 ha (0.08%); conservation status: A

HUFH30004 Szigetköz – 171.776 ha (0.48%); conservation status: B

3160 Natural dystrophic lakes and ponds



3260 Water courses of plain to montane levels with the Ranunculion fluitantis and Callitricho-Batrachion vegetation


SKUEV0064 Bratislavské luhy – 6.682 ha (0.02%); conservation status: A

3270 Muddy river banks with Chenopodion rubri p.p.and Bidentition p.p .vegetation




SKUEV0312 Devínske alúvium Moravy – 8.664 ha (2.55%); conservation status: A

SKUEV0314 Morava – 55.85 ha (16.44%); conservation status: A


6110 *Rupicolous calcareous or basiphilous grasslands of the Alysso-Sedion albi


SKUEV0104 Homolské Karpaty – 0.086 ha (0,000%); conservation status: B



SKUEV0280 Devínska Kobyla – 0.649 ha (0.002%); conservation status: B

6190 Rupicolous pannonic grasslands (Stipo-Festucetalia pallentis)



6210 *Semi-natural dry grasslands and scrubland facies on calcareous substrates (Festuco-Brometalia), important orchid sites






6240 *Sub-Pannonic steppic grasslands


SKUEV0104 Homolské Karpaty – 1.552 ha (0,00%); conservation status: B


6410 Molinia meadows on calcareous, peaty or clayey-silt-laden soils (Molinion caeruleae)


SKUEV0117 Abrod – 50.167 ha (0.14%); conservation status: B


HUFH30004 Szigetköz – 343.552 ha (0.95%); conservation status: C

6440 Alluvial meadows of river valleys of the Cnidion dubii alliance in central Europe


SKUEV0168 Horný les – 63.518 ha (0.18%); conservation status: -





SKUEV0314 Morava – 5.213 ha (0.01%); conservation status: C

SKUEV0396 Devínske lúky – 3.24 ha (0.01%); conservation status: B


6510 Lowland hay meadows (Alopecurus pratensis, Sanguisorba officinalis)


SKUEV0104 Homolské Karpaty – 32.037 ha (0.09%); conservation status: C

SKUEV0117 Abrod – 2.007 ha (0.01%); conservation status: A

SKUEV0168 Horný les – 63.518 ha (0.18%); conservation status: B


SKUEV0312 Devínske alúvium Moravy – 0.279 ha (0.00%); conservation status: A

SKUEV0396 Devínske lúky – 4.05 ha (0.01%); conservation status: A


7230 Alkaline fens


SKUEV0117 Abrod – 0.602 ha (0.002%); conservation status: -

HUFH30004 Szigetköz – 0 ha (0.000%); conservation status: -

8160 *Medio-European calcareous scree of hill and montane levels


SKUEV0276 Kuchynská hornatina – 0.135 ha (0.0004 %); conservation status: B

SKUEV0280 Devínska Kobyla – 0.195 ha (0.001 %); conservation status: C

8210 Calcareous rocky slopes with chasmophytic vegetation






8310 Caves not open to the public

0,0002 ha (0.0000006%) within project area, including:

SKUEV0104 Homolské Karpaty – 0.0001 ha (0.0000003%); conservation status: B

SKUEV0280 Devínska Kobyla – 0,0001 ha (0.0000003%); conservation status: C

9110 Luzulo-Fagetum beech forest



SKUEV0276 Kuchynská hornatina – 338.211 ha (0.94%); conservation status: B

SKUEV0280 Devínska Kobyla – 3.896 ha (0.01%); conservation status: C

SKUEV0388 Vydrica – 0.011 ha (0.00%); conservation status: B

9130 Asperulo-Fagetum beech forests






9180* Tilio-Acerion forests on slopes, screes and ravines







91E0*Mixed ash-alder alluvial forests of temperate and Boreal Europe (Alno-Padion, Alnion incanae, Salicion albae)


SKUEV0064 Bratislavské luhy – 340.796 ha (0.95%); conservation status: B



SKUEV0269 Ostrovné lúčky – 61.356 ha (0.17%); conservation status: A







91F0 Riparian mixed forests of Quercus robur, Umlus laevis and Ulmus minor, Fraxinus excelsior or Fraxinus angustifolia, along the great rivers of the Atlantic and Middle-European provinces (Ulmenion minoris)


SKUEV0064 Bratislavské luhy – 106.916 ha (0.30%); conservation status: C

SKUEV0090 Dunajské luhy – 128.937 ha (0.36%); conservation status: C







91G0* Pannonic woods with Quercus petraea and Carpinus betulus








91H0* Pannonian woods with Quercus pubescens






Map of the Target NATURA 2000 Sites



Conservation and Biodiversity Threats

1. Degradation of grassland habitats due to abandonment of traditional land use

The semi-natural grassland habitats in mountains, lowlands and floodplains in the Bratislava Region have been created and modified by human impact over a long period (except for those in extreme environments such as steep slope facies in SKUEV0280 Devínska Kobyla). A large proportion of grasslands in the project area was traditionally used for pasture of domestic animals and/ or mowed to produce hay. This long-term extensive land use has created specific rich mosaic of habitats. However, agricultural practices have changed radically over last decades that have mostly negative impact on vegetation composition (SKUEV0312 Devínske alúvium Moravy, SKUEV0313 Devínske jazero). During the last decades many of the sites have become abandoned (SKUEV0280 Devínska Kobyla, SKUEV0312 Devínske alúvium Moravy) or changed to other land use. Some areas have been afforested or just left unused. The unused former pastures have usually overgrown by competitive grasses and later by woods (SKUEV0280 Devínska Kobyla, SKUEV0279 Šúr, SKUEV0117 Abrod) or by invasive plants e.g. Solidago spp. (SKUEV0312 Devínske alúvium Moravy). This threat applies to all target grassland habitat types 1340*, 6110*, 6190, 6210*, 6240*, 6410, 6440 and 6510. The re-introduction of regular management is the only way for preservation of these habitats. However the management set-up must be carefully planned as the response to different management practices (intensity, frequency of interventions) is different in each of the habitat type. Especially, the dry grasslands are very sensitive to the intensity and type of agricultural practice, therefore, it is of high importance to carefully evaluate the practices, such as grazing regimes for these types of habitats. Restoration management of such sites is planned (Actions C.3 and C.4) after careful consideration of the restoration and management possibilities and prospects (within initial study in Action A.6) and if necessary, it will be carried out with the support of land purchase/ lease (Action B.1). 2. Degradation of specific grassland and fen habitat types due to drainage, inappropriate farming practices and eutrophication

The entire catchment area for SKUEV0117 Abrod has been subject to human pressures, such as intensive regulation of the water regime since the 1960–ies and 1970–ies. For example, the regulation of Porec stream, which is passing through the site and the drainage of several wetlands along the Porec, resulted in significant decrease in the groundwater level throughout the catchment area. In Abrod it has led to intensive peat mineralization and consequent eutrophication in large sections of the reserve. This led to overgrowing of fens and grasslands (6410, 6510, 7230) by shrubs and trees. Old drainage canals and depressions were overgrowing by willows and alder trees. On some places which were formerly fen grasslands a 40 years old alder wood can be observed, though still containing fen grassland species under the wood canopy. Overgrowing by trees and shrubs is



causing decreasing of area of targeted habitats as well as fragmentation and difficult access to patches of grasslands during management interventions (mowing).

Fields north of the reserve are used from 2003 for growing lawn turf, and they are intensively irrigated during summer months with large amounts of fertilizers used. Application of artificial fertilizers to mineral soils has resulted in an increased leaching of nutrients to groundwater and surface water systems. The high concentrations of nitrate and potassium have been repeatedly recorded in the groundwater at the northern border of the reserve since 2003. The fields have south exposition and due to this, irrigation water flows to the reserve and increases groundwater levels and is transporting nutrients into the reserve. After negotiations with local farmer the fertilisation regime has been adapted and a protective zone with no fertilisation, covered by rye, has been established to protect the reserve from increased nutrient supply. However the nutrient concentrations seem to be retained in the soil, which displays by spreading of invasive grasses (Calamagrostis spp., Phragmites australis) over large parts of the site originally covered by fen grassland habitats of 6410 and 7230 habitat types.

Eutrophication as result of pollution from the fields mainly impacts on the nort-eastern part of the SKUEV0117 Abrod. Water from the field‟s flows into the reserve and through the system of very old channels is spreading into the reserve. Expansion of reed (Phragmites australis) and Calamagrostis spp. grass is evident in this part of the reserve. The development of nutrient (eutrophication) removal needs to be carefully monitored (Action E.3) and nutrients removed by frequent mowing of reed encroachment (Action C.3). Shrub and tree encroachment also needs to be reduced (Action C.3) in order to decrease the draining effect of woods, restore the fen and grassland habitats and improve the site accessibility during management interventions by connecting smaller mown areas into larger plots. Above this reconstruction of field access road would also improve the site accessibility during management interventions and would also prevent unnecessary damage to vulnerable fen habitats (6410, 7230) by the management equipment (Action C.3).

3. Inappropriate forest management

In some areas of the project site, the forestry use has been very intensive during the last decades, and still is in many cases. In consequence, the amount of older trees in forest stands is reduced. This problem concerns the mountain beech forest of habitat types 9110, 9130 and 9150 (SKUEV0280 Devínska Kobyla, SKUEV0276 Kuchynská hornatina, SKUEV0104 Homolské Karpaty) as well as floodplain forests of 91E0 and 91F0 (SCIs SKUEV0064 Bratislavské luhy, SKUEV0090 Dunajské luhy, SKUEV0269 Ostrovné lúčky, SKUEV0279 Šúr, SKUEV0312 Devínske alúvium Moravy, SKUEV0313 Devínske jazero, SKUEV0295 Biskupické luhy, SKUEV0168 Horný les) habitat types and Pannonian woods of 91G0 and 91H0 habitat types (SCIs SKUEV0168 Horný les, SKUEV0280 Devínska Kobyla, SKUEV0295 Biskupické luhy, SKUEV0104 Homolské Karpaty). Moreover in large areas in floodplains of Danube and Morava Rivers there is a lack of native tree species. This



is both due to planting of non-native tree species in the past (especially monocultures of hybrid poplars Populus x euroamericana) and subsequent spreading of non-native invasive tree species. The floodplain forests of habitat types 91E0*, 91F0 are mainly threatened by spreading of non-native ashes Fraxinus americana, Fraxinus lanceolata, Fraxinus pennsylvanica, as well as Ailanthus altissima and Negundo aceroides in some parts. Termophilous Pannonian woods on drier stands of the habitat types 91G0* and 91H0* and partly also forest formations on slopes, screes and ravines (9180*) are mostly threatened by Ailanthus altissima, Negundo aceroides and Robinia pseudoaccacia. Direct action (C.1) for improvement of the future state of forests in the project site will include protection of valuable trees and forest stands, removal of invasive species and planting of native trees. For long term preservation and sustainable management of forests, new binding Forest management plans including nature conservation requirements will be developed and approved.

4. River regulation, changed water level and regime

During the last 200 years massive changes have been carried out in the water and wetland habitats of the Bratislava region. The main aims of these interventions have been improvement of navigation and flood protection, intensification of agriculture and forestry, drainage of land to claim land for development, etc. On the Danube and Morava Rivers the formerly continuous large inundation areas have been divided by flood protection dykes and the total inundation area was reduced. At the same time numerous river branches have been cut away from the main river (e.g. in SCIs SKUEV0064 Bratislavské luhy, SKUEV0090 Dunajské luhy, SKUEV0295 Biskupické luhy, SKUEV0269 Ostrovné lúčky and HUFH 30004 Szigetköz). In consequence the formerly flowing river branches have stagnant water during the majority of the year, no new branches are being created and due to natural sedimentation the number and area of river branches is slowly decreasing. In several sections or areas of the project site, the water regime is artificially controlled. The reduced dynamic processes lead to reduction of several habitat types (e.g. 3150, 3260, 3270). The river regulation however has not impacted only on large rivers. A majority of small streams, especially in lowlands, have been altered by different regulations and construction works. These alterations usually involved strengthening and deepening of the river bed, cutting-off the floodplain, draining of adjacent wetlands, etc. One of the drastic examples of such activities is the Porec stream flowing through SKUEV0117 Abrod. Moreover as a consequence of these various water regulation activities, the average water levels in some parts of the project site have decreased. Locally this led to drying of the disturbed areas. Complete local extinction of aquatic plants and animals followed. Restoration possibilities on selected parts of the project area will be studied in the Action A.7 and Action C.5 will focus on elimination of this threat in the targeted localities.

5. Lack of capacities and insufficient cooperation between local authorities, key stakeholders and NGOs in management of NATURA 2000 site in the region



The lack of effective conservation and management of SCIs in Bratislava region is reflected in bad conservation status of targeted species and habitats. The reason is not only lack of financial resources, but also limited coordination and communication among three main stakeholders, which act in this field: 1) state nature conservation, 2) NGOs and 3) scientific institutions.

The State Nature Conservancy has many responsibilities, but lacks sufficient financial and personal resources, experts and information how to do effective conservation of sites. NGOs have limited capacity and resources to supplement the State Nature Conservancy in some of its roles, where it is needed. Scientific/ expert capacities of NGOs are restricted as well, what creates threat of intuitive approach in conservation and restoration actions. There are several examples of poorly designed restoration actions with negative impact on biodiversity.

Scientific organisations, on the other hand, have sufficient expert capacities, but they are not directly focusing on nature conservation issues. Their interest is many times raised only when they recognise that their favourite locality is degraded or destroyed. This can happen easily due to a lack of coordination and communication among 3 main actors.

Similarly the lack of coordination and communication causes that most recent knowledge and information on best practices in NATURA 2000 management often do not reach the land users or other on-site stakeholders which actually influence the site management performance the most. The land users for example do not have information on availability of special management equipment which is more suitable for management of vulnerable habitats than the conventional agricultural machinery.

A specific problem of the management of nature areas in Bratislava Region is connected with overall economic structure of the Capital City and the region. The major part of the economy is concentrated in industry and services, while agriculture is not so important part of the regions economy and suffers in large transformations. This means that the land users on different sites often change, the continuity of land management is not preserved and many formerly used sites become abandoned, while other suffer from land use (agriculture) intensification. Naturally, the most vulnerable to this specific threat are protected areas, which often need specific land use approach. The State Nature Conservancy which should supplement the land users, where it is urgently needed for conservation of the protected sites, does not have human, technical and institutional capacities to ensure appropriate site management.

The current situation can be improved by establishing of the Management Centre for NATURA 2000 which would act as coordination unit for cooperation of the main actors – State Nature Conservancy, NGOs and scientific institutions represented by Comenius University. This could improve their cooperation on joint project and activities, knowledge sharing and also ensure continual communication and cooperation with other stakeholders in



order to improve the management of NATURA 2000 sites. The NATURA 2000 Management Centre should also provide demonstration of practical management techniques and equipment for NATURA 2000 sites management. The activities to address this threat are part of the Action C.7.

