Preservation of floodplain forests, Slovakia
Year of issue
2025
Summary
DANUBE FORESTS, coordinated by BROZ and funded by the LIFE programme, preserves the remaining floodplain forests of the Slovak Danube inland delta and introduces sound, sustainable forest management. Since then, a wider EU-LIFE effort has reconnected side-arms and restored wetlands while agreeing a new operational water regime: over 75 ha of wetlands and 18.5 km of tributaries have been brought back to life, supported by an operational manual that integrates Natura 2000 needs into water-management decisions.
Controlled “simulated floods” are now released via the Dobrohošť inlet, with flows up to 120 m³/s tested in 2023 and implemented again in spring 2024 to refresh the inland delta. In 2024 the Vojčianske side arm was reopened and in 2025 the Foki arm in the old Danube bed was restored, improving connectivity, habitats and local water retention. Further actions continue under Dynamic LIFE Lines Danube (AT–SK) and LIFE RESISTANCE, which also tackles invasive plants. Several areas proposed by DANUBE FORESTS have since been formally protected (e.g., Foráš PR, Pečniansky les protected area, Ostrovné lúčky).
Photo Gallery
Location
48.06638, 17.2038
Project
NWRM
National ID
Slovakia_7
Sector
Forest
Installation Date
2007-03
Implementation status
Ongoing
Contact
REC
Overview
Location of the project
Within the Dunajské luhy Protected Landscape Area (the Slovak Danube inland delta) south-east of Bratislava, around the villages of Dobrohošť, Vojka nad Dunajom and Kyselica.
Country
Slovakia
NUTS2 Code
Bratislavský kraj
Sponge measures implemented in the case study
Forest riparian buffers
Floodplain restoration and management
Afforestation
Objectives
Preserve the last remaining natural floodplain forests in the Slovak Danube inland delta and introduce sound, sustainable forest management.
Prepare a Sustainable Forest Management Framework Strategy for the whole area and update forest management plans for the project forests
Designate and enlarge protected areas in key sites of Dunajské luhy; the initial plan targeted ~549 ha of new protected areas
Apply close-to-natural forestry on selected stands: control/eliminate invasive plants, promote natural regeneration, and use selective cutting instead of clear-cuts.
Build capacity and awareness: training of State Forest Administration and State Nature Conservancy staff; study visits (CZ Morava–Dyje, AT Donau-Auen), outreach materials and public excursions/seminars.
Inventory local genetic seed sources for afforestation to support native species use.
Prepare a Sustainable Forest Management Framework Strategy for the whole area and update forest management plans for the project forests
Designate and enlarge protected areas in key sites of Dunajské luhy; the initial plan targeted ~549 ha of new protected areas
Apply close-to-natural forestry on selected stands: control/eliminate invasive plants, promote natural regeneration, and use selective cutting instead of clear-cuts.
Build capacity and awareness: training of State Forest Administration and State Nature Conservancy staff; study visits (CZ Morava–Dyje, AT Donau-Auen), outreach materials and public excursions/seminars.
Inventory local genetic seed sources for afforestation to support native species use.
Involved partners
| Authority type | Authority name | Authority role |
|---|---|---|
| NGO | BROZ - Regional Association for Nature Conservation and Sustainable Development | Initiation of the measure |
| National water authority | State Nature Conservancy of Slovak Republic | — |
| Local water authority | National park Donauauen (Austria) | — |
Site Information
Climate Zone
Warm temperate moist
Precipitation
600.00 mm
Temperature (°C)
10.00 °C
Runoff coefficient
0.20
Elevation range
129
Vegetation class
Floodplain riparian forest: softwood willow–poplar galleries and hardwood alluvial forests (oak, ash, elm), with associated wetlands/meadows; recent restoration also used native Salix alba and Populus nigra stock.
WFD Ecological status
Moderate
WFD Chemical status
Failing to achieve good
Design and Implementation
Project scale
Meso
Project scale specifications
River-reach / regional: actions span multiple side-arms and wetlands of the Slovak inland delta (e.g., 9.57 km of branches restored; simulated floods influenced ~1,805 ha in 2024), coordinated across agencies and used to manage a connected river-branch system.
Project area
12450
Area subject to Land use change or Management/Practice change (ha)
12450.00 ha
Financing
Total cost
570000.00 €
Compensations
Non
Policy and Governance
Policy description
The building of the Gabcikovo dam and canal strongly affected this inland river delta; forest management, as pursued in the 1990s, was not sustainable and did not take the potential natural forest into consideration; and pollution, eutrophication and increasing intensification of the nearby agricultural environment were also having a negative effect on fauna and flora.
Land ownership
Mixed ownership. BROZ purchased ~30 ha and leased ~300 ha (25–30-year leases) across several cadastres (Čunovo, Číčov, Veľké Kosihy, Zlatná na Ostrove).
