E – Project management
Action E.1: Project management
Responsible beneficiary: BROZ
Action E.2: Hydrological monitoring
Responsible beneficiary: VVB
Hydro-morphological, physic-chemical and chemical quality elements were monitored as well as supporting biological quality elements. Based on obtained results of the water quality and the quality and status of the aquatic environment, the characterization can be prepared. Monitoring was used for specification of proposals of restoration actions and monitoring of their impact on aquatic environment. Monitoring of the following quality elements together with frequencies was carried on regular basis: hydro-morphological elements, dissolved oxygen, pH, conductivity, alkalinity, acidity, BOD-5, COD-Cr, N-NH4, N-NO3, P-PO4, total phosphorus, total nitrogen, benthic invertebrates, phytobenthos, phytoplankton, water macrophytes, fish.
Recent status:
This action was realised by an external provider (VÚVH, National reference laboratory), which started the monitoring in September 2009 and continued during the whole project. The action was focused on documentation and assessment of current situation of water formations in the location of left-side branch system of Danube - Istragov and Dunajské Kriviny. The sampling frequency was from 2 (sekected buikigucak qzakuty elements) to 12 sampling per year (other elements of quality). Overall 52 samples were collected and 3586 analysis were performed during 2009-2011.
Action E.3: Monitoring impact of project actions on bird populations
Responsible beneficiary: PriF UK.
Database of ornithological data was created with estimated several hundred thousand of records. By the end of every year a monitoring report with the most important results was provided to give feedback to the implementation of the concrete conservation actions.
Recent status:
Action successfully finished. All target species (Alcedo atthis, Anas querquedula, A. strepera, Ciconia nigra, Circus aeruginosus, Dryocopus martius, Egretta garzetta, Haliaeetus albicilla, Ixobrychus minutus, Milvus migrans, Nycticorax nycticorax, Riparia riparia, Sterna hirundo and Tringa totanus) in the project area during the breeding season were monitored. Impact on bird communities at C.1 and C.4 action sites was studied in detail.
To be able to evaluate the output of the concrete conservation actions in long-term perspective, we included monitoring programmes also in the After-LIFE conservation plan.
Action E.4: Monitoring impact of project actions on other biota
Responsible beneficiary: PriF UK.
Model groups of these organisms were selected for monitoring: higher plants, dragonflies, fish and amphibians. These groups were selected because they 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 bird species; (iii) partially, they can indicate changes in the food offer of several target bird species; (iv) identification of the model organism up to the species level is relatively easy.
Recent status: Action successfully finished. Higher palnt communities, fish, amphibian and insects have been monitored at the places where C-actions were implemented.
To be albe to evaluate the output of the concrete conservation actions in long-term perspective, we included monitoring programmes also in the After-LIFE conservation plan.
Conclusions of biota monitoring supplement the data obtained during monitoring of the target bird species. Action C.1 created or renewed aquatic habitats that were quickly occupied by water plants, dragonflies, water beetles and amphibians. Rich communities of amphibians were present on several parts of the site, together 10 species were recorded and reproduction of all of them was confirmed. On the other hand, the dragonflies were represented mostly by common species with broad ecological valence and the beetle community was quite poor. Before 1993, when the natural water regime was preserved, there was a rich water beetle community consisting of 110 species and including several rare and threatened species. In 2015 only 18 species of water beetles were present there, all these species are widely distributed and have a broad ecological valence. This indicates the following combination of factors: (i) the actual water regime is not optimal, (ii) the communities need more time for recovering and natural development, and (iii) the general state of the Danube floodplain area is not favourable and several species lost their source populations. Action C.2 also created a new water habitat – before the action there