6. Significant negative impact of uncontrolled tourism in NATURA 2000 sites located close to capital city and consequent degradation of target habitats

Many of NATURA 2000 sites are not well known and badly interpreted so tourists and daily visitors are not aware of their European importance and high natural value. Consequently, the uncontrolled tourism has disastrous effects on the NATURA 2000 habitats. Additionally, there are no regular controls by authorities that would minimise current negative impact, although the number of visitors during the season can come up to 60 thousands in some areas and habitats (SKUEV0388 Vydrica, SKUEV0280 Devínska Kobyla, SKUEV0269 Ostrovné lúčky). Many visitors do not respect the regulations valid in protected areas (walking outside the paths, noise - disturbing of nesting birds, collecting of flowers, fossils etc.), they leave litter and light fire, etc. Moreover, there are number of cyclists who ride outside bike pathways on the slopes with unstable and sensitive soil substrate (south-western part of SKUEV0280 Devínska Kobyla). An uncontrolled biking and unorganised hiking significantly contribute to the soil erosion and the changes in vegetation composition of semi-natural habitats. All factors mentioned above contribute consequently to decline of biodiversity and overall degradation of forest and non-forest habitats.

As a consequence of the absence of educational and information elements in protected areas, the lack of knowledge and awareness of visitors essentially contribute to the habitats degradation. The diversity of the natural communities is declining and, on the other hand, non-native species are introduced by visitors into valuable nature areas.

This negative impact will be targeted through increasing of awareness rising actions (Actions D.3-7 and D.9-10) and tourism control by ranger service (Action C.8).

7. Low awareness of authorities, decision-makers and public

Representatives of state administration bodies do not have sufficient information about the possibilities for alternative management of target habitats which would favour the preservation of their biodiversity. And even if they do have some information, they lack the practical experience and relevant know-how. Because of the lack of information materials and insufficient media coverage about NATURA 2000, the decision-makers nor the general public are not aware enough about their values and importance. The lack of awareness in state administration bodies results in unsustainable or inappropriate management with a major impact on habitats and species within the whole project site. The lack of awareness of decision-makers and public does not have direct impact on the habitats or species. But without awareness they do not understand the importance of target sites and the need for their conservation, and they do not support the necessary administrative and conservation



measures, which should be undertaken (e.g. implementation of various conservation projects, introducing of better management procedures, enlargement or designation of protected sites). A wide range of actions will be implemented to eliminate this treat (Actions D.1-10, but especially D.2).



Previous Conservation Efforts in the Area

1976 Designation of Protected Landscape Area „Malé Karpaty„ (responsible State Nature Conservancy - SNC, Ministry of Environment Slovakia – MoE SK).

1987 „Szigetközi Tájvédelmi Körzet‟ designated (Protected Landscape Area Szigetköz), (responsible Fertö Hanság National Park).

1988 Designation of Protected Landscape Area „Záhorie„, (SNC, MoE SK).

1990 Designation of Šúr Ramsar Site (overlaps with SKUEV0279 Šúr), (SNC, Slovak Ramsar Committee).

1993 Designation of Ramsar site Danube floodplains, the Ramsar site is a significant part of the project sub-site Dunajské luhy, (BROZ, SNC, Slovak Ramsar Committee).

1993 Designation of Ramsar site Morava River Floodplain, the Ramsar site overlaps with number of project sub-sites - SCIs SKUEV0314 Rieka Morava, SKUEV0396 Devínske lúky, SKUEV0312 Devínske alúvium Moravy, SKUEV0313 Devínske jazero, SKUEV0168 Horný les, (SNC, Slovak Ramsar Committee).

In 2005 the Ramsar site become part of Trilateral Ramsar Site „Floodplains of Morava-Dyje-Danube Confluence‟ shared between Austria, Slovakia and Czech Republic, (SNC, Institute of Applied Ecology - DAPHNE, Slovak Ramsar Committee).

1993 – 2004 Special forest management in selected forest core areas in Danube floodplains – ca 400 ha of various forest stands scattered within the branch system and representing the major floodplain forests of the area. This activity significantly contributed to the maintenance of natural floodplain forest in the area, (Slovak Academy of Sciences).

1994 – 1995 New water supply system has been implemented in the right-sided river branch system between Dunakiliti and Ásványráró. The system brings water from the old river bed and distribute it to the 220 km of river branches in the area that were dried up. The action has been realized by the North-Transdanubian Environmental and Water Directorate - EDUKOVIZIG (Hungary).

1999 – 2002 Large scale restoration of wet meadows and conversion of 150 ha of arable land to wetlands in the Morava River floodplains funded from PHARE. This action was coordinated by DAPHNE and carried out with close cooperation of farmers and State Nature Conservancy. Due to the large extent of restoration work and methods based on long term ecological research, this action was very well recognised by all stakeholders and considered as unique in Slovakia.

1996 „Dunajské luhy‟ included in the list of Important Bird Areas, (Birdlife Slovakia).

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1996 – 2004 in co-operation with different organisations and local communities the longest nature trail (educational path) in Slovakia was built. It stretches 79 km along the Morava River and contains 39 information boards and 2 entrance boards - under the Devín castle and at the border crossing to Austria in Moravský Sv. Ján – Hohenau, (SNC, DAPHNE)

1998 Designation of the Protected Landscape Area „Dunajské luhy‟, (SNC, MoE SK)

1998 – 2002 Within the scope of grassland and peatland mapping projects organised by DAPHNE, more than 16,000 localities have been mapped, representing the largest database of non-forest habitats in Slovakia; more than 90 % of the total area of grasslands in Slovakia has been mapped including all project localities.

2002 Three NGOs including DAPHNE have been awarded by the Ramsar Convention for essential contribution to establishment of Trilateral Ramsar Platform among the Ministries of Environment of tree countries – Slovakia, Austria and Czech Republic. This initiative significantly contributed to the improvement of nature protection in the trilateral area of the Morava-Dyje floodplains.

2002 Designation of Nature Reserve „Dunajské ostrovy‟. The largest strictly protected area in Danube floodplains, 220 ha of extremely valuable forest (partly primeval forest), (BROZ, SNC).

2002 – 2004 DAPHNE took part in the implementation of the countryside development program SAPARD in Slovakia and in proposing changes to EU agricultural policies one of the pilot site for SAPARD was the SKUEV0313 Devínske jazero.

2003 – 2007 Implementation of LIFE-Nature project „Conservation and Management of Danube floodplain forests‟ in the Slovak Danube floodplains. Within the project new forest management plans have been developed and approved; two new strictly protected areas were designated. In various places of the project site land has been leased or purchased by BROZ (330 ha in total). Invasive tree species have been removed on selected areas. Awareness of stakeholders and visitors on natural values of the area has been raised, (BROZ, SNC, National Park Donau-Auen - NPDA)

2003 – 2005 the Management Plan for Morava River Floodplains Ramsar Site has been developed by State Nature Conservancy and DAPHNE

2004 The project sub-site Szigetköz became part of NATURA 2000 network, the Hungarian national list of SPAs came into effect, (MoE Hungary).

2004 – 2007 rehabilitation of Lower Szigetköz water bodies, Life project (Implementation of an innovative Decision Support Tool for the Sustainable water and land-use management planning and Flow Supplementation of the Hungarian-Slovakian Transboundary Danube Wetland Area) realized by Association of Municipalities of Slovakian-Hungarian Transboundary Danube Wetland Area, with project partner EDUKOVIZIG.




2004 Declaring of the Slovak national list of proposed SCIs, including 17 SCIs within the project site (MoE SK).

2005 – 2009 In the framework of the project “Restoration and Wise Use of Calcareous Fens in the Slovak Republic” partial improvement of hydrological regime in SKUEV0117 Abrod in the catchment area of Porec stream was implemented, 2 km long section of the stream was restored (DAPHNE).




Details of Proposed Actions

A. Preparatory actions, elaboration of management plans and/or of action plans

ACTION A.1: Elaboration of management plans for selected SCIs

Description:

Management Plans for four project sub-sites (SCIs targeted by the project) will be elaborated. Management plans will follow a structure established by the Regulation No. 24/2003 that implements Nature and Landscape Conservation Law.

Management Plans shall include:

• status descriptions for each site, including also the current conservation status of habitats target by the project,

• desirable status of target habitats for each site,

• main causes of habitat deterioration, threats and potential solutions,

• urgent restoration and management measures to be implemented,

• costs assessment of proposed measures.

Competent authority to approve the Management Plans is the Regional Environmental Office in Bratislava. The life-time of the Approved management plans is 10 years.

The Management Plans shall be elaborated by the project team. Some special analyses and data inputs will be subcontracted. All the work will be coordinated by the State Nature Conservancy. The SNC will appoint a Management planning expert. The expert will be working closely with the Management planning Expert/Biodiversity Specialist. Studies elaborated under Actions A.2-A.6 will be providing inputs to the Management Plans. Similarly, data from baseline monitoring under Actions E.3 – E4 will provide input data for the present Action A.1.

The management plans will establish management objectives and define measures to achieve the identified objectives of site management aimed at reaching the favourable conservation status of sites conservation features (target habitat and species). The management plans become thus an important tool for ensuring continuity of appropriate site management.

Individual management measures proposed for inclusion to the management plans will be consulted with affected stakeholders already in drafting phase. Technical drafts, once completed, will be again consulted with affected stakeholders. Such approach will allow minimising conflicts in the formal approval procedure, that will be managed by the Regional Environmental Office, and that involve formal consultations with stakeholders and informing the public on the proposed Management Plan. Before submitting the Management Plans to formal approval, they will be internally consulted within the SNC.

The management plans should be elaborated in the beginning of the project duration.



Reasons for this action:

Management plans for pSCIs represent an important tool for ensuring appropriate site management. They establish objectives and measures (actions) for site management, usually for a 10 year period. According to Slovak legislation they should usually accompany the designation of SAC.

Expected results:

4 management plans for selected project sub-sites elaborated and approved (SKUEV0168 Horný les, SKUEV0280 Devínska Kobyla, SKUEV0269 Ostrovné lúčky and SKUEV0312 Devínske alúvium Moravy)

ACTION A.2: Background research study on present distribution, ecology, population

fragmentation and specific habitat requirements of fauna of project site

Description:

Within the project site, 60 NATURA 2000 species from the Annex II have been recorded up to now, which represents a high proportion of the Annex II species in the entire Slovak Republic. This number constitutes mainly of various animal taxa (54 species), among them fishes (17 species), mammals (10 species), beetles and butterflies (each 9 species), molluscs (4 species), dragonflies and amphibians (each 2 species) and one crustacean. Many other animal species from Annex IV or protected by the national legislative are also present in the project site.

The study will include information on present distribution, ecology, population fragmentation and specific habitat requirements of selected animal species with high conservation and/ or indication value.

Preliminary selected model species for the assessment are amphibians (Bombina bombina, Triturus dobrogicus), fish (rheophilous Annex II species), dragonflies (Leucorrhinia pectoralis, species of family Gomphidae), beetles and butterflies, Austropotamobius torrentium.

The present distribution of these species, consisting of a list of localities, distribution maps, database of findings with quotations, database of literature cited will be provided. The data will be based on already existing published and unpublished records, however the major part will be based on new data obtained in the field during project implementation. Additionally, short descriptions of localities with comments from point of view of their suitability for conservation and restoration management will be given for better interpretation. The main part of the study will consists of information on ecology and specific habitat requirements of the target species and data on population characteristics, including their genetic characterisation and measures of population fragmentation. The relative genetic variability and distances (degree of isolation) between selected localities will be estimated.

On the basis of the ecological and population inputs, the population development prognoses and risks of local extinctions will be estimated.

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The previous information will be synthesized with regard on conservation management planned in this project and with general conservation needs which could be applied after or besides this project and should be included in the after-project conservation plan. The most effective forms of the planned conservation measures and new needed management measures will be prepared and proposed.

The main objectives of this action are to:

- identify potentially suitable localities (or their parts) recommended for restoration (actions C)

- set localities for monitoring of impact of project actions (action E.4)

- set localities to be kept without management for simultaneous monitoring along with restored localities (action E.4)

- provide information for other project actions (A.1, A.3-8, B.1, D.1-4, D.7, D.9, D.10 and E.7)

Localities for future research/ monitoring will be selected from output of the survey of distribution, and from maps in accordance with landscape elements with expected presence of the species. The persons involved in working team are experts skilled in research on the target groups, including field and laboratory research practices and in methods of data evaluation.

Action A.2 is intended to bring partial data and recommendations continuously, and at the end to return scientific output relevant also for after-project conservation plan. The final version of this study will be provided by the end of the project (for finishing some parts field data from two seasons are essential), however, the preliminary outputs will be released earlier and continuously (beginning from the first year) to provide available information needed for the other actions.


Despite of the crucial conservation importance of the important animal species, the data on their recent distribution and especially specific ecological requirements, genetic characterization and population fragmentation are insufficient. From long-term point of view, such information is essential for successful conservation of the species and their habitats.

We expect that this action will bring large amount of information needed for conservation of the target species, habitats and the entire project site. The study will update our knowledge on recent distribution and density of the target species, and on their specific habitat requirements, genetic structure of the populations and population development prognoses and risks of local extinctions.

Study of degree of isolation between populations provides us information about real action of barriers restraining gene flow. Differences in genetic structure between populations are able to indicate degree of their isolation, which is inversely proportional to the gene flow it can indicate present and future vulnerability of the population.



Understanding of specific ecological conditions and requirements of the species, together with known habitat and landscape structure provides details for elaboration of conservation management based on changes of habitat structure.

Outputs of this action will be used as important inputs or background in the actions: A.1, A.3-8, B.1, C.1-6, C.8 and E.7. Knowledge resulting from this action will be used and presented also in D actions. On the base of this action the localities for monitoring (action E.4) will be suggested.

Expected results:

The final output of this action will be a comprehensive study consisting of three parts:

First part will describe the present distribution of the selected species, including new field research and all published data. It will consist of a list of localities, distribution maps, database of findings with quotations, database of literature cited, and short description of localities in target area with comments from point of view of their suitability for conservation and restoration management.

The second part will provide information on ecology and specific habitat requirements of the target species within project site and data on population characteristics, including their genetic characterisation and measures of population fragmentation. The population development prognoses and risks of local extinctions will be estimated.

The third part will synthesize previous information with regard on conservation needs; it will propose the most effective form of the planned conservation measures and design the needed future management measures.

ACTION A.3: Preparation of expert study on restoration and management of forest habitats

Description:

Large parts of forest of the project site represent well preserved semi-natural and natural forests with rather good conservation status. There are special reasons for this, specific for the region of Bratislava capital city region.

1. State borders. Rivers Morava and Danube create natural as well as state borders between Slovakia and Austria. For decades, until early 90ties, border zones were strictly protected, access forbidden and all human activities strictly limited. Forests in this area were therefore excluded from intensive forest management, also very old forest stand, which would be normally felled down, have been preserved.