Policy targets
Improved Biodiversity
Part of a wider plan
Oui
Wider plan
| Wider plan type | Wider plan focus | Name |
|---|---|---|
| Project based | Forestry | Sustainable Forest Management Framework Strategy |
Public consultation
Oui
Consultation activities
| Activity type | Comments |
|---|---|
| Dissemination activities | tickers, posters, postcards, information panels and a website (in Slovak and English) and organising field excursions and training seminars |
Has contractual arrangements
Oui
Contractual arrangements
| Arrangement type | Responsibility | Name | Role | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Contractual agreement | 25–30-year leases | Land leasing | ~300 ha leased by BROZ | Čunovo, Číčov, Veľké Kosihy, Zlatná na Ostrove |
Impacts and Monitoring
Monitoring System
Monitoring requirements
Maintain hydromorphological and biological monitoring (probes, flows, sediments, fish/amphibians/vegetation) and use the results each year to set spring/summer simulated-flood discharges and durations.
Monitoring parameters
Surface- and groundwater levels from installed probes (with public data), discharge and flow velocity, profile surveys, bed and suspended sediment sampling, and water-level surveying. Biotic monitoring covers fish (rheophilic species response to barrier removal and higher velocities), amphibians (e.g., Bombina bombina, Triturus dobrogicus; timing/duration of simulated floods adjusted to breeding), molluscs (e.g., Vertigo moulinsiana, Valvata macrostoma), vegetation and invasive plants, pollinators, and general biotic observations; additional vegetation/eDNA checks are ongoing on nearby Danube-lowland sites managed by BROZ.
Maintenance
Maintenance requirements
After-LIFE plans : routine operation of the structures (weirs/sluice gates) to run the simulated floods, plus ongoing treatment of pollard willows, invasive-alien-species control, and upkeep of floodplain forest stands, pastures and hay meadows.
Socio-economic Impacts
Direct benefits information
New forest management plans were elaborated and approved for LHC Rusovce, Samorin, Gabcikovo and Calovo. These plans cover the whole project site area , include principal requirements for conservation and management of the Annex I habitats - residual alluvial forests and mixed oak-elm-ashforests.
The Gajc nature reserve was enlarged from 0.84 to 62.72 ha and a new 76.7 ha nature reserve, Stary haj, was designated. Proposals to designate two further areas (Foras and Gabcikovske luhy) as nature reserves and one (Pecniansky les)as a protected site were submitted to the competent authorities, along with proposals to enlarge the existing nature reserves at Ostrovne lucky and Cicovskemrtve rameno. The total area of the new proposed protected areas is 1 935.68 ha,substantially exceeding the original project plan of 549 ha.
Public backing: a petition “For Water for the Life of the Danube Inland Delta” gathered 11,603 signatures (2020), helping reopen negotiations on the water-regime.
Events & audiences: 19 school presentations (648 participants) and 15 public talks (1,450 participants); six annual Family Days reached ~3,000 visitors; 11 information boards installed; children’s summer camps ran repeatedly.
Land secured for conservation/management: 67.07 ha purchased and 349.22 ha leased (15–30 yrs) to guarantee long-term stewardship.
Traditional grazing reintroduced with local cooperatives: 8.1 ha (Bodíky), 22.04 ha (Veľký Lél), 28.5 ha (Apálsky ostrov); 23 ha of wet arable converted back to grassland near Číčov.
The Gajc nature reserve was enlarged from 0.84 to 62.72 ha and a new 76.7 ha nature reserve, Stary haj, was designated. Proposals to designate two further areas (Foras and Gabcikovske luhy) as nature reserves and one (Pecniansky les)as a protected site were submitted to the competent authorities, along with proposals to enlarge the existing nature reserves at Ostrovne lucky and Cicovskemrtve rameno. The total area of the new proposed protected areas is 1 935.68 ha,substantially exceeding the original project plan of 549 ha.
Public backing: a petition “For Water for the Life of the Danube Inland Delta” gathered 11,603 signatures (2020), helping reopen negotiations on the water-regime.
Events & audiences: 19 school presentations (648 participants) and 15 public talks (1,450 participants); six annual Family Days reached ~3,000 visitors; 11 information boards installed; children’s summer camps ran repeatedly.
Land secured for conservation/management: 67.07 ha purchased and 349.22 ha leased (15–30 yrs) to guarantee long-term stewardship.
Traditional grazing reintroduced with local cooperatives: 8.1 ha (Bodíky), 22.04 ha (Veľký Lél), 28.5 ha (Apálsky ostrov); 23 ha of wet arable converted back to grassland near Číčov.
Biophysical impacts: Hydrology
Information on retained water
Side-arm reconnection and wetland works have restored >75 ha of wetlands, 18.5 km of free-flowing tributaries, and 225 m of riverbanks, improving hydraulic continuity and habitat access.
