Summary
Summary
WETREST (LIFE05 NAT/SK/000112) in the Záhorie Lowland (western Slovakia) focused on wetland restoration and public awareness, funded by the LIFE programme together with the Ministry of Environment. Implemented by the State Nature Conservancy with SVP and BROZ (2005–2008), it improved hydrology across eight Natura 2000 sites. A fish pass was built on the Rudava at Veľké Leváre to re-establish fish migration.
Since then, restoration has continued: in 2022 BROZ and partners re-naturalised ~2.2 km of the lower Rudava near Veľké Leváre under the Interreg Alpine–Carpathian River Corridor, removing concrete lining and re-meandering the channel; the river became ~180 m longer, with works completed on 22 Sept 2022.
New actions under LIFE-IP Natura 2000 SK (2024–2025) will block ~10 km of drainage ditches with 366 small dams, create ~10 ha of wetlands, and repair two sluices in the Rudava and Kaltenbruk sites to retain water and support priority species. Complementary efforts in the Morava floodplain near Malé Leváre (2022–2024), led by Green Foundation with BROZ and NINA, targeted the restoration of at least 210,000 m² of degraded wetlands and awareness-raising.
Photo gallery
Overview
Year of issue
2025
Project
NWRM
Implementation status
Ongoing
Contact
REC
Location of the project
The case study covers several Natura 2000 wetland sites in the Záhorie Lowland (Borská nížina), around Lakšárska Nová Ves and Šaštín-Stráže
Country
Slovakia
NUTS2 Code
Západné Slovensko
Sponge measures implemented in the case study
Wetland restoration and management
Re-meandering
Objectives
Restore the water regime and improve the conservation status of wetland habitats across eight Natura 2000 sites in the Záhorie Lowland.
Contribute to establishing the Natura 2000 network in Záhorie (project area comprising 8 SCIs, 17 Habitats of Community Interest, 6 Habitats of National Interest).
Build a fish bypass on the Rudava River near Veľké Leváre to re-enable fish migration.
Restore species-rich lowland meadows in the Rudava floodplain.
Prepare a Management Plan for each project site (and a technical Revitalisation Project where needed).
Raise public awareness (media outreach, information/education materials, talks, excursions, on-site information boards) and strengthen partners’ technical capacities.
Contribute to establishing the Natura 2000 network in Záhorie (project area comprising 8 SCIs, 17 Habitats of Community Interest, 6 Habitats of National Interest).
Build a fish bypass on the Rudava River near Veľké Leváre to re-enable fish migration.
Restore species-rich lowland meadows in the Rudava floodplain.
Prepare a Management Plan for each project site (and a technical Revitalisation Project where needed).
Raise public awareness (media outreach, information/education materials, talks, excursions, on-site information boards) and strengthen partners’ technical capacities.
Involved partners
| Authority type | Authority name | Authority role | Authority responsibility |
|---|---|---|---|
| National water authority | State Nature Conservancy of the Slovak Republic | Implementation | Supporting |
| National water authority | Slovak Water Management Enterprise, Department Bratislava | Implementation | Responsible |
| NGO | BROZ- Regional Association for Nature Conservation and Sustainable Development | Implementation | Responsible |
| Local water authority | SNC- Administration of Zahorie PLA | Implementation | Supporting |
Site Information
Climate Zone
Warm temperate dry
Precipitation
580.00 mm
Temperature (°C)
9.50 °C
Runoff coefficient
0.20
Elevation range
173
Vegetation class
Alluvial forests with Alnus glutinosa and Fraxinus excelsior
WFD Ecological status
Moderate
WFD Chemical status
Failing to achieve good
Design and Implementation
Project scale
Meso
Project scale specifications
This restoration covered multiple Natura 2000 wetland sites across the Záhorie Lowland (regional/sub-basin scope) under LIFE WETREST, and included reach-scale works on the Rudava River near Veľké Leváre (later re-naturalised over ≈2.2 km), with follow-on actions continuing in the Záhorie region under LIFE-IP Natura 2000.