2. Bratislava city forest park. Forests within the capital city zone are designed not as “commercial forests” but as “forests of special assignment” due to leisure and recreation of the city inhabitants. So called “Bratislava city forest park” was designated already since 60ties. Because of this fact, softer and smaller scale forest management methods had been used in the area.



3. Drinking water reservoirs and their protection zones. Within the project site, all important drinking water reservoirs for Bratislava capital city region are located, all within 3 SCIs (SKUEV0064 Bratislavské luhy, SKUEV0269 Ostrovné lúčky and SKUEV0295 Biskupické luhy). Restrictions of access and land use in the drinking water protection zones have partly preserved also forest from intensive use.

However large forest areas are affected by intensive forestry use in the past and presence (Threat no. 3). Even in the areas of more proper forestry from conservation point of view, the forest management can still be improved to be more favourable to conservation of natural habitats and forest biodiversity and some negative forest management practices needs to be modified or limited (e.g. clear cuts in beech forests).

There are also issues, not completely caused just by forestry – such as spreading of invasive species.

There are two main types of forests targeted: floodplain forests along Danube and Morava rivers and Carpathian forests of the Small Carpathians Mountains. They include wide range of forest habitats: 91E0*, 91F0, 91G0*, 91H0*, 9110, 9130, and 9180*.

This action includes:

a) Elaboration of the study to specify implementation of conservation actions:

Forest conservation and restoration actions will include:

- removal of invasive species

- planting of native tree species

- marking and preserving valuable trees and modification of logging.

Actions with highest priority and conservation effect will be realised during the project within the Action C.1.

b) Elaboration of proposals for new Forest management plans (LHP):

Forest management plans (LHP) are key documents to decide and prescribe all forestry actions for the smallest forest management unit – forest stand. These plans are elaborated for the period of 10 years. They are approved by the forestry administration (Regional Forestry Office) and represent binding documents for forest owners and managers.

New forest management plans for all forests targeted will be elaborated and approved: SKUEV0090 Dunajské luhy, SKUEV0064 Bratislavské luhy, SKUEV0269 Ostrovné lúčky, SKUEV0295 Biskupické luhy, SKUEV0280 Devínska Kobyla, SKUEV0104 Homolské Karpaty, SKUEV0276 Kuchynská hornatina, SKUEV0168 Horný les.

Proposals will include forest conservation and restoration actions (listed above in part a)), softer methods of tree felling (e.g. selective cutting instead of clear-cuts), prolongation of rotation period, decreasing size and modification of shape of the areas to be felled, etc., to be implemented by regular forest management in next 10 years. Further on, project team will be



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http://www.sopsr.sk/natura/?p=4&sec=6&biotop=91H0

http://www.sopsr.sk/natura/?p=4&sec=6&biotop=9110

http://www.sopsr.sk/natura/?p=4&sec=6&biotop=9180









involved in whole official process of formal development and approval of the Forest management plans by forestry authorities.


Forest management plans are key legal and binding documents to decide and prescribe all forestry actions for forest owners and managers. Reasonable conservation proposals, if elaborated and communicated in a proper way are mostly accepted by forest managers and authorities.

However not all details of the day to day forest management are included in the plans, especially if such measures are not important for forestry, but “just for protected species and biodiversity”. Therefore also study to specify implementation of conservation actions (C.1) is necessary.

Due to large areas of forests within the project sites and limited project budget, this action will also define priority forests areas where to focus implementation of project conservation actions.

Expected results:

Expert study including locations and proposals for removal of invasive species, planting of native trees and individual protection.

Expert proposal for forest management and development of new Forest management plans (LHP).

Expert proposal incorporated into approved and binding Forest management plans, covering 15 000 ha of targeted forest habitats within the project site.

ACTION A.4: Preparation of expert study on restoration of forest steppe habitats

Description:

The study will verify potential proposed localities to restore forest steppes. Study will collect information and analyse: historical data on forest steppes and their management/ utilisation in the past (types of land use, species and number of animals used for grazing, etc.), current land use and legal ownership status. Based on this, the study will propose the most important spots from the proposed potential localities where conservation actions should be achieved and where best restoration results could be achieved. This study will be carried out in SKUEV0090 Dunajské luhy, SKUEV0279 Šúr, SKUEV0295 Biskupické luhy and SKUEV0269 Ostrovné lúčky.


There is lack of knowledge to implement conservation actions for restoration. The expert study is necessary for the implementation of the Action C.2 restoration of forest steppes.

Expected results:







Expert study prepared defining exact locations and plans, approx. 50 pages, including maps.

ACTION A.5: Preparation of expert study on restoration of grassland habitats

Description:

The aim of this action is to elaborate the study for restoration of different grassland habitat types: 1340*, 6110*, 6190, 6210*, 6240*, 6410, 6440, 6510, and 7230. The study will potentially focus on the following project sub-sites: SKUEV0117 Abrod, SKUEV0168 Horný les, SKUEV0269 Ostrovné lúčky, SKUEV0279 Šúr, SKUEV0280 Devínska Kobyla, SKUEV0312 Devínske alúvium Moravy, SKUEV0313 Devínske jazero, SKUEV0396 Devínske lúky and will take into account local environmental and socio-economical conditions, as well ecological requirements. The study will define threaten areas, activities needed to be taken for restoration of grassland habitats and the timetable of actions. In general, the study will address the restoration actions (cutting of trees and brushes, removal of biomass, etc.) in areas of high degree of succession in order to prepare the project site for implementation of non-intensive farming practices in accordance with management objectives of the given NATURA site. For sites where a management plan is to be prepared within Action A.1, the synergy between the restoration study and the management plan will be ensured. The actions defined in this study are considered to be crucial to meet the favourable conservation status of target grassland habitat types present in the project area.

The study will be based on the latest research results, however, site visits are necessary in order to update and complete the existing databases on habitats status. The study and especially its conclusions and proposed restoration measures will be consulted with all important stakeholders, notably land owners and land users.


Threats mentioned above clearly indicate that the habitats of low-productive pastures and meadows are threatened across the Bratislava region by land abandonment and inappropriate agricultural practices. The semi-natural grasslands are facing tremendous and difficult problems to stop and reverse succession of shrubs and trees as Robinia pseudoacacia, Crataegus sp., Pinus sp., Fraxinus sp., Populus sp., etc.). This study will examine the current status of grassland habitats in selected project sub-sites and detail the restoration actions to be taken in order to improve the conservation status of the target grassland habitat types: 1340*, 6110*, 6190, 6210*, 6240*, 6410, 6440, 6510, 7230. The study will provide baseline for monitoring of impact of the restoration measures proposed and implemented within Actions C.3 and C.4.

Expected results:

Study with described restoration measures for at least 150 ha of semi-natural grassland habitats and thus improvement of their conservation status.

ACTION A.6: Preparation of expert study on restoration of traditional habitat management by grazing



Description:

All potential places for the restoration actions of forest steppes and non-forest habitats, which should be followed by continuous grazing, within the project site will be mapped. The study will select the locations where restoration management by grazing has the biggest potential and at the same time brings clear benefit for target species and for restoration of target habitats. Study will propose best methods and grazing models for particular locations, composition of grazing animals, their number per hectare, time of the year, etc. Places for temporary keeping of animals (during the night, winter period...) need to be proposed within as well as outside of the project site. This action will be implemented at the beginning of the project period.


Traditional land use for grazing animals has been practically abandoned in the project area. Large areas of abandoned land suffer from overgrowing and many important habitats are being lost this way. Land managed by grazing represents important habitat management beneficial for many plant (orchids are just one important group of them) and animal species (especially insects and invertebrates). There is lack of experience on restoration of such habitats by grazing, intensity of grazing and rotation of animals etc. This action represents preparation step for the Action C.4 – restoration of the traditional management by grazing, which is necessary for implementation of other concrete conservation actions (C.2 and C.3) - restoration management of forest steppes and grassland habitats.

Expected results:

Expert study (including maps) with concrete proposals for starting and maintaining grazing of domestic animals elaborated. This traditional habitat management by grazing will follow restoration actions of forest steppe and grassland habitats.

ACTION A.7: Preparation of expert study and technical documentation on restoration of water and wetland habitats

Description:

Detailed field survey will be carried out at the beginning within potential localities (SKUEV0064 Bratislavské luhy, SKUEV0090 Dunajské luhy, SKUEV0295 Biskupické luhy and SKUEV0269 Ostrovné lúčky) and it will be followed by a detailed study of possible restoration sites and intervention and its ecological, technical and legal limits. Based on the study, technical documentation will be elaborated for the restoration of proposed river branch systems and side arms. Documentation for construction permits according to Act No. 50/1976 on Territorial Planning and Construction Regulation will be elaborated, if necessary. Technical documentation will contain written description of the restoration actions, maps with location of the restoration action in field and relations to other objects. Technical documentation will be elaborated by the authorized engineers. Construction permits (if needed) will be issued on the basis of the technical documentation by the resident Construction Office.






In the SKUEV0117 Abrod the expert study will focus on approximately 500 m long section of the Porec stream in the Eastern part of the site, where the stream is represented by straightened and deepened river channel of trapezoid diagonal profile. The study will aim at proposing restoration of the near-natural river bed with diverse bottom and river banks and with natural adjacent vegetation. The study will need to reflect the flood protection requirements. Therefore hydraulic calculations and modelling are necessary to prove the adequate capacity of the restored river bed. The study will also include recommendations and technical details necessary to carry out the restoration nevertheless a detailed technical documentation will be elaborated only if requested by decision-making authorities.

All influenced parties will be invited to express their comments on the projects proposed – authorities responsible for water, nature protection, forestry, adjacent land owners, etc. Permissions according to Act No. 543/2002 on Nature and Landscape Protection shall be issued from the Regional Environmental Office in order to carry out necessary engineering works and several activities, which are normally restricted or prohibited in the protected areas (temporary access with heavy machinery, cutting of trees, activities impacting wetlands, etc.).


The planned expert studies will exactly set the localities, possibilities and limits of the proposed technical solutions. Elaboration of the technical documentation is necessary for planning and implementation of engineering works for restoration actions, and for issuing of necessary permits by responsible authorities (construction permits according to Act No. 50/1977 on Territorial Planning, permissions according to Act No. 543/ 2002 on Nature and Landscape Protection). This action is necessary step in preparation of Actions C.5.

Expected results:

Expert studies and technical project documentation elaborated for selected water and wetland habitats in selected project sub-sites. Documentations for obtaining construction permits elaborated, submitted to competent authorities and approved. All necessary permissions and derogations obtained.

ACTION A.8: Preparation of expert study on restoration and protection of rocky habitats and caves

Description:

There are three types of rocky habitats present in the project site:

8160 * Medio-European calcareous scree of hill and montane levels

8210 Calcareous rocky slopes with chasmophytic vegetation

8310 Caves not open to the public

The study will verify potential proposed localities to implement restoration and protection measures for all these rocky habitats and caves.



Study will collect information and analyse current distribution of targeted habitats, historical data on their state and distribution, current conservation status, current land use (if there is any), threats and legal ownership status. Based on this, the study will propose the most appropriate actions to achieve best restoration results. This study will be carried out in SKUEV0104 Homolské Karpaty, SKUEV0276 Kuchynská hornatina and SKUEV0280 Devínska Kobyla where these habitats are present. This study will be elaborated within the first year of the project.


Although size of the rocky habitats and caves is only marginal in the project sites, they are all threatened and in bad conservation status (B, C) so they require conservation action. There is lack of experience to implement conservation actions for these habitats. The expert study is necessary for the implementation of the Action C.6 Restoration and protection of rocky habitats and caves.

Expected results:

Expert study prepared defining exact locations and plans, approx. 30 pages, including maps.

ACTION A.9: Elaboration of project documentation for building of NATURA 2000 Management Centre

Description:

Comenius University (UK) is the owner of the parcel and the building where the NATURA 2000 Management Centre will be established. Comenius University in the cooperation with DAPHNE – Institute of Applied Ecology implemented common project which resulted in development of project documentation for reconstruction of the building and obtaining of valid building permission. The building was planned to be used as the centre for environmental education in the Bratislava Region. With regard to consultancies with the State Nature Conservancy there is a strong need to establish a logistical centre for the NATURA 2000 management in the region. Therefore the common need will be reflected in the establishment of NATURA 2000 Management Centre in the cooperation with all project partners. The existing project documentation requires changes in order to fit with the scope of activities of the NATURA 2000 Management Centre and modified technical documentation for the reconstruction is therefore needed. Documentation for the modification of existing building permission according to the Act No. 50/1977 will be submitted and approved by the responsible authority. In case that responsible authority will require application of the new building permission due to significant changes of the technical documentation, the new building permission will be submitted to and approved by the relevant authority.

The preparation process of reconstruction activity involves also the public procurement procedure with the aim of optimal selection of the subcontractors. Cost-effective contractors and suppliers will be selected according to the requirements of Slovak and EU rules, and in accordance with technical specifications. Subcontractors will be selected for elaboration of the technical documentation for the building permission, and for the construction works.




Elaboration of technical documentation is necessary for the planning and implementation of construction works and for issuing the necessary building permission by the responsible authority for the construction of the NATURA 2000 Management Centre. This action is preparatory activity for the Action C.7 which will establish logistic, infrastructural, technical and institutional base for conservation and appropriate management of NATURA 2000 sites in the project area.

Expected results:

Technical documentation elaborated for implementation of construction works. Documentation for obtaining building permission elaborated and modified building permission issued.



B. Purchase/ lease of land and/or compensation payments for use rights

ACTION B.1: Purchase and/ or long-term lease of land

Description:

Strategic land within the project site will be purchased or leased to introduce appropriate land management and/ or to implement following concrete conservation actions. Purchase and long-term lease of land are the most effective, and often the only possible way how to implement conservation actions on private lands. Land will be purchased/ leased especially in the areas, where project restoration actions will cause serious change in the current land use possibilities – e.g. by removal of tree and shrub cover for restoration of forest steppes and grassland habitats followed by starting of grazing, etc. Land purchase/ lease is also very effective in conservation and (non)management of floodplain forest habitats. Target land includes natural habitats or degraded land with high restoration potential.

Previous negotiations with land owners in the project site area have indicated that on the key project localities, land owners are willing to lease or to sell their land to BROZ. BROZ is rather experienced in implementing this kind of actions – it owns (or long-term leases) already up to 400 ha of land serving for nature conservation purposes.

The average purchase price was calculated for 2 € fo m2, i.e. 20 000 €/ ha. Exact price of the land depends on the administrative category of the land in the cadastre, its real character (water, marshland, reed bed, grassland, arable land, forest, steep rocky slopes, other land, etc.) and possibility of its commercial use.

Average price for lease was calculated for 100 €/ ha per year. Long-term lease is planned for period of 30 years.

