Last week we co-organized and hosted the Study Tour 2026 of the European nature conservation network Eurosite at our sites. This week-long study visit was attended by representatives of Eurosite member organizations as well as individual supporters –  21 participants in total from ten organizations across Europe: Natuurmonumenten from the Netherlands, Natuurpunt from Belgium, NABU from Germany, WWF Hungary, Krkonoše National Park from the Czech Republic, Floron from the Netherlands, Wetlands International, the Austrian Environment Agency, the Schleswig-Holstein Nature Conservation Foundation, and Elytron.

We guided our guests over 4 days across several sites where we have been active in nature conservation for many years and where we have carried out restoration measures. On Monday we visited Devínska Kobyla, on Tuesday a salt marsh in Kamenín –  where we previously launched grey steppe cattle grazing in cooperation with the municipality —- and the sites of Parížske močiare and Žitavský luh, where we were accompanied by representatives of SOS Birdlife Slovakia.

On Wednesday we explored the Danube side-arm system and the restored Vojčianske side arm, the Istragov site, and discussed the context of simulated flooding of the area. The following day was dedicated to both water and land excursions on Veľkolélsky Island, where we also treated our guests to lunch and refreshments made from local produce.

Study Tour 2026 was thematically focused on nature-based solutions. We showcased a wide range of inspiring sites and activities, and received very positive feedback from this pan-European conservation consortium. We believe that our conservation approaches, as well as our relationships with stakeholders, can serve as inspiration for these organizations and their home countries across Europe.

Thank you for the visit, and we look forward to the next gathering of all Eurosite member organizations.

On 4-5 March 2026, our partners from the Plant Science and Biodiversity Centre SAS (PSBCSAS) had the opportunity to present the LIFE Resistance project at an important international gathering, the conference Invasive Alien Species in the Danube Region: IAS of Regional Concern, held in Hungary.

The event brought together competent ministries, the European Commission, international organisations, nature conservation authorities, research institutes and NGOs from across the Danube region. Our partners took to the floor to introduce LIFE Resistance to an audience of regional and European decision-makers and experts. They presented the project’s core objectives, reducing the spread and impact of invasive alien species in border areas, and walked attendees through the innovative methods and approaches that set our project apart. Early findings from the field were also shared, offering a first glimpse into the real-world results our teams are achieving on the ground. Invasive species don’t respect borders, and neither should the solutions. Being part of this conversation helps amplify our work, connect us with potential future partners, and contribute to the broader EU strategy for managing biological invasions.

We’re proud of our partners at the Plant Science and Biodiversity Centre SAS for representing the project so effectively, and we look forward to more opportunities to share our progress on the regional and European stage.

A key part of our LIFE Endemic PANALP project, focused on restoring thermophilous and xerothermic grassland habitats, is cooperation with local farmers. Thanks mainly to this collaboration, we have so far managed to reintroduce or expand grazing on more than 240 hectares across 28 sites, stretching from Devín to Súľov. Our goal, of course, is for these restored areas to provide long-term benefits to the farmers, which will undoubtedly also bring significant gains for nature.

Agricultural subsidies are today an important tool in this regard. Therefore, on Monday, November 3, we organized a seminar for our cooperating farmers with our colleague who had worked for several years at the Agricultural Paying Agency. In an informal and friendly atmosphere, he explained to beginning farmers the basics of the Common Agricultural Policy rules, while the more experienced participants had the opportunity to discuss their experiences and challenges.

The venue – the Pub in Višňové – was chosen deliberately. We would like to start restoring goat grazing on the overgrown steppes directly below Čachtice Castle together with the locals here in the near future!

Coincidentally, we continued our education activities aimed at the same target group the very next day. At the Uhliská Farm near Nemšová, in cooperation with the Institute of Knowledge-based Agriculture and Innovation, we co-organized a seminar focused on grassland restoration, environmentally friendly deworming of livestock, and smart technologies in animal husbandry.

Our colleague Jakub Cíbik presented to the participants that restoring flowering meadows is an opportunity not only for biodiversity but also for building cooperation between conservationists and farmers. His lecture also included inspiring examples of such partnerships that have emerged thanks to the LIFE Endemic PANALP project.

Ivana Kodajová from the Vlčí Vrch goat farm, with whom we have been closely collaborating since the earlier LIFE Butterflies project, introduced her well-developed system of gentle goat deworming. Conventional methods, which rely on the widespread use of ivermectin-based substances, lead to parasite resistance and simultaneously kill coprophagous insects. These organisms, which decompose animal dung, are an important part of biodiversity and help farmers improve soil condition, fertility, and even reduce the occurrence of undesirable parasites.

For these reasons, at BROZ we have decided to promote awareness of practices that are more considerate of both livestock and the grassland ecosystems — ecosystems that, in our country, survive today largely thanks to them.