“Simulated floods” now re-water the branch system via the Dobrohošť inlet. In spring 2024 the flood ran 25 days with a 120 m³/s peak for 15 days; a summer 2024 flood ran 21 days with 60 m³/s for 18 days.
The Vojčianske side arm was reopened (Aug 2023–Jan 2024): 3.7 km of continuity restored, ~12,000 m³ of sediment removed, culverts upsized; post-works monitoring is in place.
In spring 2025 the simulated flood lasted 34 days but reportedly did not exceed ~30 m³/s, lower than 2024’s 120 m³/s peak.
“Simulated floods” now re-water the branch system via the Dobrohošť inlet. In spring 2024 the flood ran 25 days with a 120 m³/s peak for 15 days; a summer 2024 flood ran 21 days with 60 m³/s for 18 days.
The Vojčianske side arm was reopened (Aug 2023–Jan 2024): 3.7 km of continuity restored, ~12,000 m³ of sediment removed, culverts upsized; post-works monitoring is in place.
In spring 2025 the simulated flood lasted 34 days but reportedly did not exceed ~30 m³/s, lower than 2024’s 120 m³/s peak.
Biophysical impacts: Biodiversity
Improved biodiversity
Oui
Information on improved biodiversity
The improved conservation status of forest habitats has had a positive impact on a number of Annex II species, including Cerambyx cerdo, Lucanus cervus, Osmoderma eremita, Myotis myotis, Barbastella barbastellus, Myotis dasycneme and Myotis bechsteini. It has also benefited a number of species listed in the annexes of the Birds Directive, such as Dryocopus martius, Dendrocopos syriacus, Dendrocopos medius, Ciconia nigra, Haliaeetus albicilla, Milvus milvus, Milvus migrans and many others.
Information on increased permanent biomass
Tree restoration is ongoing. BROZ reports >30,000 native trees planted in 2020/21; the AT–SK Dynamic LIFE Lines Danube project notes 31,350 alluvial trees planted (and ongoing) in 2025 activities that include the Slovak sector near Gabčíkovo.
Biophysical impacts: Water & Soil Quality
Water quality overall improvements
N/A info
Soil quality overall improvements
N/A info
Biophysical impacts: Others
Ecosystem impact climate regulation
Not relevant for the specific application
Lessons Learned
Key lessons
Management plans created in environmentla projects have the chance to enlarge Nature reserves and other protected areas.
Restoring flow in a regulated system required governance first, then earthworks. The team had to renegotiate operating rules and coordinate conservationists, water managers and energy companies before bringing back larger, regular “simulated floods”; only after that did side-arm dredging, culvert upgrades and weir reconstructions deliver full benefits.
Operations must follow ecology. Amphibian monitoring showed that timing and magnitude matter (e.g., early-spring floods and testing 120 m³/s), and results were fed back into how floods are scheduled. Remote probes and an operations app now link ecological and hydraulic responses in near-real time.
Physical constraints and legacy pressures are real barriers. Decades of siltation and dozens of small barriers had degraded branches; in addition, buildings in the intended inundation zone capped flows for safety reasons until authorities addressed them. These constraints shaped what could be achieved, and when.
Public support helps unlock decisions. A 2020 petition and sustained outreach underpinned the agreement to resume and upscale simulated floods, and the project’s consensus-building was recognised at EU level.
Restoring flow in a regulated system required governance first, then earthworks. The team had to renegotiate operating rules and coordinate conservationists, water managers and energy companies before bringing back larger, regular “simulated floods”; only after that did side-arm dredging, culvert upgrades and weir reconstructions deliver full benefits.
Operations must follow ecology. Amphibian monitoring showed that timing and magnitude matter (e.g., early-spring floods and testing 120 m³/s), and results were fed back into how floods are scheduled. Remote probes and an operations app now link ecological and hydraulic responses in near-real time.
Physical constraints and legacy pressures are real barriers. Decades of siltation and dozens of small barriers had degraded branches; in addition, buildings in the intended inundation zone capped flows for safety reasons until authorities addressed them. These constraints shaped what could be achieved, and when.
Public support helps unlock decisions. A 2020 petition and sustained outreach underpinned the agreement to resume and upscale simulated floods, and the project’s consensus-building was recognised at EU level.
Success factors
| Success factor type | Success factor role | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Successful coordination between authorities | Main factor | Formalised, multi-actor operating regime for floods (negotiations + updated rules). |
| Public participation | Main factor | Broad stakeholder and public backing (petition; EU Natura 2000 Award finalist for conflict resolution). |
Transferability
Transferable to many regulated lowland rivers with floodplain forests, if governance and hydraulics align. Key checks: ability to release managed floods; feasibility to reopen side-arms; land tenure and safety of inundation zones; sediment and barrier loads; hydropower/navigation constraints; permits and funding; and an adaptive monitoring plan to tune timing, magnitude and duration.
Sources
Sources