Price for some particular piece of land can significantly even higher (land suitable for building of recreation infrastructure, etc.), but the total average price of the land acquired will not exceed the limits presented above.

As the project is located in the Bratislava capital city and its surrounding, the land prices in general are rather very high. Therefore within this project, we are focusing especially on low cost land located in protected areas and difficult terrains with very limited or no possibility of commercial use.

These prices have been calculated from the current market prices of the land in the region. These are reasonable average prices for such kind of land. Due to high costs of the land in Bratislava capital city, this action is focused mainly on long-term land lease of the land (70 ha estimated). Only small scale land purchase will be applied on strategic spots of the project site (2 ha estimated).

Land swaps will be also applied for owners who don‟t want to sell the land. For example land will be purchased outside of the project site and will be swapped for the land within the project site. Land out of the protected area will be swapped for the land within the project site until the end of the project.

This conditions together with land purchase/ lease will be fully met:



1. Land purchase and long-term lease is directly related to objectives of the project.

2. All land targeted for land purchase/ lease is located in the existing NATURA 2000 site

3. Land purchased/ leased will contribute to maintaining and restoring the integrity of the NATURA 2000 site.

4. Land purchase/ lease is the only or most effective way of achieving conservation outcome on private land targeted.

5. All land acquired will be reserved for uses consistent with the EU Birds and Habitats

Directives. BROZ will ensure that a guarantee (nature conservation clause) will be included in the sales/ lease contracts as well as in the land register to assign the land definitively to nature conservation purposes.

6. The land will be purchased by the coordinating beneficiary – BROZ, which is a well established nature conservation NGO. The land will stay in the ownership/ lease of BROZ also after the end of the project.

7. BROZ has the necessary competence and experience in the land purchase/ lease for nature conservation purposes in the area targeted and the planned target of the size of the land to be acquired is realistic.

8. Statutes of BROZ do include a provision that, in case of dissolution, the property of NGO - including the land, will be transferred to another nature conservation NGO.

9. The price of the land provided is consistent with the current market prices for the type of land and the region concerned – see declarations of the competent authority – authorized experts in the annex.

10. Evidence will be provided that the land purchased was privately owned prior to the project starting date. This will be provided by the land register (ownership certificates) which includes the date and the way of acquisition of the land by the owner.

11. Land purchased/ leased will be the subject of specific conservation actions restoration or management. In some case, no management can be applied for climax habitats, when strategic to the project objectives.

In general, three main types of activities will be carried on the land purchased or leased for nature conservation purposes:

(i) Implementation of active restoration actions – will be carried on lands where these project actions can achieve significant improvement of habitats in NATURA 2000 sites (C.1, C.2, C.3, C.4 and C.5). Actions focused on restoration of forest steppe, grasslands and/ or improving water regime and changing of land management practices will be implemented and application of management which Private owners of these lands, were not willing to do such actions because no economic effect.

(ii) Passive conservation (“no management” option) – will be carried on the lands with habitats in good conservation status, which do not need any management. Continuous



natural development of preserved habitats and undisturbed natural processes are often the best way how to achieve desirable natural structure of habitats. This applies especially for natural forest habitats.

(iii) Preventing negative development of the land. Development of human activities can be in some cases a serious problem on private lands, especially in the capital city of the country. Most negative effect from inappropriate development (construction of recreational infrastructure, individual houses, etc.) are direct habitat loss and deterioration, fragmentation of biocorridors and migration routes, draining of wetlands or just not allowing restoration of water regime due to existing constructions and housings. Construction on private land is often illegal and breaking nature conservation regulation, however, no building were ever removed, they were just legalised. Serious threat in the capital city region plays also disturbance caused by inappropriate behaviour of tourists and visitors. Ownership of the land by nature conservation organisation is the best way to prevent such unwanted development on private lands. By purchase of small areas strategically located in the project site, we can protect large areas from improper development.

It is only possible to implement above mentioned conservation actions on private lands by purchase of the land or long-term lease of the land for nature conservation purposes. Existing standard nature conservation regulations and compensations schemes are not sufficient. We confirm that all land purchases/ leases will take place within NATURA 2000 and project area.

Costs of “legal and external services” and “taxes” will be also included in the project budget.

Legal and external services are important for effective implementation of this action. Our previous experiences with land purchase/ lease for nature conservation purposes show, that it is effective to use local experts and collaborators for negotiations with land owners. Such experts are usually known in the region; use their personal and family contacts and knowledge of local social-economic situation.

Associated charges include also wide range of notary fees, legal analysis on land prices, payments for verification of signatures and documents, legal services on preparation of contracts, fiscal stamps for obtaining information from cadastre, taxes, legal cost of operations to change the status and management of the land acquired, etc.

This action will focus primary on localities SKUEV0280Devínska Kobyla, SKUEV0269 Ostrovné lúčky, SKUEV0279 Šúr and SKUEV0295 Biskupické luhy but potentially also on rest of the project site.


Purchase and/ or long-term lease of land is – where the ownership structure allows – the most effective, and often the only possible way how to implement conservation actions on private lands. Organisation which is owning and/ or managing the land can restore natural habitats (e.g. remove the woody vegetation, change commercial plantations to natural forests); it can restore the artificially disturbed water regime of wetlands; or it can allow no management of natural habitats leading to the climax state. Land ownership also allows implementation of other actions, which otherwise would not be possible even in the strictly protected areas – close and/ or remove the roads, exclude hunting and intensive recreation, etc. In this project,



land purchase/ lease is very important also to start grazing of the localities (Action C.4) as follow up management after implementation of single-shot restoration actions, especially Actions C.2 and C.3.

Expected results:

It is expected that 72 hectares in total will be acquired, from this 70 ha long-term leased and 2 ha purchased.



C. Concrete conservation actions

ACTION C.1: Restoration and management of forest habitats

Description:

According to the study elaborated within Action A3, specified conservation actions will be implemented in target forest habitat types in project area.

a) Removal of invasive species

Invasive species are serious problem in floodplain forests. Removal of invasive plant species will be implemented on most threatened locations overgrown by neophytes. The most gentle method of treatment for removal will be selected. The action will focus on non-native tree species Fraxinus americana, Fraxinus lanceolata, Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Ailanthus altissima, Negundo aceroides and partly also on Phallopia japonica/ bohemica, when occurring in forest habitats.

Invasive species (especially trees) will be removed on the size of 420 ha. Locally also Phallopia sp. will be removed, in the areas where it created dense coppices and creates barrier for natural tree regeneration and restoration of forest habitats.

200 ha of removal/ cutting of trees will be done by external services.

220 ha of removal of invasives will be done by BROZ – by the tractor with accessories (miller/ cutter) purchased. By tractor young shoots and dense coppices of invasive species will be removed. For Phallopia sp. and locally also for tree species, chemical treatment will be used in order to stop regeneration from root sprouts. Chemical treatment will be realised by external services, biodegradable substances will be used only.

b) Planting of native tree species

In floodplain forests, native tree species will be planted in the project site and preserving of valuable forest stands and individual trees will be ensured (according to the expert study A.3).

Planting of trees will be done in two following ways:

1. Planting groups of native tree species between and into the plantations of non-native trees.

2. Planting of whole forest stands by native trees on the areas where non-native trees were logged and removed.

In general there is no legal requirement for this area to replace plantation of hybrid poplars with native species. Large scale planting of native tree stands will be implemented based on agreement of forest land owners and managers.

Creation of the forest habitats will be done by planting of young trees (1- 3 years old, 45 000 exemplars). Following three years after planting, the care for young trees will be provided to prevent damage from game browsing, overgrowing by weeds, etc.



Costs for planting of 45 000 trees are in average 3,1 € per tree (including cost of tree, cost of planting the tree and cost of after planting care for the period of up-to 3 years). The costs are increased because of mosaic pattern of planting trees within the project site – this results in much higher cost of travel and labour time of workers to get to exact tree planting location. The total size of at least 40 ha of natural forest habitats will be planted.

In next two (sometimes even three) years after planting, it is necessary to cut weeds around the trees (especially on smaller trees such as oaks) and to pull down climbers (Clematis, Humulus, Calystegia, etc.) which can completely cover young trees or break down thin young trees (alders, willows or domestic poplars) at least once a year. At least once a year during the winter chemical repellents against game browsing have to be applied because of high pressure of abundant deer population. In winter period, when there is lack of food, this must be applied even when mechanical protection is used. Often, these measures have to be applied also in the third year after planting.

Chemical repellents created on the organic bases which are biodegraded without negative influence on local environment, soil and water will be used and preferred. However it is not possible to avoid use of repellents completely. Especially in some areas with very dense red deer population, use of repellents in order to avoid damage of young trees is necessary.

A tractor with accessories will be purchased and used for this action as well as for other actions (C.2, C.4). For planting of trees, tractor with special accessories (brushwood remover, ploughshare) will be used for preparation of land for planting, after removal of non-native and invasive species. A tractor with trailer will be used also for transporting of biomass and local transport of trees for planting in forest terrain. Planting of trees itself will be realised by experienced and authorised external services.

c) Marking and preserving valuable trees and modification of logging

This action will include proposal for cooperation with foresters before logging – joint marking of valuable forest stands and solitary old native trees of outstanding values with foresters. E.g. trees of rare species (Ulmus sp., Alnus sp., Pyrus sp.), trees as source of seed for natural forest regeneration, trees important for nesting of birds, bats, insects, etc.

This action will be implemented during the whole project period beginning after elaboration of the initial study (A.3).


The action responds to Threat 3 - Inappropriate forest management and is aimed at improving the conservation status of different target forest habitat types. From the removal of non-native tree species and planting of domestic tree species the following habitat types will benefit: 91E0*, 91F0, 91G0* and 91H0*. The action will be potentially implemented in the following project sub-sites: SKUEV0064 Bratislavské luhy, SKUEV0090 Dunajské luhy, SKUEV0168 Horný les, SKUEV0280 Devínska Kobyla, SKUEV0269 Ostrovné lúčky, SKUEV0279 Šúr, SKUEV0295 Biskupické luhy, SKUEV0312 Devínske alúvium Moravy, SKUEV0313 Devínske jazero.

Preserving of valuable trees and modification of logging is aimed at improving the age, structure and, by this way, the conservation status of the habitat types 91E0*, 91F0, 91G0*,



91H0*, 9110, 9130, 9180*. The potential locations for implementation of the action represent project sub-sites: SKUEV0064 Bratislavské luhy, SKUEV0090 Dunajské luhy, SKUEV0104 Homolské Karpaty, SKUEV0168 Horný les, SKUEV0269 Ostrovné lúčky, SKUEV0276 Kuchynská hornatina, SKUEV0280 Devínska Kobyla, SKUEV0295 Biskupické luhy.

Expected results:

Invasive species removed on area of 420 ha (200 ha by external services, 220 ha by BROZ by the tractor with accessories purchased.

45 000 trees planted

40 ha of natural species composition forests restored

9 000 valuable old trees preserved and marked









ACTION C.2: Restoration of forest steppe habitats

Description:

Natural forest steppes in Danube floodplains represent priority habitat 6210* (Semi-natural dry grasslands and scrubland facies on calcareous substrates), important for number of threatened plant species (e.g. Orchidaceae) and animal species, especially insects.

At the same time forest steppes represent one of the most threatened habitats targeted by project actions. Most of the area of this habitat type within the region has been lost in the last 50 years.

Forest steppes located in the floodplain areas were created on the big natural gravel deposits (peaks of the gravel terraces of the Danube River). Most of them have been destroyed by gravel extractions, so just artificial water bodies are present there nowadays. Remnants of original forest steppes were artificially afforested by non-native species such as Pinus nigra, Robinia pseudoacatia and also Pinus sylvestris, Tilia cordata etc. Growing tree cover is completely changing light open areas to shaded places under dense cover of trees. In addition litter from needles and leaves is changing also soil characteristics and pH.

Seminatural forest-steppes in part of the SKUEV0279 Šúr has been created and maintained by decades of grazing domestic animals. Abandonment of the grazing in 60-ties has resulted in complete overgrown of the area by bushes and trees.

In all targeted areas, succession changes caused decrease and loss of these habitats and their typical species.

Restoration action will include first of all removal of tree and shrub vegetation. Locally also mulching and mowing/ removal of overgrown vegetation will be applied. To secure and maintain favourable conservation status, the action will be followed by grazing implemented within Action C.4.

A tractor with trailer will be used for transporting of removed biomass out of the forest steppe habitats and partly for implementation of restoration measures. Due to limited capacity of tractor and personnel of BROZ, part of the restoration measures will be done by external services.

Potential sites for restoration of forest-steppes are SKUEV0090 Dunajské luhy, SKUEV0279 Šúr, SKUEV0295 Biskupické luhy and SKUEV0269 Ostrovné lúčky.

This action will be implemented during the whole project period beginning after elaboration of the initial study (A.4).


Only fragment of the original size of forest steppes have been left in project site and these are in bad conservation status.

Active restoration action is needed to allow regular recurring management – especially by grazing and locally also by mowing and mulching.







Expected results:

115 ha of forest steppes restored and prepared for regular recurring management.



ACTION C.3: Restoration of grassland habitats

Description:

This conservation action focuses on those NATURA 2000 sites that include valuable grassland habitats. Threats mentioned above indicate the urgency of actions that need to be taken in order to save and improve the conservation status of the grasslands of the European importance. The aim of this action is therefore to restore degraded habitats and create the necessary environmental, technical and socio-economic conditions for introductions of appropriate management practices. Following management of NATURA 2000 sites (Action C.4) will further secure that conservation status of the habitats relevant to the given site will not decline.

In order to achieve this, the restoration and management plans elaborated within the preparatory part (actions A.1, A.2 and A.5) will define the work implemented within this action. The conservation actions will be carried out according to the extent of succession, changes in vegetation composition and overall deterioration of the given habitat. The project sites threaten by succession are mostly located in extreme environments of hard access such as steep slopes, areas with high ground water table present throughout the year and unstable soil substrate. Therefore, habitats in these sites are difficult to be managed or restored by common equipment. The special technique and high labour demand is needed in order to preserve all important niches without destroying the fragile ecosystems. Conservation measures proposed were provisionally discussed in advance with local stakeholders, land users, experts and local municipalities. The positive attitude of local stakeholders towards restoration actions demonstrates the importance and urgency of restoration of these sites.

Taking into account the ecological conditions of the specific grassland habitats and the degree of succession; we could define two kinds of conservation activities as follows:

a) Restoration management of semi-natural dry grasslands: Cutting of trees and shrubs on semi-natural dry grasslands on sandy and calcareous substrate in SKUEV0280 Devínska Kobyla on the surface of the 40 ha which are heavily overgrown. The area proposed for cleaning is threatened by high degree of succession of shrubs and trees as Robinia pseudoacacia, Crataegus sp., Pinus sp., Fraxinus sp., Populus sp., etc. The polygons proposed for restoration are defined in the map. Detailed restoration plan defining the precise actions in each polygon will be prepared in the framework of the management plan for SKUEV0280 Devínska Kobyla (Action A.1).