Area subject to Land use change or Management/Practice change (ha)
165.00 ha
Financing
Total cost
728912.00 €
Costs other information
LIFE WETREST (2005–2008, LIFE05NAT/SK/000112)
Planned budget €624,000; actual costs €728,912; EU LIFE co-financing rate 50%
LIFE-IP NATURA 2000 SK (2021–2030) – the integrated programme under which new Rudava/Kaltenbruk actions (ditch blocking, wetland creation) are planned: total eligible budget €16,622,242; EC LIFE contribution €9,973,345 (60%) (programme-wide; not site-specific).
Planned budget €624,000; actual costs €728,912; EU LIFE co-financing rate 50%
LIFE-IP NATURA 2000 SK (2021–2030) – the integrated programme under which new Rudava/Kaltenbruk actions (ditch blocking, wetland creation) are planned: total eligible budget €16,622,242; EC LIFE contribution €9,973,345 (60%) (programme-wide; not site-specific).
Compensations
No
Policy and Governance
Policy description
During the preceding two decades, the total wetland area in Slovakia had declined dramatically and the vast majority of remaining natural and semi-natural wetlands were seriously threatened by human activities. The main cause of the decline were changes in the natural water regime, brought about by extensive drainage, peat extraction and land-reclamation schemes - mostly to provide more agricultural land, but also as part of intensification of forest management.
The changes had led to a decline in habitats and species associated with the wetlands and a reduction of the retention capacity of the areas concerned. Many species that were once common - such as amphibians or storks - had become rare, some of them even locally extinct. One of the most valuable remaining wetlands is located in the Zahorie Lowland, which is also one of the most important regions in Slovakia for biodiversity in general.
The changes had led to a decline in habitats and species associated with the wetlands and a reduction of the retention capacity of the areas concerned. Many species that were once common - such as amphibians or storks - had become rare, some of them even locally extinct. One of the most valuable remaining wetlands is located in the Zahorie Lowland, which is also one of the most important regions in Slovakia for biodiversity in general.
Land ownership
State-owned and managed for the Ministry of Defence by the state enterprise Vojenské lesy a majetky SR (VLM SR).
Policy targets
Improved Biodiversity
Part of a wider plan
No
Public consultation
Yes
Consultation activities
| Activity type | Comments |
|---|---|
| Training courses | with 26 and 19 participants |
| Study visits | four study visits with around a dozen participants each were organised for project personnel, as well as five additional short study visits with just two or three key personnel at a time |
| Informative deliverables | information in various printed and electronic formats as well as erecting information posts and engaging actively with the media to build public support for the protection of the sites |
| Public events and meetings | — |
Has contractual arrangements
No
Impacts and Monitoring
Monitoring System
Monitoring requirements
Monitoring is carried out by the State Nature Conservancy (CHKO Záhorie) with the Slovak Angling Association and research partners (e.g., VÚVH/STU)
Monitoring parameters
Post-restoration fish community surveys with basic physico-chemical measurements, hydromorphological and macroinvertebrate surveys, and functional checks of the Veľké Leváre fish pass.
Maintenance
Maintenance requirements
Focuses on vegetation and water-regime operations in the Natura 2000 areas - removing shrubs/trees, creating/maintaining grazed grasslands, and restoring/operating water-control infrastructure (ditch blocks and two sluices).
Socio-economic Impacts
Benefits and co-benefits
WETREST explicitly targeted awareness-raising (information/education actions). Later, BROZ mounted a public exhibition on rivers and migration corridors in Veľké Leváre under the Alpine–Carpathian River Corridor project.
In Malé Leváre (Morava floodplain, adjacent to the Rudava mouth), the Norway-Grants project “Mokrade pre život a prosperitu” delivered restoration plus an educational wetland trail adapted for children with ASD, combining habitat work with outreach.
Large parts of the area sit in the Záhorie Military District; since 2012 general entry is allowed without individual permits, but temporary closures and permanently restricted sub-zones still apply—this regulates public access to restored sites.
In Malé Leváre (Morava floodplain, adjacent to the Rudava mouth), the Norway-Grants project “Mokrade pre život a prosperitu” delivered restoration plus an educational wetland trail adapted for children with ASD, combining habitat work with outreach.
