• restoration of wetlands at four selected localities by means of barriers blocking erosion rills and existing local streams
• reconstruction of meander of the stream Olšavica upward the village and clearing the elements of sewer system away
• revaluation of selected elements of amelioration at critical localities
• planting woody species along the banks of the stream and stabilisation of the slopes with higher vegetation
• reclamation management of the wetlands
• inclosing the spring areas and the valuable and well-preserved or recovered wetlands to prevent the grazing cattle from entering them and damaging them
• preparation of the project for agri-environmental schemes
• monitoring of Rural Development Plan and proposal for amendments (for period 20007- 2013) based on the lessons learnt from the pilot locality
• promotion of the above mentioned activities at local and national level

Relevant information: article by Milan Barlog
Coordinator: Peter Straka, Jan Seffer
Period: 2005 - 2006
Funding: Danube regional project (UNDP/GEF)
Partners: Olšavica municipality, Cooperation farm Olšavica-Brutovce, State Nature Conservancy SR - Administration of National Park Slovenský raj


Support and capacity building for implementation of Ramsar and Carpathian Conventions in Serbia
Project development objective was to increase capacities of governmental and non-governmental organisations in Serbia to implement Ramsar and Carpathian Conventions. Partner for implementation of Carpathian Convention was NGO Ecolibri Bionet and for implementation of Ramsar Convention is NGO Danube Environmental Forum Serbia & Montenegro. Our experts in close cooperation with Serbian colleagues were preparing information system for data collection from Serbian part of Carpathians. Under cooperation of Slovak and Serbian experts the Management Planning Guidelines for Serbia as well as management plan for Slano Kopovo Ramsar site in Serbia was developed.

Co-ordinator: Viera Sefferova Stanova
Period: 2004 - 2006
Funding: Slovak official development assistance for Serbia and Montenegro - Bratislava-Belgrade Fund, which is co-financed by CIDA (Canadian International Development Agency of the government of Canada).
Partners: ECOLIBRI BIONET - Independent Agency for Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Development, Danube Environmental Forum Serbia & Montenegro

Conservation by Restoration: Strategy and Management for a River-Floodplain on the Lower Morava River
The aim of the project was cooperation in elaboration of strategy and methodology of river network management focused on restoration of alluvial grasslands. Plans and current restoration measures implemented and in Morava river floodplain were evaluated and restoration scenarios proposed. Our main task was to analyse relationship between preserved grassland habitats and flood regime by the means of statistical ecology. Based on these results vegetation model of potential restoration area in former floodplains linked to hydrological scenarios was elaborated.

Co-ordinator: Rastislav Lasak
Period: 2003 - 2005
Funding: Water Research Institute - Science and Technology Assistance Agency
Partners: Institute of Zoology of Slovak Academy of Sciences

Central European Grasslands - Conservation and Sustainable Use
This project focuses on four model areas (the River Morava floodplain, Olsavica, Mala Fatra National Park and Slovensky raj National Park), each representing a different ecological problem relating to grasslands, from lowland to alpine ecosystems. The project is aimed at promoting sustainable use of meadows through preparation and implementation of scientifically sound and consensus-based restoration and management plans, prepared in 2002 and implementation started in 2003. Olšavica Valley was selected as a pilot site due to its problems with flooding and soil erosion. Co-operation was initiated with the Slovak Technical University's Department of Water Management, who assisted in carrying out a hydrological evaluation of the whole watershed, as well as putting forward proposals for agronomic measures aimed at decreasing flooding.

Agricultural farm Olsavica-Brutovce made grassland restoration on 41 hectares of arable land. Project approach in both national parks is not to solve implementation of management plan, it is task of SNC for future, but to show positive examples and to motivate farmers to manage valuable grasslands for biodiversity by pilot restoration measures (cutting of trees and shrubs and mowing or grazing of abandoned grasslands), which will allow them to fulfill conditions for future and sustainable financing from agro-environmental program.

The grassland inventory is now at the stage where 75 % of the pre-selected area of grassland in Slovakia has been mapped. The database and GIS continue to grow rapidly. These contain data for about 13 268 grassland polygons including 744,410 species records of occurrences of higher plants. To date, 485 map sheets of a total of 671 have been mapped, while another 16 sheets are close to completion. This information system has played a crucial role in the process of selecting Natura 2000 sites in Slovakia. It is also excellent tool for the definition of valuable grassland habitats included in protection trough agri-environmental programme. It is the most complex, and the largest, information system in Slovakia dealing with non-forest habitats.