The height of trees and shrubs varies between 0.5 and 12 m, in average 4 m. The area must be restored (cleaned from woods) in the way that mowing or grazing must be possible after removing of bushes and trees. Cutting of woods will be done mostly by chainsaw and bush cutter, often followed by mulching machine/ wood chipper mounted onto tractor. Choice of restoration practice depends on degree of succession, stability of soil substrate, slope, as well as presumed ecological requirements of the species present and historical use of the grassland.

SKUEV0280 Devínska Kobyla project sub-site consists of the area with different degree of succession. The area of grasslands overgrown on 30-35 % by bushes covers approximately 24 ha and is located in both extreme and relatively standard environmental conditions. Other




parts proposed for restoration, covering 40 ha, are overgrown by trees and bushes on 90%. Overall area proposed for restoration by cutting of trees and bushes, which will be further maintained by grazing covers 64 ha. Beside this, there are approximately 25 ha with encroachment of 10 – 35 % that could be restored by intensive grazing from the beginning of the project (see Action C.4).

The weeds and non-native tree species will be held back by appropriate chemicals and grazing of animals. This project sub-action also serves to prepare the ground for the subsequent and carefully controlled grazing of sheep and goats. Additionally, buffer strips, „stepping stone‟ biotopes and passing ways through forest parts will be prepared.

As an important part of overgrown habitats are located in very steep and unstable slope, the transport of biomass represents technically and financially demanding procedure. Part of the wood will be used on the place for construction of stables, fences for grazing animals and for development of educational elements located in the area. To limit encroachment of woods, stumps and biomass will be removed

State Nature Conservancy will also take active part in this action. SNC will be responsible more had works (both moving and removal of trees and shrubs) in most sensitive areas. For this purpose, small equipment will be purchased: small mowing machine, 2 bushcutters and 1 chainsaw.

b) Restoration management of fen grasslands and wet meadows: The purpose of the restoration management of the lowland fen grasslands and wet alluvial meadows is the transformation from the unfavourable conservational status to the state, when traditional form of use could be introduced, i.e. to renew mowing on overgrown parts of the sites. As the respective habitat types (6410, 7230, 6440, 6510) are usually vulnerable to grazing (due to animal tracking, manure, etc.) the grazing is not considered as appropriate management option for habitat maintenance. Therefore the restoration is aimed at successful introduction of mowing. On overgrown parts the great amount of biomass is stored at ground and resulted in flora changes and dominance of competitive grasses, scrubs and trees. Especially on fens the conditions and quality of vegetation are so adverse, that starting of traditional use immediately is impossible. The proposed restoration scheme will be implemented in the following potential areas: SKUEV0117 Abrod, SKUEV0168 Horný les, SKUEV0312 Devínske alúvium Moravy, SKUEV0313 Devínske jazero. Project partners will ensure restoration works (mulching, mowing) with their own the management equipment and encroachment of dense woods (shrubs and trees) will be arranged as external services.

On fen grasslands of SKUEV0117 Abrod the restorative management will be implemented in the following steps:

1. Suppression of expansive reed and tall herb/ grasses growths as results of eutrophication from fields in the surrounding of protected area. The encroachment of reed and tall herbs/ grasses can be suppressed by frequent mowing or mulching (between beginning of June and mid-August). Early intervention is crucial to prevent large-scale invasion by reed. The cut biomass needs to be removed from the site in order to reduce the nutrient loads persisting in the eutrophied soil.

2. Cutting of scrubs and trees overgrowing the site. Willow scrubs and alder trees will be cut and removed from the site. Trunks have to be cut just on the surface, to enable later mowing



by machinery. Mulching will be implemented during two vegetation seasons after cutting to reduce shoots. The special machinery needs to be used in wet parts of the site. This will minimise the disturbance of the vulnerable soil surface and compression of the soil horizon.

3. In its Eastern part the SKUEV0117 Abrod includes meadows which were cultivated in the past to increase production of hay. The conservation status of these habitats therefore deteriorated and the restoration management needs to be applied to improve the conservation status. The restoration will include sowing of seeds collected from grasslands with natural species composition or alternatively transfer of hay. As there is no other option for acquisition of the natural seed mixture (with proven genetic and regional origin), purchase of the special seed collector is planned to enable collection of seeds from natural local grasslands. In order to improve the quality of the grassland more frequent mowing is also necessary, therefore project will financially contribute to the second mowing of the target plots in a year during the project implementation period.

4. Restoration of field road to improve access to the site during management. In order to improve the management of the site it is necessary to re-construct the field road on the south-eastern border of the site of the total length of approximately 1380 m. During mowing of meadows and gathering of hay in south-eastern part of the site the machinery needs to pass through the site itself to access more remote parts. This damages vulnerable fen grassland communities. Access to some parts of the site is also made difficult due to overall wet conditions on the site and therefore access to the site for the heavy machinery is limited to short period of time. Therefore it is proposed to restore the former field road located on the south-eastern edge of the site, but outside the site itself, which was abandoned and overgrown by woods.

Other potential localities for grassland restoration: SKUEV0168 Horný les, SKUEV0312 Devínske alúvium Moravy, SKUEV0313 Devínske jazero represent habitats of wet grasslands: 6440 alluvial meadows and 6510 lowland hay meadows. The restoration management will involve cutting of wood succession especially on margin between the grassland and woodland, mulching of shrub encroachment and special (more frequent) mowing of degraded grasslands infested by weeds and invasive plants. This action will be implemented during the whole project.


Restoration management of grassland and fen habitat types 6110*, 6190, 6210*, 6240*, 6410, 6440, 6510, 7230 is aimed at their preservation, improvement of conservation status and re-introduction of traditional management such as grazing (in case of grassland types 6110*, 6190, 6210*, 6240*) and mowing (fen grasslands and wet meadows: 6410, 6440, 6510, and 7230). Absence of or inappropriate management leads to degradation and furthermore to deterioration of grassland habitats and their succession towards scrub and woodland as described in the Threat 1 and 2.

Expected results:

- restoration and improvement of favourable nature conservation status of 40 ha of dry grasslands



- restoration management to suppress spreading of scrubs and reed will be implemented on area of 32 ha and consequently mowing will be introduced.

- suppression of expansive reed and tall herbs/ grasses by mowing twice a year will be introduced on area of 31 ha.

- re-constructed field road on the total length of 1 380 m to improve access to the site

- improvement of nature value/ conservation status of 25 ha of cultural grasslands

- restoration management on 20 ha of alluvial meadows and lowland hay meadow



ACTION C.4: Restoration of traditional habitat management by grazing

Description:

After cleaning the area from shrubs and trees (Actions C.2 and C.3), sustainable management practices will be implemented in order to maintain favourable status of targeted NATURA 2000 habitats. Arguably, the greatest influences have been pasturage and other forms of agriculture that shaped the landscape and influenced the structure of habitats in region in the past. Therefore, this action focuses on the implementation of traditional farming practices.

Semi-natural grassland habitats depend on regular grazing influence to prevent succession and maintain the high biodiversity of habitats. In particular, the xerothermic (SKUEV0280 Devínska Kobyla) and wet grasslands (part of the SKUEV0279 Šúr) are very sensitive to the intensity and type of grazing regimes; therefore, it is of high importance to carefully evaluate the capacity, type of animals and grazing methods for these types of habitats. Historically, the most of the area in Bratislava region has been grazed by domestic livestock, such as cattle, goats and sheep. Considering the land use in the past and the latest scientific research in the area, the grazing on targeted habitats will be implemented in extensive way by traditional farming, using both ranching and continuous grazing.

Restoration of these habitats by grazing will be applied, according to the studies elaborated (Actions A.1 and A.6). In order to achieve an effective management in terms of biodiversity, various livestock paddocks will be used, having different grazing habits and regimes – for example cows feed very well on tall and broad leaved herbs and different weeds, which other grazing animals usually do not eat. Goats graze also on tree shoots, shrubs and spiny herbs such Cirsium or Carduus, typical for ruderal vegetation. Sheep graze on softer grasses. Combination of different animals will secure grazing of all types of vegetation on the areas, where target habitats will be restored (6110*, 6210*, 6190, 6240*, 6510). Goats and sheep will be used for sites with high risk of soil erosion (SKUEV0280 Devínska Kobyla).This management is especially needed for restoring forest steppes and non-forest habitats, especially those abandoned for couple of years which are now therefore in unfavourable condition.

Relevant infrastructure will be purchased and installed – especially mobile electric fences, fixed fences, shelters and watering places. Two caravans for shepherds, two water tanks and two electric generators will be purchased.

A tractor with trailer purchased will be used for transporting of tools, fences, tanks with water, food for animals, removing animal manure from winter stabling and other technical support of grazing. Animals will be transported by transport vehicle for animals to different localities as well as transported to places of wintering etc.

Fixing the access road and the reconstruction of water supply for animals is planned in SKUEV0280 Devínska Kobyla within this action.

This action will be implemented once management plan and studies are elaborated (Action A.1, A.6) and first phase of restoration is implemented (corresponding Action C.3). This






action will last until the end of the project and will continue after the project period (see after-project conservation plan).

Proposed localities for implementation of grazing are located within SKUEV0280 Devínska Kobyla, SKUEV0279 Šúr, SKUEV0295 Biskupické luhy and SKUEV0269 Ostrovné lúčky.

The action will be implemente in close cooperation with local farmers (if there are any) and stakeholders. It is essential to involve local communities to develop feasible measures for short- and long-term management of the area. As we consider the cooperation with local farmers and communities to be important, we have consulted the basic principles of grazing management in project sites with local stakeholders in advance.

The project beneficiaries have already negotiated with major landowners, notably the land leasing and the planned activities. Preliminary negotiations with stakeholders were very positive and many of them showed an important interest for the project. For SKUEV0279 Šúr, the technical and space background for grazing animals will be provided free of charge in the facilities of “Biological station” by the Comenius University.


Abandoned forest steppes and non-forest habitats are overgrown with invasive weeds (Solidago spp. etc.) or trees and shrubs (Negundo aceroides, Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Crataegus sp., Swida sanguinea, Ligustrum vulgare, Cornus mas, Berberis vulgaris, etc.). Due to this conservation measure, habitats managed by grazing will provide necessary ecological conditions for many plants as orchids, and animal species (feeding and nesting places for bird species).

Expected results:

Grazing animals purchased – cows (20), sheep (100) and goats (150) and functioning grazing system established. Movable electric fences, fixed fences, shelters and watering places purchased. Traditional grazing of animals restored and maintained. Minimum of 185 ha of grassland and forest steppe habitats regularly grazed by the end of the project.





ACTION C.5: Restoration of water and wetland habitats

Description:

At six places of the project site in Slovakia dried-up, destroyed or isolated river branches will be restored. Among the sites there will be at least one major (large-scale restoration) located probably on the Starohájske rameno branch or Devínske rameno branch (SKUEV0064 Bratislavské luhy), restoration of the Porec stream (SKUEV01117 Abrod) and at least four small-scale restoration (SKUEV0064 Bratislavské luhy, SKUEV0090 Dunajské luhy, SKUEV0295 Biskupické luhy and SKUEV0269 Ostrovné lúčky). The localities indicated on the map will be specified and the most effective solution will be implemented. Five of the ten localities at the Danube River will be selected, the location can be slightly modified after detailed examining and verifying of action efficiencies (Action A.7). The number of suitable localities is much bigger, therefore localities with the most effective restoration possibility with significant conservation effect will be selected on basis of the expert study (A.7).

There are two main measures needed in the river branch system in the Danube: the first is restoration of the connectivity of the river branch system (which has been fragmented at the regulation of the river during the last 100 years. This measure includes creation of openings in the bank embankments (made of stones usually) and removal of sediments and other various barriers from the abandoned sections of the branches. The second measure will be applied on river branches and on the floodplain wetlands with the goal to improve the quality of the wetland and increase the aquatic habitat area, it will consist of restoration of artificially modified banks and of removal of sediments and waste from the bottom of the water bodies.

Generally, three main restoration actions will be applied: re-connecting of isolated branches to the river or main branch system, removing of sediments and removing or reconstruction of various artificial barriers. Where the barrier is a periodically used forest road, possible solutions are: 1. assessment of forest road network and total removal of the filled areas and roads crossing the river branches; 2. installation of pipes across the road to enable free flow; 3. creating of lowered reinforced ford crossings in the place of roads crossing the river branches.

The targeted habitat types of the restoration are 3150 Natural eutrophic and mesotrophic lakes with Magnopotamion or Hydrocharition – type vegetation, 3260 Water courses of plain to montane levels with the Ranunculion fluitantis and Callitricho-Batrachion vegetation and 3270 Muddy river banks with Chenopodion rubri p.p. and Bidentition p.p. vegetation. New habitats of fish and amphibian species will be restored. Supposed localities for implementation of this action at the Danube River are pSCIs: SKUEV0064 Bratislavské luhy, SKUEV0090 Dunajské luhy, SKUEV0295 Biskupické luhy and SKUEV0269 Ostrovné lúčky.

At SKUEV01117 Abrod the river restoration will represent re-shaping of the artificial river bed in order to create near natural river bed with diverse local conditions – diverse slope of river banks, diverse stream flow parts with slow and with running water etc. This will enable natural regeneration of target habitat type 3270 Muddy river banks with Chenopodion rubri p.p. and Bidentition p.p. vegetation. Additionally the restoration works are planned to improve the overall hydrological regime of the site i.e. including the target fen and grassland










communities of Abrod – the habitat types 6410, 6510 and 7230 – dependant on balanced ground water regime. For this kind of restoration action, the construction permit is not needed. It is only necessary to discuss the plans and obtain agreement from the land owners and land managers.

This action depends on the outputs of Action A.7. The costs for the actions have been calculated on basis of the average price of movement of 1 m3 of substrate and to allow the restoration of at least the planned six sites, the details will be specified in the study from A.7. It will be implemented during the second half of the project period.


Danube river branches formed formerly continuous network in the Danube inland delta. Nowadays this network is fragmented and not fully functioning, which has had negative impact on habitats and species (floodplain forests 91E0*, 91F0, aquatic habitats 3150, 3260 and 3270, fish species, amphibians, reptiles). Number of small river branches was fragmented by creating forest roads, filling with remains of forest logging, construction of new embankments of the main river bed etc. In the crossing with roads, small river branches were often simply filled in with soil or gravel, without any possibility for water flow and continuity. Parts of the branches dried out, due to loss of water supplies and aquatic and wetland habitats were damaged. Other branches are still partly filled with water, but water dynamics, inflow of nutrients and possibility for migration of fish has been lost.

The implementation of this restoration measure is necessary for restoration and improvement of water regime and continuity of wetlands and river branch system at selected localities within project site. The restoration will enable natural regeneration of target habitat types 3150, 3260 and 3270 and additionally habitat types 91E0* and 91F0 should benefit from the restoration by improving (balancing) the ground water regime of the target project sub-sites.