were no amphibians, dragonflies and water beetles present here. In 2014-2015 the site was inhabited by those three groups, however, the numbers of species were quite low and no rare species were recorded here. This is consequence of small size of the area and missing water level dynamics. Restored wetlands of the action C.4 were immediately (2013-2014) colonized by six species of amphibians reproducing in the central part of the wetland. There is high potential for further increase in species number and their populations, which was hindered by the slow filling of the wetlands with water and by the rich terrestrial vegetation, which still covers large parts of the site and drops shadow. Botanical monitoring of the restoration of meadows (C.7) points out different assessment of the meadows when ornithological and botanical views are compared. High diversity of plants and rare plant species are present in places that are mowed (1-2 times annually) or extensively grazed. The intensively grazed parts – important habitats for birds – are occupied by fewer plant species and occurrence of nitrophilic and ruderal species increases here. Therefore the best solution is a mosaic of areas with different use, what is exactly the situation on Veľkolélsky ostrov Island.Action E.5: Project bookkeeping
Responsible beneficiary: BROZ
Action E.6: Networking with other projects
Responsible beneficiary: BROZ
Realised actions:
19 March 2009 – Management of reed beds,NP Neusiedler See – Seewinkel, 5 participants
26 March 2009 – Restoration of Danube banks and branches, NP Donau-Auen, Bratislava, 6 participants
4 May 2009 – Danube floodplains – meeting with Austrian-German project LIFE04 NAT/AT/000003 Hang- und Schlucht wälder im oberen Donautal,Bayrisches Staatsministerium für Umwelt, Gesundheit und Verbraucherschutz, Landesbund für Vogelschutz in Bayern, Danube river, 10 participants
1 July 2009 – Networking and exhibition with NP DonauAuen, SMOPAJ, PriFUK,Orth an der Donau, 10 participants
5-14 September 2009 – Conservation and management of wetlands of international importance, State Nature Conservancy, MoE of the Czech Republic, Poland, Lithuania, Belarus,1 participant
7-10 September 2009 – Networking with project LIFE06 NAT/RO/000177 Conservation and Integrated Management of Danube Islands, Romania, PriFUK, Environmental Protection Agency Calarasi, Bratislava – Komárno, 9 participants
29.10.2009 – Networking with Czech ornithologists – Management of Danube floodplains, Entomologic institute AV?R, SCHKO Pálava, AOPK ?R, ?SE, Veľký Lél Island, 7 participants
15 May 2010 – networking with conservationists from Germany; Landesbund für Vogelshutz, Danube floodplains, 15 participants
17 June 2010 – excursion to Slovanksy ostrov island, Čunovo and Rusovce for conservationists from Romania; Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve, 8 participants
28.-29 June 2010 – Managment lowland forests; Nature Conservation Agency of the Czech Republic and Židlochovice Forest Enterprise, Veľkolélsky ostrov island, 19 participants
12 July 2010 – excursion to National Pard Danube for conservationists; NPDA,DINPI, DDND, DDBRA, Persina, Vojvodinasume (Hungary, Austria, Slovakia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Romania), NPA Danube floodplains, 12 participants
25 September 2010 – networking with Danubeparks, partners Danubeparks, 19 participants
15.-16.4.2011 - Networking with conservationists from Austria and Hungary during Pannonian Bird Experience 2011 connected with information stand, Illmitz, NP Neusiedler See, 25 participants
19.4.2011 - Networking with conservationists from Czech Republic - Sorbus o.s., Veronica, ZO ČSOP Kněžice, Hamerský potok o.s., BROZ, ČSOP Liteň, Veľkolélsky ostrov Island, 14 participants
9.-14.4.2012 - Networking with conservationists from Serbia - NP Djerdap, Donji Milanovac, Serbia, 12 participants
7.3.2014 - Networking with conservationists from Croatia - NP Kopački rit, Veľkolélsky ostrov Island, 11 participants
Action E.7: Project auditing
Responsible beneficiary: BROZ
Action E.8: After-LIFE conservation plan
Responsible beneficiary: BROZ
An After-LIFE conservation plan is a separate chapter of the final report, presented both in Slovak, Hungarian and English. It presented our plans how to continue and to develop the conservation actions initiated during the project in the years after the project was finished and how the long-term management of the project site and targeted bird species and their habitats will be assured.