Coverage of Slovakia by grassland mapping according the districts (red - mapped squares, orange - almost mapped squares, blue - squares under completion)

Training sessions for teachers, based on the manual 'World of Grasslands' which was finished and printed in 2000, have been continued. Starting at the beginning of 2001 up to June 2005, a total of 36 training sessions were conducted with 860 teacher participants. Each participant of the seminar got a manual in order to use it in the classes. Training sessions are organised for all primary schools in individual districts around the whole Slovakia.

The field experiments on mountain grasslands of National Park Mala Fatra are also a part of the project. The research should provide an information natural dynamics of mountain grassland vegetation and about optimal management measures.

Detailed field experiment is established on the locality Zazrivá-Plesiva in the north-eastern part of the park.. It is oriented on the vegetation dynamics of mountain grasslands and the influence of mowing as one of the most important options for the management of the grasslands. The experiments are oriented on succession and their influence on grassland biodiversity as well as for the possibilities of restoration of abandoned grasslands by mowing.

Co-ordinator: Jan Seffer
Period: 2000 - 2006
Funding: World Bank - Global Environment Facility (GEF) Medium Size Project
Partners: State Nature Conservancy of Slovak Republic, National Park Slovensky raj, National Park Maly Fatra, Protected Landscape Area Zahorie, Municipality of Olsavica, Co-operative Farm Olsavica-Brutovce, Faculty of Construction of Slovak Technical University

Ecohydrological Research as a Basis for the Restoration of Calcareous Fens in the Slovak Republic
This project is aimed at assessing the prospects for restoring selected calcareous fens and fen meadows through analyses ecohydrological conditions, soil conditions and biological potential, such as the presence of seed banks and of relic populations of endangered plant species. The main objective is to carry out ecohydrological analyses in order to understand the functioning of the hydrological systems that control ecopedological processes and vegetation development of the selected fens and fen meadows. An exchange of experience on ecohydrology and soil science serves as a very important objective of the project. The project focuses on the following fen areas: fens close to Strba (Pastierske II.), National reserve Belianske lúky, National Nature Reserve (NNR) Abrod, NNR Raksianske raselinisko and Popradske raselinisko.

Co-ordinator: Viera Stanova
Period: January 2002 - December 2004
Funding: Ministry of Agriculture, Nature Conservation and Fisheries, the Netherlands
Partners: University of Groningen (NL), Alterra - Green World research, Wageningen (NL)

Important Plant Areas in Slovakia
The aim of the project was the identification of the most important and most valuable botanical sites in Slovakia. The project was also carried in 6 other Central and Eastern European countries as a pilot project led by British organisation Plantlife in the frame of its programme for the identification of Important Plant Areas (IPA). DAPHNE had a leading role in the implementation of the project in Slovakia. The same criteria for site selection were applied in all 7 countries.
They were based on the distribution of selected threatened and endemic taxa and threatened habitats. The proposal of the national network of IPAs was a result of the project. They cover more than 13 % of the area of the country. The results of the project and description of the sites will be published during the year 2005.

Co-ordinator: Dobromil Galvanek
Period: July 2002 - December 2004
Funding: Ministry of Agriculture, Nature Conservation and Fisheries, the Netherlands via Plantlife London
Partners: State Nature Conservancy of Slovak Republic, Institute of Botany of Slovak Academy of Sciences
References:
Stanova, V. & Kusik, T., 2003: Important Plant Areas (IPA) as Analogy of Important Bird Areas (IBA). Nature Protection of Slovakia, 3: 22. (in Slovak)
DAPHNE, 2004: Important Plant Areas in Slovakia. DAPHNE - Institute of Applied Ecology, Bratislava. (in Slovak)

Natura 2000 in Slovakia - Bridging the Implementation Process
The project has aimed to assist the SNC in completing the preparations of the EU Natura 2000 Network in Slovakia through field mapping and data verification of pSCIs and through assistance to fulfil the EU requirements in terms of defining favourable conservation status and developing a monitoring methodology for Natura 2000 species and habitat types. The results of all the work carried out by the two working groups, i.e. the Non-Forest Working Group and the Forest Working Group, can be obtained in their full lengths and in Slovak language on the webpage of the SNC www.sopsr.sk/natura.