Restoration of Porec stream in SKUEV0117 Abrod represents example restoration of heavily modified small lowland stream. The restoration will enable natural regeneration of target habitat type 3270 and additionally habitat types 6410, 6510 and 7230 present in SKUEV01117 Abrod should benefit from the restoration by improving (balancing) the ground water regime of the site.

Successful implementation of this action will serve as demonstrative example for planning of similar actions in the future.

Expected results:

Barriers in the river branch system removed, water regime and continuity of river branch system improved on 6 localities. It is expected that minimum of 3 000 m of river branches will be re-connected and/or restored, migration barriers for water organisms will be removed. Population of fish species and amphibians increased. Due to restricted access to some places after restoration also significant decrease of human disturbance will be achieved on approximately 12 ha.



ACTION C.6: Restoration and protection of rocky habitats and caves

Description:

Restoration and protection measures will be implemented according to the preparatory study elaborated within Action A.8 for the targeted rocky habitats and caves: 8160 * Medio-European calcareous scree of hill and montane levels, 8210 Calcareous rocky slopes with chasmophytic vegetation, 8310 Caves not open to the public.

In the past, major threat for rocky habitats and caves was mining and processing of limestone or destruction during construction of roads. This is not case for areas included in Natura 2000 sites anymore. Major threats currently are – overgrowing by woody vegetation (change of light conditions, depositing litter from leaves…), local intensive use by tourists (euthrophication, direct destruction of habitat, littering, etc. Especially sensitive to human impact are caves with possibility of free access, although officially not open to the public, Visiting, camping, making fire etc, has very negative impact on them and their fauna, such as bats, etc.

Restoration and protection measures will include: local removal of trees and shrubs (biomass must be removed outside the spot of habitat), making barriers and facilities to regulate movement of tourists. For most vulnerable spots, access of people will be restricted completely. This action will be implemented in SKUEV0104 Homolské Karpaty, SKUEV0276 Kuchynská hornatina and SKUEV0280 Devínska Kobyla where these habitats are present. This action will be supported also by action C.8 Regulation of disturbing human impact on habitats and species.

Concerning the size, there is just small area of these habitats – 1.67 ha. But it is very small scale and patchy distributed. It is located often in remote areas with difficult access. Also for removal of woody vegetation or other measures, there is difficult transport of tool and materials and sometimes climbing techniques and equipment will have to be used. Implementation of this action will follow after elaboration of the expert study (Action A.8).


Many areas of these habitats occurrence have been completely destroyed for mining and processing of limestone and partly during construction of roads. Current size of targeted rocky habitats represent small fragments, therefore restoration and protection of all of them is necessary.

Expected results:

Whole area of rocky habitats within the project site (size of 1.67 ha) targeted by restoration and protection measures.



ACTION C.7: Establishment of NATURA 2000 Management Centre

Description:

The main objective of NATURA 2000 Management Centre is to improve and maintain the favourable conservation status of habitats and species of community interest in NATURA 2000 Sites in the Bratislava region. It reflects the strong need for establishing the coordination unit that will substantially contribute to restoration and long-term management of NATURA 2000 sites based on latest scientific knowledge and findings. Therefore, this activity is strongly supported by concerned institutions, such as State Nature Conservancy (SNC), Comenius University of Bratislava (UK) and Ministry of Environment.

NATURA 2000 Management Centre will be constructed on the property of the Comenius University neighbouring Botanic Garden from one side and Karloveské rameno (a large Danube River sidearm, which is part of SKUEV0064 Bratislavské luhy) from the other side. The location is near the centre of Bratislava City and the SKUEV0064 Bratislavské luhy, SKUEV0280 Devínska Kobyla and SKUEV0388 Vydrica, well accessible by public and private transport.

The facility will consist of office for project personnel, meeting room, lecture room for implementation of educational programmes, garage and storage place for management equipment and other materials. Furniture, computers and other technical equipment needed for environmental education will be provided by project beneficiaries from their own resources.

After finalising the construction works, the project office will be transferred to the Management Centre. The project office will be staffed by the project management personnel and the expert project personnel responsible for implementation specific conservation actions C.1 - C.5 and public awareness actions D.1 - D.10.

Management Centre will demonstrate practical examples of different management, restoration and conservation practices (C.1 – C.5), which will be replicable, as appropriate, also in other NATURA 2000 sites, will monitor NATURA 2000 sites (E.3 and E.4) in the Bratislava region and will gather and update information necessary for elaboration or renewal of management plans for targeted NATURA 2000 sites in the future. Actions will be under expert governance of the SNC with strong involvement of other project beneficiaries.

The advisory unit will be established in the Management Centre that will offer free consultation services to stakeholder groups concerned with NATURA 2000, such as farmers, foresters, land owners, developers, etc. which influence NATURA 2000 management. This should prevent the conflicts created due to lack of understanding of NATURA 2000 objectives and modalities. The advisory unit will be staffed by the expert project personnel and will provide consultancies in person and on-phone.

Moreover, the centre will provide regular services in environmental education and public awareness with focus on stakeholders, decision-makers and students trough consultations, seminars, workshops lectures and guided tours. Permanent interactive exhibition focused on NATURA 2000 species and habitats in Bratislava region will be installed in the centre.







The management equipment acquired within the project will be placed in the management centre and used for concrete conservation actions C1, C2, C3 and C4. In this way, one of the Centre objectives - to provide the demonstration of techniques for habitat restoration and management on local, national and international level, notably for partners in Hungary, Czech Republic and Austria will be implemented.

Slovak project beneficiaries will secure running cost of the centre from their own resources in the future, once the project will be finished. This will ensure sustainable operation of NATURA 2000 Management Centre and continuation of activities started within the project also when the project is completed.


The lack of effective conservation and management of SCIs in Bratislava region is reflected in unfavourable conservation status of targeted species and habitats. Reasons include lack of financial resources available, lack of personnel, inappropriate technical equipment and also limited coordination and communication among main stakeholders (Threat 7). Additionally SCIs face to strong investment development due to their location close to capital city (Threat 6). These consequently cause:

- incoherent management of NATURA 2000 sites in the region of Bratislava and lack of effective restoration activities,

- lack of cooperation in using and evaluation of data that are necessary for elaboration and implementation of management and restoration plans for NATURA 2000 sites,

- lack of public awareness on NATURA 2000 sites that cause important degradation of habitats, notably due to non-controlled tourism.

Therefore, we consider the establishment of NATURA 2000 Management Centre in the Bratislava Region crucial for improvement of conservation status of habitats and species of Community interest.

Expected results:

The fully operational and sustainable Management Centre for NATURA 2000 sites in the Bratislava city region effectively staffed and equipped with special restoration and management equipment.



ACTION C.8: Regulation of disturbing human impact on habitats and species

Description:

The project sub-sites are located in close distance to capital city of Bratislava or in the vicinity of other settlements. These in combination with the lack of visitor regulation and easy accessibility of the sites have resulted in large numbers of tourists and other visitors, including the hunters, fishermen and poachers. By their unregulated or even illegal activities, they cause damage to habitats and species, including those of Community interest targeted by the project.

To address this challenge the State Nature Conservancy will hire 2 rangers, on the service contracts who will be responsible for controlling the tourists in the project sub-sites. The aim is not to stop visitor access, but to reduce for instance the access of motor vehicles and the most negative (usually illegal) activities. Negative and illegal actions will be reported to responsible authorities.

The rangers will be also providing information about the project sites to visitors.

In this effort, the professional rangers will be closely cooperating with voluntary nature rangers. With them, they will organize actions to collect the litter or to remove illegal camping sites.

The SNC, besides the regular visitor regulation in the sub-sites will implement organised actions, when appropriate with police, to check observing nature conservation or other regulations, 10 as a minimum.

In SKUEV0280 Devínska Kobyla, where habitats of Community interest have been highly suffering from erosion and heavy unregulated visitors impact (notably from those traversing on the unstable sand soil substrate), existing pathways will be fixed and barriers – wooden fences- shall be installed in order to block access to valuable habitats.

On the other hand, convenient visitors infrastructure will be installed in this sub-site, including benches and arbors, providing the resting places to visitors. Together 8 information panels showing information on NATURA 2000 network, protected species and habitats present at the site and their importance will be installed. This action will be implemented continuously during the whole project period.

This action will implemented especially in SKUEV0280 Devínska Kobyla, SKUEV 0064 Bratislavské luhy, SKUEV 0269 Ostrovné lúčky, SKUEV 0270 Hrušovská zdrţ but potentially in all project sub-sites.


Negative effects resulting from easy accessibility causes direct damage to habitats and species (illegal fishing, hunting and logging, damage to vegetation, creating of new roads, littering and illegal dumping of waste, free camping, building of illegal tourist infrastructure (huts, etc.) and indirect disturbance by noise and human presence. The dry grassland areas on steep slopes are very fragile to physical damage and human interference, resulting in fragmentation of habitats and erosion. Moreover the natural water erosion on sandy soils contributes to





habitat degradation. The visitor movement outside the designated trails causes significant destruction to the habitats and populations of endangered species. Regular control and installation of proper infrastructure should contribute to decrease the illegal activities and negative impacts mentioned above.

Expected results:

Regular visitor regulation in project site,

negative and illegal actions reported to responsible authorities,

disturbance of sensitive species significantly reduced at 550 ha,

5 organised actions against illegal car access implemented,

10 organised actions to control nature conservation regulations implemented,

10 organised actions to collect the litter and removal of illegal camping sites implemented,

borders of project site and nature reserves visibly marked in field,

illegal access of cars stopped at least on 5 localities ,

250 m of trails in Devínska Kobyla project sub-site improved, fences and arbors installed,

5 benches installed at Devínska Kobyla project sub-site,

8 information panels installed at Devínska Kobyla project sub-site.



D. Public awareness and dissemination of results

ACTION D.1: Web site development and maintenance

Description:

Web page in attractive design informing about project actions will be developed and regularly updated. Web page will present the project objectives, reasons for project implementation, project actions and project development, invitations for public events, information about NATURA 2000 network etc. and thus raise public awareness and disseminate project results. Besides a web-based portal to pass on observational data will be part of the web page.

Web page will link to web-pages of the all project beneficiaries and other important stakeholders as Bratislava Town Council, Bratislava Self-governing Regional Office, Bratislava Regional Environmental Office, State Nature Conservancy, Ministry of Environment, European Commission and other relevant institutions. PDF versions of all project information, news and educational materials will be available on the webpage. We will use also interactive tools such as public inquiries or competitions to encourage wide audience to use the web page.

Interactive website of the project in attractive design will be created in Slovak and English languages as well as the Hungarian and German, because of partners involved and the closest neighbouring countries. Website will be regularly updated.

This will be a unique complex website on nature protection in the Bratislava Region, after the end of the project the website will be maintained as a general international website about the NATURA 2000 conservation issues in the vicinity of Bratislava.

We would like to use modern technologies to attract attention of the website visitors – public inquires, competitions, voting on different issues, login zone for regular visitors, online order of project materials, field trips and excursions, actual media coverage overview, photo gallery with short movies (sectional outputs of project documentary film – Action D.7), library with archive of different interesting and relevant documents, etc.

Database of e-mail address of relevant institutions (state administration offices of nature conservation, forestry, water management, etc.), stakeholders groups (land owners and land managers) and interested or important individuals will be created. Members of the database will be regularly informed directly on their e-mails on web site updates, news, partial results and last project development. This will be important for direct dissemination of information and best practice to influential institutions and individuals. Most of them are interested in such information, but only small part of them would actively search for such information and news.


Web page is a modern powerful tool for wide and fast spreading of information, raising public awareness and dissemination of project results. Wide understanding of the project objectives and reasons for project implementation will support smooth implementation of the project. Large amount of various data is possible to place in a web page, what enables that the target



audience may be as broad as possible – including general public, children, local stakeholders, etc.

Expected results:

The project web page developed, maintained and promoted during the whole project period.

ACTION D.2: Communication and regular meetings with key stakeholders and decision makers, preparation of expert workshops and seminars, sharing of experience

Description:

Meetings of all relevant stakeholders (municipalities, land owners and land users) and law enforcing institutions (Regional Environmental Office in Bratislava, Bratislava Town Council, Bratislava Self Governing Regional Office, Bratislava City Forests, Ministry of Environment, etc.) will be organized. At these meetings, management plans, actual conservation problems of the project site that are in competence of the involved organizations will be discussed and provided with solutions. Moreover two-day study visits, providing first hand experience in nature conservation issues, and technical workshops for stakeholders will be organized. Topics of these meetings will be: existing regulations and their enforcement in selected localities, importance of selected localities for nature conservation, promotion of functioning nature conservation models from other protected areas, coordination of stakeholders activities to tackle conservation problems, regulation of visitors, implementation of sustainable management in the region, etc.


Constant communication and regular meetings with stakeholders is important for their understanding of project objectives and support for implementation of project actions. Contact and communication with stakeholders at the local level is essential. This can be achieved only by personal contacts and meeting. Successful solving of the targeted environmental problems needs involvement of all relevant parties – stakeholders, decision making institution, bodies responsible for enforcement of nature protection regulations and legal regulations in general. The project includes actions in various areas of human activities in order to ensure proper conservation of the target habitats, what requires continuous communication and coordination. Regarding the aims of the project, local municipalities, farmers, fishermen, hunters, foresters, water managers and visitors represent the most important groups.

At the meetings most important issues relevant for success of project actions will be discussed. This includes presentation of project actions, needs for protection of target sites, views and inputs of local stakeholders on nature conservation in their region, their needs and expectations and other topics. The meetings will take place once in every three months in average.

Meetings should result in stakeholders actively supporting project actions such public awareness or implementing of specific conservation actions, including enforcing nature conservation regulations in practice.

Expected results:



Constant communication with stakeholders, 15 meetings with stakeholders will be organized. In average, each meeting attended by 6 representatives of stakeholders, 3 two-day study visits for approx. 30 people each will be organized in SK-AT-HU-CZ region and 2 technical workshops for approx. 20 participants organized every year.

ACTION D.3: Environmental awareness raising and improvement of interpretation value of NATURA 2000 sites

Description:

Natural values of NATURA 2000 sites in the Bratislava Region are insufficiently interpreted to general public. Low environmental awareness might significantly contribute to habitat degradation. Therefore, the main aim of this action is to improve the interpretation of these sites and thus increase public awareness and knowledge on functions and values of habitats of the European importance. The action aims at the installation of information panels, outdoor educational elements, permanent NATURA 2000 exhibition, and production of map and information leaflets. Considering previous activities carried out in the region by project partners, the following target groups will be influenced by the project: general public, teachers, students and tourists.