Large parts of the area sit in the Záhorie Military District; since 2012 general entry is allowed without individual permits, but temporary closures and permanently restricted sub-zones still apply—this regulates public access to restored sites.
Biophysical impacts: Hydrology
Information on retained water
Rudava re-meandering (2022): 2.2 km of straightened channel restored; 82 new meanders created; river length +180 m; 4,540 t of concrete removed. These are physical changes relevant to flow diversity and storage, but no quantified flood-attenuation or storage volumes were reported.
Biophysical impacts: Biodiversity
Improved biodiversity
Yes
Information on improved biodiversity
Fish community response (post-restoration survey, 2022): 19 fish species recorded; on the restored reach, abundance >3× and biomass ~1.5× higher vs. pre-restoration; appearance of several protected species (e.g., Rhodeus amarus, Cobitis elongatoides) not present when the reach was regulated. Negative/unexpected: higher occurrence of invasive round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) noted.
Lessons Learned
Key lessons
A successful project is an integrated project. Public awareness campaigns on the importance of wetlands and restoration and conservation is a key factor in order to keep good results.
Restoration at Rudava shows that physically de-canalising a lined river can rapidly restart natural processes: 2.2 km were re-meandered, 4,540 t of concrete removed, 82 new bends cut, and the channel lengthened by ~180 m. Early biological monitoring reported a strong fish response.
Permitting and legislation are as decisive as engineering. This “first-of-its-kind” Slovak revitalisation faced an unusually long preparation and a heavy consent load (26 institutional consents; 67 permit conditions), highlighting the need to streamline procedures for nature-positive river works.
Cross-sector partnerships made the build feasible: the NGO (BROZ), water authority (SVP), State Nature Conservancy (ŠOP SR), and research bodies (VÚVH, STU) co-designed and executed the works, with Interreg SK-AT backing.
Sequencing matters. Earlier WETREST actions (incl. a fish bypass at Veľké Leváre) and meadow restoration laid ecological groundwork; subsequent reach-scale re-naturalisation and the ongoing LIFE-IP ditch-blocking/wetland creation extend hydrological and habitat gains across the Záhorie lowland.
Gains can come with caveats: alongside protected species returning, invasive round goby increased on the restored reach—underscoring the need for continued monitoring and adaptive management.
Restoration at Rudava shows that physically de-canalising a lined river can rapidly restart natural processes: 2.2 km were re-meandered, 4,540 t of concrete removed, 82 new bends cut, and the channel lengthened by ~180 m. Early biological monitoring reported a strong fish response.
Permitting and legislation are as decisive as engineering. This “first-of-its-kind” Slovak revitalisation faced an unusually long preparation and a heavy consent load (26 institutional consents; 67 permit conditions), highlighting the need to streamline procedures for nature-positive river works.
Cross-sector partnerships made the build feasible: the NGO (BROZ), water authority (SVP), State Nature Conservancy (ŠOP SR), and research bodies (VÚVH, STU) co-designed and executed the works, with Interreg SK-AT backing.
Sequencing matters. Earlier WETREST actions (incl. a fish bypass at Veľké Leváre) and meadow restoration laid ecological groundwork; subsequent reach-scale re-naturalisation and the ongoing LIFE-IP ditch-blocking/wetland creation extend hydrological and habitat gains across the Záhorie lowland.
Gains can come with caveats: alongside protected species returning, invasive round goby increased on the restored reach—underscoring the need for continued monitoring and adaptive management.
Success factors
| Success factor type | Success factor role | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Successful coordination between authorities | Main factor | Strong, complementary partnership (BROZ–ŠOP SR–SVP–VÚVH–STU) embedded in the regional CHKO Záhorie context. |
| Successful coordination between authorities | Main factor | Continuity across programmes (LIFE WETREST → Interreg ACRC → LIFE-IP N2000) sustaining actions over time. |
Transferability
Highly transferable to lowland, channelised rivers and drained floodplains. Success hinges on cross-agency partnerships and sustained funding, plus careful permitting/land-tenure checks. Diagnose hydromorphology and groundwater before design; manage fish passage and ditch-blocking; plan for invasive species, sediment remobilisation and temporary access restrictions; and embed post-works monitoring for adaptive management.
Sources
Sources