Co-ordinator: Jan Seffer, Zuzana Guziova
Period: September 2003 - December 2004
Funding: Danish Ministry of Environment and Energy - DANCEE
Partners: Bio/consult as (DK), Forest Research Institute, Ecological and Forestry Research Agency, Forest Management Institute - Lesoprojekt, Institute of Botany, State Nature Conservancy of Slovak Republic, International Agricultural Centre (NL).

Catalogue of Slovak Habitats
The building of the Natura 2000 system requires a knowledge of the entire areal extent of protected habitats and taxa. The goal of the Catalogue is to distinguish and describe the mapping units of Natura 2000, and thus also to map conditions in the Slovak Republic. While nationally significant habitats were distinguished, all other habitats located in Slovakia were also described. In describing these units, the authors attempted - to fullest extent - to respect an expert viewpoint and to stick to the main criterion of the 'tried and tested' system of phytocenological units, which have been mapped in the 'Habitats of Slovakia' catalogue. This was the case for the mapping of grasslands and peatlands, and is currently accepted as a means of mapping European habitats.

Co-ordinator: Viera Stanova
Period: July 2002 - March 2003
Funding: State Nature Conservancy of Slovak Republic
Partners: Institute of Botany of Slovak Academy of Sciences
References:
Stanova, V., Valachovic, M. (eds.), 2002: Catalogue of Slovakian Habitats. DAPHNE - Institute of Applied Ecology, Bratislava, 225 p. (in Slovak)

Developing the First Phase of the State Nature Conservancy (SNC) Information System
The main goal of the project was to create an information system based on semi-client-server technology. This system is needed for the storage and subsequent evaluation of data on plant and animal species and habitats. Users of such a system should be able to enter, select, export and import data from a central database and subsequently present these data in a simple Geographical Information Systems environment.
The Information System of Taxa and Biotopes (ISTB) consists of one central server located in the main office of the SNC, the so-called 'Central Database', 30 small server-like installations placed in regional offices of SNC (or in other NGOs), the so-called 'Main Applications', and more than 100 client-like installations used for inputting data, the so-called 'Application for Externals'.
The Central Database runs on MySQL. All other applications are built on three platforms: MS Access, Paradox and a web interface (by PHP and Apache server).
In the future an improved link to GIS will be built. In addition, some complex operations will be simplified.
This new system has played a highly significant role in the finalisation of the Natura 2000 project and it responds daily to the requests of SNC.

Co-ordinators: Alexander Kurthy, Rastislav Lasak
Period: October 2001 - December 2002
Funding: State Nature Conservancy of Slovak Republic
Partners: State Nature Conservancy of Slovak Republic

Support of Land Trusts in Czech Republic
The aim of the proposed project is to 1) strengthen accredited land trusts (ALTs) as a tool for implementation of Natura 2000, 2) to motivate and support establishment and accreditation of prospective land trusts (PLTs), 3) promote land trust movement among general public and increase public support, 4) provide the movement with new independent source of long-term financing and 5) provide sufficient professional capacity of the National Land Trust (NLT). As obvious from the aim, project focuses on 1) ALTs, 2) PLTs, 3) landowners, state authorities and general public.
DAPHNE is working within activity Monitoring of ALTs' management of protected sites. In co-operation with our experts monitoring system of ALTs' practical management work will be created. The comprehensive monitoring system reflecting changes in biodiversity of selected habitats would be very expensive. The reasonable way is selection and monitoring of indicators signalising of significant changes within habitat. The selection of indicators and design of monitoring system will be elaborated during project span.

Co-ordinator: Viera Stanova
Period: July 2002 - May 2003
Funding: Civil Society Development Foundation (NROS) - Czech Republic, Program Phare Access of European Union
Partners: Czech Union for Nature

National Grassland Inventory - Slovakia
Grasslands represent valuable habitat areas, contribute significantly to Slovakia's biodiversity and are home to a large number of threatened and endemic species. Despite the undeniable value of grasslands, they are endangered because of agricultural intensification, abandonment and re-forestation. In 1998, the National Grassland Inventory in Slovakia was initiated with the preparation of a methodology and the training of mappers. 330,600 ha of grassland, identified through an analysis of satellite images, were mapped in the scope of this project. 118,444 ha were evaluated as semi-natural and natural grassland and recorded as such. 212,156 ha were evaluated as degraded grassland, and these have not been recorded. The extensive report was prepared and published as an output to this first phase of the inventory.

