PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
The current situation of the landscape and soil in the Czech Republic and Slovakia is characterised by degraded soils (especially increasing rates of dehumidification, acidification and compaction), increased water and wind erosion, and a decline in biodiversity. In Slovakia, for instance, approximately 70% of agricultural soils are threatened by water erosion (35% severe erosion). Moreover, biodiversity declines correspond to the intensification of landscape management; between 1992 and 2012, 7 bird species became extinct and more than 20% of species are declining. Current management in both countries significantly contributes to the vulnerability of the landscape to climate change impacts, resulting in disrupted small-scale water cycles, worsening drought conditions, and increased risk of flooding. These impacts are exacerbated by the historical and current consequences of economic intensification, including surface drainage (land reclamation), soil erosion due to heavy mechanisation, the use of artificial fertilisers, reduced biodiversity due to monocultures, and a decline in landscape features and diversity. The constraints preventing desirable changes in landscape and land management include low awareness and interest of the public, landowners and farmers in applying sustainable agriculture practices; historical inertia in landscape, land and water management; fragmented ownership structures and weak communication between actors; an economic environment favouring large-scale industrial production; and a lack of holistic landscape planning with regard to water retention in the landscape. Adequate systemic tools to address landscape adaptation to climate change with public participation have not yet been developed at the national level in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. For the time being, the Czech Republic is addressing the situation more centrally through large infrastructure projects such as building dams, connecting water supply systems or deeper drilling. However, these solutions are expensive, not always effective, and can suppress local decision-making processes. Unless management and land use approaches change towards retaining water in the soil and landscape, these measures will be insufficient to reduce the impacts of drought and flooding.
OBJECTIVES
The LIFE WILL project aims to increase the resilience of people and agricultural landscapes to climate change by increasing the water retention capacity of landscapes and soil, and by implementing nature-based adaptation measures at local level. The project team will contribute to the adaptation of the Czech and Slovak landscapes to the impacts of climate change and, to a lesser extent, will contribute to mitigating the causes of climate change through soil carbon storage and the improvement of governance and information capacity related to climate issues. They will employ innovative participatory approaches to overcome barriers to changing the use of the landscape and soil towards higher water retention. The project team will focus on three pilot actions that demonstrate the participatory approach in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The project outputs and demonstrated methodology will be shared with other EU countries, particularly those with a legacy of forced collectivisation, fragmented ownership structures, intensive agriculture, and loss of cultural and historical relation to land.
RESULTS
Expected results:
- Demonstration, through the concrete example of three pilot sites covering an area of 23 km² in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, of an innovative participatory adaptation approach and methodology that helps to increase the involvement of local actors and the public, and their capacity to advocate for effective water retention measures in the soil and landscape, in order to contribute to increasing the resilience of people and landscape to the impacts of climate change.
- Replication of the participatory methodology for water retention in the landscape demonstrated in the Czech Republic and Slovakia in 30 replication sites, and raised awareness of the methodology in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and three other EU countries.
