Fighting Floods and Droughts with Nature’s Secret Weapons
One of the main outputs of the LAND4CLIMATE project is the implementation of Nature-based solutions (NBS) in six front-running regions (FRR) located in different countries. Within this broader project, the Agency for Regional Development Košice (ARR) is tasked with implementing NBS in the Roňava River basin on private land.
A characteristic feature of the Roňava River is that it is almost waterless during the dry season. However, in the event of prolonged or extreme rainfall after a prolonged dry period, its water level suddenly rises, and the river becomes subsequently dammed. This unpredictable flow behaviour causes damage to private and public land, agricultural areas and threatens the forest cover.
The primary intent of our initiative is to implement NBS that would help slow or retain water in the natural environment during times of rainfall, which would act as a water source during drought. Currently, our representatives are engaged in conversations with private landowners in the areas we have identified as most at risk and contributing to the saturation of the Roñava River. In selecting investments on these private lands, we also consider the owners' interest in maintaining the established NBS after implementation. It is crucial for us that these measures have a lasting and sustainable impact on mitigating flood-related risks and that they become an active part of environmental care in the region, and at the same time serving as an inspiration for other landowners.
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