A national grassland inventory continues to be financed by various sources, as in the above mentioned project.

Co-ordinator: Jan Seffer
Period: 1998 - 2002
Funding: Ministry of Agriculture, Nature Conservation and Fisheries, the Netherlands
Partners: Royal Dutch Society of Nature Conservation (Netherlands), State Nature Conservancy of Slovak Republic, Institute of Soil Science and Soil Protection in Bratislava
References:
Seffer, J., Lasak, R., Galvanek, D. & Stanova, V., 2002: Grasslands of Slovakia. Final report on National Grassland Inventory 1998 - 2002. DAPHNE - Institute of Applied Ecology, Bratislava, 112 p. + 5 annexes (in English)

Galvanek, D., 1999: The Mapping of Grasslands in Central and Eastern Europe. Daphne Journal, 1, pp. 39-41.

Galvanek, D., Seffer, J., Stanova, V., Lasak, R. & Vicenikova, A., 2000: National Grassland Inventory in Slovakia. In: Ehrendorfer, F., Palme, H., Schrammel, G. (eds.): EUROMAB SYMPOSIUM "Changing Agriculture and Landscape: Ecology, Management and Biodiversity Decline in Anthropogenous Mountain Grasslands - proceedings, BAL, Gumpenstein, pp. 91-92.

Galvanek, D., Seffer, J., Stanova, V., Lasak, R. & Vicenikova, A., 2000: National Grassland Inventory in Slovakia. In: Ferienčikova, D., Gaborčik, N., Ondrasek, Ľ., Uhliarova, E. & Zimkova, M.: Grassland Ecology V. Proceedings of the 5th Ecological Conference, Slovak Society for Agriculture, Food, Forestry and Veterinary Sciences within SAS, Slovak Grassland Section, Banska Bystrica, pp. 185-189 (published on CD-ROM).

Galvanek, D., Seffer, J., Stanova, V., Lasak, R., Vicenikova, A., 2002: National Grassland Inventory in Slovakia - two years from beginning, Acta Fac. Rerum Nat. Univ. Comenianae Botanica, 41:119-123

Seffer, J. & Stanova, V., 1999: Review of Central European Vegetation Classification of Grasslands. In: Veen, P. & Seffer, J. (eds.): Proceedings of the Technical Workshop on National Grassland Inventory. Royal Dutch Society for Nature Conservation & DAPHNE - Centre for Applied Ecology, Bratislava, pp. 98-101.

Seffer, J., Stanova, V., Lasak, R., Galvanek, D. & Vicenikova, A. (eds.), 1999: National Grassland Inventory in Slovakia (methodical manual). DAPHNE, Bratislava (in Slovak).

Seffer, J., Stanova, V., Lasak, R., Galvanek, D. & Vicenikova, A. (eds.), 2000: National Grassland Inventory in Slovakia (methodical manual). DAPHNE, Bratislava, 2nd updated version (in Slovak).

Veen, P., Seffer, J. & de Smidt, J., 1999: General Conclusions and Recommendations. In: Veen, P. & Seffer, J. (eds.): Proceedings of the Technical Workshop on National Grassland Inventory. Royal Dutch Society for Nature Conservation & DAPHNE - Centre for Applied Ecology, Bratislava, pp. 106-107

The Establishment of the Natura 2000 Network in the Slovak Republic
Project activities focused on developing the specific skills and expertise needed in Slovakia for a timely and effective implementation of the Natura 2000 network. These included improving the knowledge of the distribution of the natural habitat types and those species whose conservation requires establishment of the Natura 2000 network, developing site selection procedures, developing databases and improving participatory management planning skills. Last but not least, the project contributed to raising awareness of the specifics of EU legal requirements relating to the nature conservation sector among the stakeholders.
The project outcomes, particularly the development of procedures for the selection of Special Protection Areas of the Birds Directive (SPAs), and of sites eligible for identification as Sites of Community Interest under the Habitats Directive (SCIs), as well as the compilation of draft lists of the SPAs and proposed SCIs, may allow for the timely implementation of Slovakia's pre-accession commitments in the nature conservation sector.