Information panels will be installed in project sites giving basic information about the SCIs in Slovakia and Hungary and important species and habitats (43 big information panels, 20 small information panels). Thematic panels will be installed in selected 5 SCIs (SKUEV0064 Bratislavské luhy, SKUEV0279 Šúr, SKUEV0280 Devínska Kobyla, SKUEV0313 Devínske jazero, SKUEV0388 Vydrica), which represent different habitats of European importance occurring in the Bratislava region (salt marshes, dry grasslands, floodplain forests, wetland and beech forests). Eight big panels will be designed in an interactive way based on season cycle. The panels will be prepared in Slovak as well as in other language versions.

The second part of this action will be focused on the installation of various educational elements and tools. The aim is to present the natural values of the NATURA 2000 sites in alternative and attractive way. This includes elements such as insects “hotel”, bird boxes, interactive playgrounds, interactive pathway, icons of protected species, and interpretation of ecosystem functions. When possible, wood gained from action C.3 will be used for construction of wooden elements. Some of these attractions will create the educational pathway. The map of attractions will be produced in Slovak, Hungarian, English and German version.

Additionally, whole action will be consulted and implemented in cooperation with the local municipalities in order to enhance stakeholder involvement in nature conservation in the region.

The permanent exhibition will be installed inside and outside of the NATURA 2000 Management Centre in order to provide complex information for its visitors. The indoor part will consist of interactive banners and maquette of selected NATURA 2000 species. The outdoor part will consist of a painted wall with shadow-figures of animal species living in SCIs such as Grey heron, European beaver, etc.



Promotional leaflet about NATURA 2000 Management Centre (Slovak, English, German and Hungarian version) will be elaborated.


The implementation of this action reflects the need of protection of unique habitats of European importance in the Bratislava Region. Currently, there is insufficient information provided for public on NATURA 2000 that might contribute to habitat degradation. Therefore the protection of the NATURA 2000 sites requires more effective communication towards public, notably through proper educational and information tools. This action is focusing on general public, teachers, students and tourists.

Expected results:

Information panels will contribute to increase of public awareness about NATURA 2000 habitats that might significantly contribute to the improvement of habitat nature conservation status.

43 big and 20 small information panels

a set of interactive educational elements in SCIs

permanent exhibition installed, at least 1000 visitors during the project (different groups of visitors – children, schools, university students, teachers, general public).

map (attractions and educational pathway) – 10 000 pcs., (8 000 pcs. in Slovak language, 1 000 pcs. in German and 1 000 pcs. in English language).

promotional leaflets about NATURA 2000 Management Centre 1 000 pcs. – in Slovak, English, Hungarian and German language



ACTION D.4: Publishing of information, educational and promotional materials

Description:

We will produce a wide range of information, educational and promotional materials in order to raise public awareness and disseminate projects conservation achievements.

Brochures, leaflets, layman‟s report, stickers, calendars, textile bags, T-shirts, magnets, will help to inform and education about the project aims and its importance for the nature conservation and implementation of the EU Habitats Directive and creating of European network of protected areas. Brochure and leaflets will be produced in Slovak, English, German and Hungarian language versions as well. Information materials will be designed especially for the professional public/ experts in the field, members of relevant institutions (employees of relevant administrations and offices from other Slovak cities, nature conservation institutions, other NGOs ) who could benefit from project know-how and our best practice and to different stakeholder groups (foresters, farmers, land-owners and land users, local inhabitants and communities, tourists and visitors, angler‟s and hunter‟s associations, etc.)

Educational and promotional materials will be also disseminated to wider public (including children and students), focusing especially on visitors if targeted NATURA 2000 sites and explaining impact of their behaviour on precious habitats and species (e.g. use of mountain bikes or camping is destructive for orchids in selected valuable areas, etc.). Also special project logo will be designed.

Printed materials will be published in Slovak and other languages. Number of materials produced will be in ratios calculated approximately according proportion of activities between all partners: Slovak 65%, Hungarian 15%, German 10%, English 10%.

Information and educational materials produced within this project will be disseminated especially to local population, visitors and important stakeholders within the region.

Materials will be produced in language and content accessible to general public with attractive design to attract more attention. More expert information will be included in more extensive materials, especially brochure and leaflets. Number of materials attractive also for school children and youth will be produced as stickers, textile bags, T-shirts and magnets. Our experience is that many people are more open to new information gained through their children, although normally would not be interested in nature conservation topics. This action will be carried during the whole project period.


Raising awareness of stakeholder groups and local people on the conservation issues and NATURA 2000 network is important for the success of the conservation actions envisaged within the framework of the project. Information and educational materials have a central role in raising public awareness on these issues. It is not possible to protect and conserve the protected areas in a long term without the understanding and support of the local people,



visitors and key stakeholders. Promotional materials will be produced to attract attention of wider audience to NATURA 2000 and conservation of nature in the Bratislava Region.

Expected results:

Following information, educational and promotion materials will be produced and disseminated:

brochures - 3 500 copies

leaflets - 7 000 copies

layman‟s report - 1 000 copies

stickers - 15 000 copies

calendars – 2 500 copies

textile bags – 1 000 pieces

T-shirts – 2 000 pieces

magnets – 500 pieces

brochure for stakeholders – 500 pieces

brochure about Szigetköz – 3 000 pieces

ACTION D.5: Elaboration and implementation of complex educational programs on the NATURA 2000 in the region for schools

Description:

The main objective of this action is to elaborate and implement the educational programs in order to increase environmental knowledge of young generation. Educational programmes will provide the information about NATURA 2000 in the Bratislava Region with the focus on targeted habitats. The programmes will interpret five sites that represent various habitat types of the region: SKUEV0064 Bratislavské luhy, SKUEV0279 Šúr, SKUEV0280 Devínska Kobyla, SKUEV0313 Devínske jazero, SKUEV0388 Vydrica. Each program will include interactive methods and tools in order to explain different topics on nature conservation, functions of ecosystems and NATURA 2000 species. There will be implemented all together 40 educational sessions for different target groups:

1. kindergarten (10 educational sessions)

2. basic school 1st level – grade 1 – 4 (10 educational sessions)

3. basic school 2nd level – grade 5 – 8 (10 educational sessions)

4. high school (10 educational sessions)



In addition, number of supplementary materials will be elaborated and produced in the framework of this action, such as picture books, 2 types of toolkits for teachers, worksheets on different topics, picture concentration game, CDs for students, including interactive tools focused on the determination of NATURA 2000 species.


Environmental education is not sufficiently developed in Slovakia. As we considered young generation to be crucial for future perception of environmental problems, we would like to explain the importance and complexity of nature conservation through educational programmes planned in this action.

Expected results (quantitative information when possible)

four educational programs provided in 40 lessons

promotional materials for schools – 1500 pcs.

picture books – 5 000 pcs.

painted educational cloths – 5 pcs.

toolkit 1 for teachers – 900 pcs.

toolkit 2 for teachers – 900 pcs.

CD for high schools – 1 800 pcs.,

identification circles 500 x 5 – 2 500 pcs.

leaflets (about SCIs) – 5 x 500 pcs.

identification cards (about Devínska Kobyla Nature Reserve) – 2 000 pcs.

worksheets (2 types) for basic schools – 2 x 500 pcs.

worksheets for high schools – 500 pcs.

picture concentration game – 1 500 pcs.

Natura 2 000 stickers - 5 000 pcs.

ACTION D.6: Installation of wildlife watching hides

Description:

Three watching hides for observation of wildlife (otters, beavers, birds...) will be installed within the project site in Slovakia and Hungary. There have been no special facilities available yet, that will allow observing the natural world – especially shy animal – by the visitors in this region of Slovakia and only very limited possibilities in Hungary. Design of these observation facilities will be determined according to specific location and conditions.




Installation of observation towers for watching of wildlife will raise awareness of the public and visitors and improve their understanding of nature conservation actions. If appropriately located and masked, it can also decrease already existing disturbance of shy animal species by the visitors.

Expected results:

Observation hides for wildlife observation installed and used by visitors in Slovakia (1) and Hungary (2).



ACTION D.7: Promotional and educational films

Description:

During implementation of project, there will be two films produced.

The first one – educational film about the NATURA 2000 network will stress the importance of NATURA 2000 network, especially focused on pSCIs in the Bratislava Region and will raise the awareness about species of European importance. The connectivity of the network in the trilateral cross-bored area will be clearly highlighted. In a part of the film will be introduced this project.

The film will be used for the media, website, exhibition etc.

The film will be presented also in other important institutions and museums in Slovakia, Austria and Hungary.

It is planned that the film will be produced and narrated in different language versions.

Each beneficiary will assist by promotion of the films at least in one national channel in each project country and it will be also promoted in 3 regional or local TV channels within the project area in SK/HU/AT.

The second film will be a documentary film about project itself. It will demonstrate the continuous implementation of individual project actions, partial outputs will be published on the project web site and on different social networks (e.g. Facebook, etc.) as well to attract attention of general public. At the end of the project all recorded materials will be used for selection of the best and the most demonstrative shots and these will be processed into an integrated short documentary film about project objectives, sites, its implementation and will show the results of successfully completed actions.


The purpose of this action is to raise awareness about NATURA 2000 sites in Bratislava Capital Region pSCIs and project with its objectives and implemented actions as well. It is essential to involve as much as possible the local authorities, schools, stakeholders and the public. Public awareness is important – people should be aware about the presence of important and valuable pSCIs in the Bratislava Region, understand the ecological background, the important relationships between habitats and species, they should be proud of their homeland values and try to protect them. This action will contribute to raising of awareness of the public and improve their understanding of nature conservation and importance of the NATURA 2000 network.

Expected results:

The 30 minutes educational film about NATURA 2000 will be presented at 1 TV chanel, will be introduced at several exhibitions, on the project website and in other important institutions and museums in different countries. The documentary film about the project (15-30 minutes long) will be published in a form of partial outputs during the project implementation and as an integrated film on different social networks, project website and promoted during different events to public.



ACTION D.8: Education, trainings and staff exchange of project personnel aimed at nature and visitor management

Description:

Key project personnel from the institutions involved (coordinating beneficiary, associated beneficiaries) will be trained on nature and visitor management and encouraged in the mutual exchange of information and experiences. Several staff exchange of project personnel will be held in other project partners institutions. Good examples and first hand experience will be presented in the National Park Donau-Auen and its Visitor Centre in Orth an der Donau. Landscape Protected Area Szigetköz will be visited during this trainings as well.

After identification of training needs in detail and selection of participants, education and training will be organized by NPDA in a form of one-day trainings (15), two-day study visits (10) and five-day staff exchange (5).


Education and training of key project actors from the institutions involved in nature and visitor management in the Bratislava Region is necessary to increase their personal and institutional capacities to deal with these issues and to ensure sound implementation of the project. This action is targeting project personnel.

Presentation of nature and visitor management and NATURA 2000 network, both in the classroom and in the field, is important part of general awareness raising and education. Education and training of project personnel represents a base for education of tourists and the general public, while proper presentation of the NATURA 2000 sites to local population helps to establish relation of people to “their” natural areas. This creates the best base for the long term symbiosis of people and protected areas.

Expected results:

15 one-day trainings for 10 project employees and 10 two-day study visits for 10 people will be organized in Austria and Hungary and 5 five-day staff exchange for 5 people will be organized in the National Park Donau-Auen.

ACTION D.9: Presentations for students, teachers and public, guided walks and excursions in SK-HU-AT trilateral cross-border area

Description:

Numerous presentations and field excursions for students and public will be organized. Expert guides can guarantee that visitors can have the best experience from the visit (technical explanation, information, answering questions, attractive natural features, observation of wildlife, etc.) and at the same time, they do not cause damage on the nature and environment.

Five guides will be trained for guiding interactive excursions in 5 selected pSCIs. The excursions will be organised during the whole year and aimed at year-long aspect in pSCIs. Furthermore a special event will be organised for public on the Earth Day during three years



of project implementation (one event per year, together 3 events). This symbolic day will be full of different activities aimed at increasing knowledge about NATURA 2000 places and their importance.

Excursion routes of different difficulty will be proposed also to other project sites. There will be also opportunities for participants from public to visit National Park Donau-Auen and its Visitor Centre in Austria and Landscape Protected Area Szigetköz in Hungary. Attractive boat or cycling excursions will be organized for international site visits for general public.

Presentations for students and the public will use the modern audiovisual equipment (music and slide shows, sound and image effects, etc.).

It is expected that after implementing and promotion of the proposed number of presentations and excursions by the end of the project, this activity will become well known and popular, and can be self financed by participants paying for the expert guiding. Regular guiding service can be established, based on the demand.

Presentations and excursions are aimed especially to local students, teachers and also at the local public which will be invited to join project actions.


Presentation of natural values, nature protection objectives, both in the classroom and in the field is important part of general awareness raising and education. Education from the early age and proper presentation of the protected areas to local population helps to establish relationship of people with “their” natural areas. This creates the best base for the long-term symbiosis of people and protected areas.

Expected results:

10 presentations for students (together 200 people expected), 40 guided excursions for students (together 400 people expected), 10 presentations for the public (together 200 people expected) and 15 guided excursions for the public (together 100 people expected), 20 boat trips, 30 excursions for teachers, trainings of 5 guides, 15 excursions for public during Earth Day events.

ACTION D.10: Promotion of project on conferences and in media

Description:

Promotion of the project, its objectives, methods and conservation achievements is beneficial both for support of the project implementation and public awareness raising. Project will be promoted to expert audience on conferences and expert meetings, and to general public through media. Conferences will take place in Slovakia and abroad. Regular contacts with media – newspapers, magazines, and radios, TVs at local, regional and national level will be established. Information will be provided to journalists regularly in form of press releases, media briefings, interviews, field reportages etc. Number of media outputs will promote the project and its objectives.



This action includes two main blocks: promotion of project on conferences and promotion of project in media.

Conferences are aimed especially at the expert audience, national and international authorities, networking with other projects, etc. There is a plan for presenting the project on five conferences in EU countries. Project will be presented by personal power point presentations and posters by the project team member attending the conference.

Conferences will take place in Slovakia and neighbouring countries, i.e. Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland or other, depending on actual countries and dates of important European conferences and meetings.

Promotion of the project, its objectives, methods and conservation achievements for the public and wide audience will be done by media - newspapers, magazines, radios and TVs at local, regional, national and international level. Information will be provided to journalists regularly in form of press conferences, press releases, media briefings, interviews, field reportages, providing articles for expert magazines, etc., resulting in media coverage and outputs in wide range of media targeting very wide audience.

General media promotion is aimed especially at the general public. Population of the Bratislava region is 616 578 inhabitants in total. These will be targeted by local media. With national media, reach of project information dissemination will be even much wider.


Media are able reach very wide audience, bring attention of the public and decision makers to certain issues, and influence public opinion. Media contribute also significantly to raising of public awareness and dissemination of project results. Wide understanding of the project objectives and reasons for project implementation will support smooth implementation of the project. Conferences represents the best option of exchanging information and experience within experts in the field and presenting project objectives, methods and conservation achievements.