The project is holding community meetings underway to present the project to farmers, and to discuss with farmers who will be involved in habitat restoration. ADEPT held meetings with local actors, in Bobâlna and Agârbiciu communes, to identify and discuss habitat restoration efforts, including 120 ha affected by bracken (Pteridium aquilinum) and 4-5ha of haymeadow invaded by scrub.

The first meeting of the Young Ranger Club took place this autumn! During the meeting children engaged in hands-on nature conservation through the one-day event in the field. The children together with their teachers visited one of our project sites by boat where they took part in fun, age-appropriate biotope restoration tasks. 

The meetings will take place seasonally thus the kids will not only be involved in preserving nature, but they’ll also witness the positive changes made by their actions in future seasons. The meetings will be filled with exciting activities like hiking, biking, and boating, giving our young rangers the chance to connect with nature in different ways. We’re sure this will be a memorable experience for everyone involved. 

We look forward to seeing the new generation of rangers in action! 

Experts László Rákosy and Andrei Crișan conducted 2 workshops at Luna de Jos in August 2024. The first focused on moth diversity with 120 participants, while the second addressed protected butterflies in the cultural landscape, attracting 34 participants.

Boat excursion of restored parts of the Danube branch system

At the beginning of May, as part of a project with the financial support of the Tipsport Foundation, we organized an educational excursion in the form of a boat trip for students of the Faculty of Natural Sciences of the Comenius University. The students had the opportunity to float the restored sections of the river branches, learn more about the problem of simulated floods and get to know the fauna and flora of the Danube floodplain forests more closely. They also had the opportunity to observe ongoing ichthyomonitoring, which aims to determine the impact of restoration measures on fish populations.

We focus on natural science students as potential future workers in the field of nature and landscape protection. Our goal is to increase their interest in the theme of water restoration in connection with the solution to the climate crisis and a greater understanding of the context.

Boat trip for mayors and officers demonstrating previous conservation efforts

Lack of awareness about nature and landscape protection, biodiversity loss and the role of wetlands in adaptation and mitigation strategies at a time of deepening climate crisis can lead to a misunderstanding of conservation efforts to improve the situation. In the case of representatives of relevant decision-making authorities, involved state institutions, or land managers, this may lead to the non-granting of approvals for the implementation of practical restoration measures (renewal of wetlands, straightening of river branches, optimization of the tree composition of floodplain forests). This is also why BROZ often organizes various lectures, seminars, excursions or study visits for key stakeholders involved in the process of nature and landscape protection.

On May 21, as part of a project with the financial support of the Tipsport Foundation, together with mayors of municipalities, employees of the Ministry of the Environment, district offices and the Water Research Institute, we got into the boats in Medveľov and from there sailed to the Klúčovec branch system. These are locations where BROZ restored the water regime in the past. And we also have plans for the future. We wanted to show those interested the successfully implemented restoration measures and introduce them to the natural values ​​of the area. We also managed to visit the gravel benches, catch a glimpse of a couple of eagles flying over the Veľkolélske side arm, and we ended the excursion with a joint lunch and discussions. Responses to the excursion were positive, questionnaires prove that the participants learned a lot and would welcome a similar format of joint discussions in the future.

(photo: Miláčková, Nagy, Rakovská)

On Friday 9th of September 2023 we took part in the prestigious event European night of researchers. It is an action that promotes science and research and organizations and institutions that either collect data, analyze it or use it in their practice. At this event, we presented the LIFE Living Rivers project aimed at improving the ecological condition of our rivers, and in this case we focused mainly on the Danube, where we were anchoring directly on the ship Kriváň.

The event was attended by a large number of primary and secondary school students, as well as many individual groups and families. The visitors filled out our thematic educational worksheets, identified Slovak fish species, put together a huge puzzle of the European sturgeon and learned from us something about the issue of fish migration in the Danube.

In the early evening, this event included a comprehensive lecture by Katarína Holubová, director of the Water Research Institute, about the development and state of our section of the Danube, together with a contribution by Maroš Kubala about fish living in the Danube and its tributaries. The lectures were followed by a live discussion “The Secret Life of the Danube River”. The visitors discussed various topics related to water regime together with speakers and representatives of other organizations dedicated to the Danube (WWF Slovakia, BROZ, Slovak Watermanagement Enterprise). The interviews shed light on the background of the processes and negotiations that we undertake as part of our work with the aim of restoring the Danube and its tributary system.

Photo: Ľ. Činovská, M. Rakovská

Also this year, in the summer months of July and August, we again organized six rounds of children’s camps on Veľkolélsky ostrov Island, with facilities at Ekofarm Ostrov. Together with the civic association Zlatý hucul, we prepared a week full of educational activities, horse riding, experiences with friends and wandering around the beautiful Danube nature.

Due to great demand, the camps will continue next season as well, if you are interested, don’t forget to follow the latest information on the website http://www.zlatyhucul.sk/.