Co-ordinator: Jan Seffer
Period: 2001 - 2002
Funding: Netherlands Government (Matra, SENTER)
Partners: VVMZ, Wetlands International, AVALON, SOVON - (Netherlands), Institute of Botany of Slovak Academy of Science, Faculty of Natural Sciences Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovak Society for Bird Protection (SOVS)

Conservation, Restoration and Wise Use of Calcareous Fens in the Slovak Republic
This project focused on the preparation of a GEF-eligible Medium Size Project for the conservation of Carpathian peatland biodiversity, with a particular interest in Carpathian calcareous fens as a unique ecosystem with its centre of distribution in Slovakia. In particular, the project addressed the following principal root causes:
1. drainage of fens,
2. lack of appropriate management of protected fen areas, and
3. lack of public awareness and appreciation of peatland biodiversity. Activities undertaken in three pilot areas will serve as demonstrations of best practice in restoring and managing these valuable habitats. A fully-fledged project document was prepared and submitted to the Global Environment Facility.

Co-ordinator: Viera Stanova
Period: October 2001 - July 2002
Funding: UNDP/GEF
Partner: State Nature Conservancy of Slovak Republic

The Carpathian Ecoregion Initiative
The Carpathians are the last remaining major ecosystem in Europe that is in almost pristine condition. In European terms, the region is unique in harbouring a virtually complete megafauna and being exceptionally rich in species diversity and endemism. It is for these reasons that WWF has included the Carpathians in its "Global 200" of outstanding ecoregions. More than 50 organisations from seven Carpathian countries - Romania, Ukraine, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic and Austria - are working together.

WWF launched the Carpathian Ecoregion Initiative in 1999, in response to the urgency of the threats to the ecoregion and to take advantage of the opportunities that now exist to advance biodiversity conservation and sustainable development through the transition process. In the first phase of this initiative - the Reconnaissance - a large number of stakeholders were brought together to analyse the current and potential threats and opportunities and to assess the potential and the feasibility of a full-scale initiative. In 2000, detailed assessments of biodiversity and socio-economic factors started. A Vision statement, agreeing long-term goals for conservation and sustainable use, and a Conservation Plan, outlining concrete actions, are under preparation.
DAPHNE is playing an important role as co-ordinator of methodology and GIS development for the whole Carpathian arch as well as being national co-ordinator of activities within Slovakia. We also co-ordinated the preparation and evaluation of the Carpathian habitat and endemic plants database.

Co-ordinator: Viera Stanova
Period: March 2000 - April 2001
Funding: WWF Danube Carpathian programme
Partners: 50 organisations from seven Carpathian countries
Slovak partners: State Nature Conservancy of Slovak Republic, Association of Carpathian National Parks (ACANAP), Ekopolis, Ministry of the Environment of Slovak Republic
Website: www.carpathians.org
References:
Webster R., Holt. S., Avis Ch., 2002: Karpaty. DAPHNE - Institút aplikovanej ekológie, Bratislava, 69p.

Central European Peatland Project
The project is part of an international project running in 8 CEE countries - Poland, Czech Republic, Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia and Slovak Republic. The main goal is to prepare a strategy and action plan for peatland conservation. The strategy will be a document targeted at policy makers and funding agencies, and will describe the importance of peatlands in relation to biodiversity, carbon sequestration, water purification, etc. The strategy will include an overview of priority actions on a national scale as well as on a Central European scale.

The Action Plan will provide a framework for national projects to enhance peatland protection and wise use of peatlands. The document will include recommendations for the designation of peatlands under the Ramsar Convention, the introduction of wise use principles, certification of peat products and recommendations for integrated land-use planning. The development of the Action Plan includes identification of national priorities for peatland conservation and elaboration of project proposals for different donors.

Co-ordinator: Viera Stanova
Period: 1999 - 2001
Funding: Danish and Netherlands governments through Wetlands International
Partners: State Nature Conservancy of Slovak Republic
References:
Stanova, V. (ed.), 2000: Peatlands of Slovakia. DAPHNE - Institute of Applied Ecology, Bratislava.

Stanova, V., Vicenikova, A., Balaz, D., Seffer, J., Lasak, R., Gojdicova, E. & Soltes, R., 2000: The Central European Peatland Project. National Report from Slovak Republic. Ms. Depon in DAPHNE - Institute of Applied Ecology, Bratislava.