Expected results:

Project presented on at least 5 conferences, 4 press conferences organized, 7 press releases distributed, 35 articles covering the project published, 10 radio interviews broadcasted, 5 TV shots broadcasted.



E. Overall project operation and monitoring

ACTION E.1: Project management

Description:

Project personnel will be employed for the whole period of the project. External subcontractors, providers of goods and services will be selected by public tenders in accordance with the project implementation schedule. The project office will be set up in Bratislava.

Project management staff employed by coordinating beneficiary:

Project manager – graduated in natural sciences and experienced in project management and nature conservation. Responsible for: a) daily project management and fulfilling the plan of actions; b) maintaining administrative and financial control for the project; c) smooth running of the project through coordination of staff and beneficiaries undertaking actions; d) providing a central focus for preparing reports. The project manager is responsible to the Project Steering Committee. Other project staff will be responsible to the project manager.

Project manager assistant – experienced in project management with overview on nature conservation issues targeted. Responsible for: support of project manager, organizing meetings with partners, communication with stakeholders, running the project office, technical support for tendering and project reporting, assisting with the managing, coordinating and supervising project activities.

Financial manager– graduated in economy, experienced in accounting and financial management. Responsible for financial management of the project, proper recording of all expenditures, preparation of the financial reports and for project bookkeeping (action E.2).

Awareness and media manager – with nature conservation background and experiences in awareness and media management. Responsible for: implementation of awareness actions (D.1, D.2, D.4, D.7, D.9) and information dissemination and promotion of project in media (D.10).

The higher number of associated beneficiaries is caused by transnational character of the project. For successful implementation, involvement all of them is needed. Each associated beneficiary has a staff responsible for implementation and coordination of their actions and supervision of the actions subcontracted as infrastructure.

The overall project implementation is supervised by Project Steering Committee. The Steering Committee will be nominated at the beginning of the project from the representatives of all project beneficiaries, Administration of „Szigetköz‟ Protected Landscape Area and the Ministry of Environment of the Slovak Republic. Committee will meet quarterly, after nomination also the project manager will take part on the committee meetings. The committee is responsible for crucial decisions including selection of project manager, dealing with important issues concerning scientific, managerial and financial aspect of the project.

Project reporting provides regular information about the state of project implementation, any problems and difficulties, background information and fullfilment of the proposed schedule of project actions. Regular reports with the relevant Annexes will be prepared.



The project manager will lead and supervise project performance and the project schedule, manage and co-ordinate project activities with beneficiaries and sub-contracted companies, organize public tendering on goods and services, supervise other project personnel. He will be primarily responsible for all activities implemented in the course of the project, focusing primarily on the key project interventions. To secure sound running of the project actions, the manager will control the implementation of all actions, particularly the fulfilling of the timetables.

Detailed action timetable will be developed during the beginning period of the project implementation, after agreement of project manager and the individual beneficiaries responsible for the action.

The competence of the project manager in relationship to the project staff of BROZ will enable to directly manage the work of the stuff. However, the remaining project stuff of the other beneficiaries is not directly governed by the project manager. Each associated beneficiary will nominate a focal point directly responsible to the project manager. It is under responsibility of each associated beneficiary to organize their internal and communication line.

These rules, responsibilities and communication lines will be clearly described in the mutual contracts signed between the coordinating beneficiary (BROZ) and each associated beneficiary after the project official approval and before the project start.

To facilitate implementing of this action, necessary equipment will be procured by BROZ. The equipment will be used as necessary also for other actions.


Consistent management, coordination and control of the implementation of project actions is essential for the successful implementation of the project. This involves close contact and good working relationship with partner organizations, external contractors, stakeholders and other institutions and individuals involved in the project implementation.

Expected results:

The sound implementation of the project ensured. reports submitted.

ACTION E.2: Project bookkeeping and financial management

Description:

Full-time financial manager (accountant/bookkeeper) experienced in Slovak and EU accounting/bookkeeping practices will be employed for the whole duration of the project. Financial manager is responsible for overall financial management of the project, planning of financial cash flow and distribution of payments to associated beneficiaries, preparation of the financial reports (for project manager, steering committee), tendering of external contractors etc. Coordination of more partners in all project countries in economic issues of the project, communication with accountants of all partners, regular elaboration of financial reports and



other duties listed above will require 50% of the financial manager‟s time. In second 50% of the working time, this positions covers also project bookkeeping.


Transparent and accurate recording of financial operations is of crucial importance for the overall project management (E.1) and audit (E.6).

Expected results:

Transparent recording of project finances (expenditures + incomes).

ACTION E.3: Monitoring of impact of project actions on target habitats

Description:

Restoration management within the project is aimed at improving conservation status of targeted Annex I habitats. The purpose of the monitoring of impact of restoration measures on habitats is to record and evaluate changes in vegetation and at some sites in hydrological and pedological conditions, caused by restoration measures.

Monitoring of impact of project actions on target habitats will be implemented in the following steps:

1. Monitoring of vegetation. The baseline data for the vegetation monitoring will be provided within preparatory actions A.1 – A.5. To prove impact of restoration measures on targeted habitats, mapping of vegetation will be carried out after implementation of restoration measures (e.g. cutting of trees and shrubs, mulching, mowing, etc.) to record the status of grassland habitats. Repeated mapping will be carried out by the end of the project to record impact of restoration and following management on targeted habitats. In the case of fragile habitats with occurrence of rare and threatened species (e.g. 6110*, 6190, 6210*, 6240*, 6410, 7230) the monitoring plots will be established and monitoring data will be collected continuously during the project.

2. Hydrological monitoring at SKUEV0117 Abrod. Groundwater measuring tubes are already installed at Abrod and monitoring of groundwater levels was covered by different projects since 2001. Until now, seasonal and inter-annual dynamic of groundwater was recorded in different parts of the reserve, which provided useful additional information for understanding of the current status of the vegetation and for restoration and management planning. Keeping continuity of the hydrological monitoring will be very helpful, as it provides information on hydrological changes caused by restoration measures, agricultural activities in the vicinity of the reserve etc. Groundwater levels will be monitored during the whole project duration. In selected groundwater tubes, especially near northern agricultural fields, also nutrient concentrations will be monitored. This activity is specific for SKUEV0117 Abrod only.

3. Soil monitoring at SKUEV0117 Abrod. Previous hydrological monitoring at northern border of Abrod reserve had shown that an intensive agricultural activity at adjacent fields (lawn turf production) has large impact on the hydrology of the reserve. Due to local topography and very permeable sandy soil cover, massive irrigation of the fields causes



substantial increase of groundwater levels in this part of the reserve. Even though this would be considered as a positive effect, the intensively fertilized and irrigated fields represent high risk for nutrient-poor low-productive fen ecosystems. In groundwater tubes installed in this part of the area, nitrate and potassium concentrations were several-times higher than it was observed in other parts. There is a clear connection between lawn turf production and increased nutrient concentrations in groundwater.

Although the fertilization regime was adapted and a protective zone with no fertilization established according to requirements of the nature conservation, we do not expect that fertilization on adjacent fields used for lawn turf production will be completely stopped in near future. It is therefore necessary to continue with monitoring of nutrient input to the Abrod. Because it was found that concentrations of nutrients in groundwater coming from fields are very dynamic, it is necessary to monitor not only concentration, but also whole nutrient cycle and storage of nutrients in the soils. Storage of incoming nutrients in non-available forms in soils (e.g. by sorption processes) might hide the danger of eutrophication for some time, but their sudden release in future in appropriate conditions (e.g. longer aeration of the profile) would have harmful effect on restored plant communities.

Monitoring of soil properties with emphasis on nutrients is therefore proposed in area affected by agricultural activities. At the beginning of the project, soil profiles and above-ground plant biomass will be sampled in transect of expected contamination gradient. Besides major soil parameters characterizing soil environment, detailed fractionation of soil nutrients will be performed with respect to their availability to plants. Together with nutrient storage in plant biomass, the comprehensive information on nutrient vertical distribution, storage in different pools and their availability to plants will be obtained, and possible future risk of nutrient release will be evaluated.

Soils and plant biomass will be sampled again at the end of the project and analyzed by the same way. By comparison of the soil status after more years it will be possible to recognize direction of changes with respect to the nutrient status. In case that negative shifts in soil properties and/ or nutrient distribution and availability will be recorded, appropriate measures can be implemented or advised in proposal of further regular management. This activity is specific for SKUEV0117 Abrod only.


The vegetation monitoring of impacts of restoration actions on target habitats will enable to assess efficiency of the restoration management implemented within concrete conservation actions of the project on different project sub-sites.

Fertilization at fields adjacent to SKUEV0117 Abrod reserve might cause straight or hidden eutrophication of the ecosystem and impact negatively on target habitat types 7230, 6410, 6510. Specific conditions can trigger transformation of non-available forms of nutrients to plant-available forms. Therefore, soil status has to be monitored as a mean of early warning. It will also help to evaluate effectiveness of the restoration management – frequent mowing of reed (part of Action C.3) – which is aimed at reduction of nutrient loads by permanent removal of biomass from the ecosystem. Soil monitoring will be realised in 2012 as a baseline and than at the project end to provide evidence on nutrient status and its possible changes in the future.



All monitoring results will be included in reports for professional public - for relevant offices and institutions, showing the results of individual project actions and impact on biota.

Expected results:

Monitoring report on status of vegetation of the target habitats in selected project sub-sites. Report on status of soils in SKUEV0117 Abrod (2013). Report on soil changes within the monitoring period (end of the project).

ACTION E.4: Monitoring of impact of project actions on main fauna species

Description:

Qualitative and quantitative research will be carried out on the project site. Database of data from the project sites will be created. Existing previous data will be collected together. As several aspects of this project have demonstration character, these will be specially monitored in order to promote these actions and clearly show their benefit for the species, habitats and sites.

Selected model groups of organism – besides the listed Annex II animals also other species with high indicative potential (Austropotamobium torrentium, insects – Odonata, Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, amphibians, fish) will be monitored in the area of implementation of concrete conservation actions. These selected groups fulfil following criteria: (i) they are able to indicate changes in the environment; (ii) they may be good indicators of quality of the environment for the target species and habitats; (iii) partially, they can indicate changes in the food offer for the target species; (iv) identification of the model organism up to the species level is relatively easy.

Frequency of visits and sampling depend on biological nature of selected taxa. The animals will be sampled regularly between March and October and with lowered intensity also during winter. The results will be evaluated according to the species composition found with interpretation of the presence/absence or abundance (if possible) of the indicative species.

Adjustment of the project actions will follow in several ways, the most important will be the biological characterization of optimal habitats in the project site. On sites with implementation of C-actions the technical parameters during the restoration may be adjusted in order to create conditions for communities mostly similar to the optimal habitats of target species. This is important because the real colonization of the newly created/ restored habitats of the single species may take longer than the appearance of some indicative organisms or general habitat restoration. The other ways will include using of the indicative attributes of the monitored organisms with the aim getting data on the actual ecological state of the localities, which enables to propose technical corrections of the C actions.The monitoring will be carried during the whole project duration.


Direct monitoring of the indicatory species will enable to measure the effect of implemented conservation actions. Possible modifications and corrections of the proposed conservation activities will be done if such recommendations will result from the monitoring. The outputs



of the monitoring will serve as data needed in the project promotion, raising of awareness and proposing after-project conservation measurements.

Monitoring of the animal species will provide also supplementary information on the quality of the habitats and impact of project actions. Necessary information needed for the conservation of target species will be provided – e.g. data on ecological situation of the restored sites, information about available food for the target species and essential information about changes of the habitats in the situations where direct monitoring of the target species does not provide appropriate results. The outputs of the monitoring will serve as data in the project promotion, raising of awareness and proposing of after-project conservation measures. Outputs from monitoring are essential for after-project conservation plan.

Expected results:

Database will be created with estimated several thousands of records. By the end of every year a monitoring report with the most important results will be provided to give feedback to the implementation of the concrete conservation actions. Scientific information about selected groups of biota from the project site will be provided. Finally, at the end of the project, a summarizing report of the whole project period will be released.

ACTION E.5: Networking with other projects

Description:

Contacts with similar projects targeting NATURA 2000 will be established and project visits organized. Different approaches will be learned and considered with possible implications for project restoration actions. Protected areas with similar problems, natural conditions and socio-economic background will be selected for networking. Therefore especially projects within the Pannonic region and Danubian lowland will be preferred. Proposed project solutions will be consulted with experts from other project sites. Networking will be carried especially for project personnel. Shared experience will be provided also to key stakeholders and decision makers. This action will be carried during the whole project period.

We plan to visit at least 10 projects aimed targeting NATURA 2000 and restoration management at first in the EU countries and later also in other countries. Organisations visited will be mainly conservation NGOs and national institutes; we will also focus on universities and visitor centres. We will develop these contacts during the whole duration of project operation; it is now not possible to know about all activities which will be done in Europe in following time in this field.


Networking with other projects is very beneficial for mutual exchange of information and know-how, sharing of experiences, presentation of the successful examples and best practices. In some cases, it is beneficial to visit other places to see not-fragmented and well functioning ecosystem with all natural characteristics or traditional land uses by local communities once abandoned in the project site.

Expected results:



Contacts established with relevant projects focused on restoration of target habitats and promotion of NATURA 2000 network. Mutual exchange of information and experiences, visits of project sites and restoration actions. Consultations and comparison of different approaches and methods, strengthened international cooperation. Raised knowledge of project personnel.

ACTION E.6: Project auditing

Description:

An independent auditor, nominated by the beneficiary, will verify the financial statements in the final report. This action will be carried during the whole project period, starting from nomination of the auditor.

Reasons why this action is necessary:

The auditing is necessary for this kind of projects. Auditor provides external control to beneficiary if all the legal requirements are fulfilled.

Expected results:

Annual audit reports confirming transparent and accurate recording of project finances (expenditures + incomes). Final report on the project audit will be enclosed to the final technical report.

ACTION E.7: After-project conservation plan

Description:

An After-project conservation plan will be a separate chapter of the final report. It will set out how it is planned to continue and to develop the conservation actions initiated during the project in the years after the project will be finished and how the long-term management of the project site will be assured. It will provide details regarding what actions will realistically be carried out, when, by whom, and using what sources of finance. No special costs are calculated to produce this plan.

1. No further finance is needed – for example preserving of natural forests or wetlands on the land purchased from private owners where no active management is needed.

2. Maintenance of the water management technical objects – regular maintenance of the objects build up during this project (culverts, weirs, etc.) will be carried by their owners – water management authorities from their own budgets.

3. Regular land management actions – such as maintaining pastures, etc. can be supported from the available schemes of the Rural Development Programme.

This will be described in detail according actual situation in the project After-project conservation plan.




An After-project conservation plan is necessary to set out how it is planned to continue and to develop the conservation actions initiated during the project in the years after the project and how the long-term management of the project site will be assured.

Expected results:

An After-project conservation plan.

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