Conservation and Sustainable Use of Peatlands in Slovakia
This project aims to establish the foundations for the long-term conservation of the internationally important biodiversity value of Slovak peatlands, in order to achieve an overview of prevailing resources, threats and needs, and to further prepare recommended improvements. Three immediate objectives have been identified as necessary to achieve the development objective:
1. The National Peatland Inventory was established in the period between 2001 - 2002. 885 peatland localities were recorded, with a total size of 2,350 ha. To date, the project database has 41,593 species records, 33 of these of six species mentioned in annexes to the Habitats Directive. A further 861 habitat records, in five habitat types of the Habitats Directive, in a total of 555 localities, were identified from the database. A variety of peatland types have been mapped.
2. Six areas, including all types of mires, have been selected to ensure the long- term protection of biodiversity values. Prior to the elaboration of management plans, the human impact on hydrology was assessed and a description of required actions was prepared. The history of the area was investigated using all the available sources, as this is an important aspect in determining an appropriate subsequent management regime. The results of activities conducted in the six selected pilot areas were also used in the process of transposing EU nature conservation legislation. The management planning process on the pilot sites was used for the elaboration of management planning guidelines for future Natura 2000 sites throughout Slovakia.
3. To increase awareness about biodiversity and other important values and functions of mires a teaching manual on the topic of peatlands was prepared and published (211 pages, 8 chapters). Training sessions for primary school teachers, based on this handbook, were conducted, and each participant received one of these manuals for use in their school. Altogether, eight training sessions with a total attendance of 177 participants were conducted. On the basis of the "enviro-box", a manual on the topic of peatlands was also prepared. Enviro-box comprises methodological teaching aids for environmental education in schools; it can, in addition, be easily used outside schools. For nature conservation managers a book on the Biodiversity of the Abrod National Nature Reserve is being prepared for publication, and is due at the beginning of 2003.

Co-ordinator: Viera Stanova
Period: January 2001 - February 2003
Funding: Danish Co-operation for Environment in Eastern Europe (DANCEE)
Partners: NEPCon, State Nature Conservancy of Slovak Republic
References:
Stanova, V. (ed.), 2001: Mapping of Peatlands in Slovakia. Methodical Manual. DAPHNE - Institute of Applied Ecology, Bratislava, 21 p. Msc. (in Slovak).

Vicenikova, A. (ed.), 2002: World of Peatlands - Manual for Primary School Teachers. DAPHNE - Institute of Applied Ecology, Bratislava, 211 p. (in Slovak).

Towards the Integrated Management of the Trilateral Region of Morava- Dyje Floodplains
This project supports DAPHNE´s long term objective to prepare a management plan for the Morava and Dyje floodplains, which in the lower stretches from the border between Slovakia and Austria and in the upper stretches between Slovakia and the Czech Republic. The region is an extraordinary Ramsar site which has been partially damaged by intensive agriculture, river regulation, drainage and other destructive activities. Current protection of this unique natural area requires successful implementation of restoration and management plans, which has to be based on effective co-operation at a trilateral level and a harmonised approach from all three countries.
The project involves analysis of availability and compatibility of existing data in order to identify the possible information gaps for preparation of an integrated management plan. The project, which will be based on strong trilateral cooperation between non-governmental and governmental organisations working in the region, identifies activities required for sustainable use of the area in the future.

Co-ordinator: Vladimir Kocvara
Period: December 2000 - December 2001
Funding: MATRA-KNIP
Partners: Distelverein (Austria), Veronica (Czech Republic), Protected Landscape Area Palava (Czech Republic)

Wetlands Shadow List
Wetlands belong to the most threatened ecosystems in Slovakia. Although important parts of wetlands are protected, the number of valuable sites are not included in the list declared by the Ramsar Convention or preserved in any other way. The aim of the project was to identify valuable wetland sites, which should be included in a proposal for NATURA 2000 and highlight key sites which are crucial for specific habitats and species. The Wetlands Shadow List was prepared by an expert team, which consisted of representative NGOs and governmental institutions led by DAPHNE and our partner organisation the Slovak Environmental Agency. The database of "shadow" wetlands was completed and joined together with a GIS layer. A distribution map together with the main project results were made available to the Ramsar Committee and Ministry of the Environment of the SR in order for them to be included in a proposal for EMERALD/NATURA 2000.

Co-ordinator: Jan Seffer
Period: September 1999 - April 2000
Funding: WWF International
Partners: Ministry of the Environment of Slovak Republic, State Nature Conservancy of Slovak Republic
References:
Seffer, J., Stanova, V., Straka, P. & Balaz, D., 2000: Wetlands Shadow List of Slovakia. Ms. Depon. in DAPHNE - Institute of Applied Ecology, Bratislava.

Water and Wetland Index
DAPHNE was involved in the WWF initiative focussed on the preparation of a Wetland and Water Index. This initiative investigates the state of key freshwater ecosystems, the main pressures on them (e.g. from agriculture, industry, tourism), the ecological quality of habitats and status and loss of biodiversity and water resources, and the quality of monitoring programmes.

It provides a baseline on the preparedness of governments to effectively manage their water resources, and serves as a basis for determining priorities for action. The information is used to identify good examples and to lobby for change. The Water and Wetland Index provides assessment of 16 European Countries including Slovakia.

Co-ordinator: Jan Seffer
Period: September 1999 - April 2000
Funding: WWF International
Partners: Ministry of the Environment of Slovak Republic, Slovak Environmental Agency.
References:
Hygum, B., Madgwick, J., Vanderbeeken, M., Blincone, P. (eds.), 2000: Water and Wetland Index. Report by WWFś European Freshwater programme. Ms. Depon. in DAPHNE - Institute of Applied Ecology, Bratislava.

Distance Learning Course on Biodiversity Conservation
The project tries to bridge the gap in distance education in the field of biodiversity conservation for civil servants and NGO-members. One of the goals of the project is to build a centre of distance learning in Comenius University in Bratislava. DAPHNE has played an important role in the education programme and contributed to the preparation of study materials about biodiversity theory, wetland restoration and grassland mapping.

Co-ordinator: Dobromil Galvanek
Period: January 1999 - December 2001
Funding: TEMPUS
Partners: Faculty of Natural Sciences Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovak Agricultural University in Nitra, Ministry of the Environment of the Slovak Republic, Institute of Botany of EMAU Greifswald (Germany), University of Wageningen (Netherlands), Institute of Biodiversity Conservation Regensburg (Germany), Institute of Distance Learning Dipoli Helsinki (Finland)
Website: http://sozo.fns.uniba.sk

Ecological Restoration Plan for the Villages Jaslovske Bohunice and Radosovce
The villages Jaslovske Bohunice and Radosovce are located in the Trnavska Pahorkatina region, which is characterised by very intensive agriculture. It has caused many environmental problems such as soil erosion, water pollution and degradation of ecosystems. DAPHNE, in collaboration with municipalities and local farmers, prepared the restoration plan to improve ecological stability in the agricultural and non-urban areas of both villages.
In 1999, after the elaboration of a restoration plan for these villages, the implementation process started. A wide network of biotopes (windbreaks, small woods) was proposed in the initial project, including an estimation of the budget for establishing the network. The project will be implemented in the next few years in the area managed by the co-operative farm in Jaslovske Bohunice.

Co-ordinator: Dobromil Galvanek
Period: April 1998 - June 2000
Funding: Municipality of Jaslovske Bohunice and Radosovce, Municipality of Radosovce.
Partners: Municipality of Jaslovske Bohunice, co-operative farm Jaslovske Bohunice, Municipality of Radosovce, co-operative farm of Radosovce
References:
Galvanek, D. & Ruzickova, J., 2000: Ecological Restoration Plan for Villages Jaslovske Bohunice and Radosovce. Daphne Journal, 1, pp. 21-24.

Rehackova, T., Ruzickova, J. & Galvanek, D., 2000: Realisation Project of Windbreaks for Soil Protection in the Cadaster of the Village Jaslovske Bohunice (Cadasters Jaslovce and Bohunice). Technical Report. Ms. Depon. in DAPHNE - Institute of Applied Ecology, Bratislava.

Ruzickova, J., Galvanek, D., Lasak, R., Cierna, M., Hell, P., Slamecka, J., Vagenknechtova, V., Bohus, M., Lengyel, J., Kovac, V. & Kristofik, J., 1999: Ecological Restoration Plan for the Villages Jaslovske Bohunice and Radosovce. Technical Report. Ms. Depon. in DAPHNE - Institute of Applied Ecology, Bratislava.

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