JemsStrengthening climate resilience measures for protection and revitalisation of ecosystems in the Spačva-Bosut Basin (RETFOR)
Priority Axis 2: Cooperating for greener and climate change resilient programme area
Operation start date: 1 November 2024
Operation completion date: 31 October 2027
Budget: EUR 2.808.128,24
Number of partners: 6
Operation purpose and expected achievements:
The main purpose of the RETFOR is to increase climate resilience of the Spačva-Bosut Basin by innovative pilot actions and innovative solutions ready for uptake by national and regional organizations in charge of water and forest management, as well as by other related organizations. The project will address several challenges through its concept and approach that includes the insight into existing knowledge and practice in the response to climate change in both countries, capacity building by best practices from other countries, demonstration of pilot action and solution development based on successfully demonstrated pilot actions read for scaling up.Project main activities are Centre for Climate Change Monitoring as an important solution that provides the criteria of sustainability, because it will tackle the issue on climate change by providing and processing data, and by identifying trends, threats, and opportunities for the future climate mitigation actions related to the water and forest ecosystems. NbS on Radosava pond restoration, as well as reconstruction activities on Bosut River will create the precondition for the incorporation of such action into management plans of forests and waters in both countries with the involvement of local, regional, and national policy authorities in charge of nature protection and restoration.
Beneficiaries:
Croatian forests ltd. (HR) as Lead Partner conducts the analysis of historical and previously generated data on quality and quantity of forests asortiman produced in last decades with the aim to determine the percentage of affected wood by droughts. Besides, CF contributes to the stakeholders mapping and assessment by providing data from its stakeholder network to the stakeholders assessment tool. CF conducts the analysis and insights into existing piezometric infrastructure of the Spačva-Bosut Basin to assess the potential for reuse of existing infrastructure for the renovation and reinstallation of new piezometers. After the installation is completed, CF together with CEKOM provide the incorporation of piezometric data into the existing server for data collection which is a part of the Centre for Climate Change Monitoring. Besides, two new automatic meteo-stations for precipitation and temperature monitoring that will also be incorporated into the Centre for Climate Change Monitoring.
Public Company Vojvodinašume (RS) as Project Partner conducts the analysis of data from official reports with the aim to assess the status of the Spačva-Bosut Basin from the Serbian side after an extreme storm occurred last summer. VŠ and CF will contribute to the mentioned output by unifying data from both countries and cross-border areas. VŠ presents the location of pilot actions from the Serbian side during the kick-off meeting and participates in the identification of best practice examples for study visits. It coordinates the task of the knowledge transfer participating in the study visit according to identified best practices. This beneficiary is a member of the RETFOR Community of Practice and contributes to the long-term planning and sustainability of the Spačva-Bosut Basin climate resilience initiatives according to the forest management good practice. VŠ contributes to the establishment of the cross-border groundwater monitoring system from the Serbian side. The installation of 6m deep piezometers for a cross-border groundwater monitoring network will be led by this beneficiary. At the end, data should be collected and processed by the Centre for Climate Change Monitoring. The software will be developed to predict scenarios caused by extreme droughts and deficit of groundwater. VŠ contributes to the climate resilience action by active restoration measures on Radosava pond in order to provide a stable water regime for the forestry area.
Croatian Waters (HR) as Project Partner reviews hydrological and hydro-technical data related to the Spačva-Bosut basin water bodies, contributes to the best practice examples identification for potential study visit by identifying NbS used in water bodies revitalisation and participates in study visits and knowledge transfer with the aim of strengthening its organisational capacity. HV also contributes to the stakeholders mapping and assessment by providing data from its stakeholder network to the stakeholders assessment tool. This beneficiary is a member of the RETFOR Community of Practice and contributes to the long-term planning and sustainability of the Spačva-Bosut Basin climate resilience initiatives according to the forest management good practice.
HV will install and putt in function two deep piezometers (60m) for the monitoring of groundwater. These piezometers will be integrated into the monitoring activities provided by the Centre and this will be justified by a signed letter of interest for data providing to the Centre. HV also conducts complex hydro-technical activities in order to reconstruct the barrier’s crown of Bosut River in Lipovac. It consists of an overflow barrier in the bed of the river Bosut and a base outlet located at the coastal area on the left side of the watercourse. It is revealed that the existing crown at the level of 77,24 m.a.s.l. of the overflow barrier was damaged. The overflow barrier will be raised at least 0,50 m above the height of the crown of the overflow, i.e. at an elevation of 78 m.a.s.l., which is considered, by obtained technical documentation, as minimum level of water needed for preservation of forest biodiversity in Spačva basin is 77,5 m.a.s.l.. Therefore upgrading of the Lipovac barrier’s crown is one of the crucial structures in that area which will provide sufficient water for forest preservation and contribute to a balanced ecosystem in the area.
Public Water Management Company „Vode Vojvodine” Novi Sad (RS) as Project Partner analysis hydrological and hydro-technical data related to the Spačva-Bosut basin (Serbian area) water bodies and actively contributes to the development of the action plan by critically reviewing it and contributing to the scope-specific chapters. PWMCVV contributes to the best practice examples identification for potential study visit by identifying NbS used in water bodies revitalisation together with HV. It also participates in study visits and knowledge transfer with the aim of strengthening its organisational capacity. PWMCVV also contributes to reconstruction of the sluice on the Bosut River in Serbia. The sluice was made in 1923 and has 5 fields, each about 5 meters high. In each field, there are 2 shutters that are manipulated using a manual drive mechanism. Its purpose is to protect against floods from the Sava River, i.e. when large waters of the Sava River are encountered, the dam closes and prevents these same waters from penetrating deeper into the territory through the Bosut River bed. Due to topographical, climatic and pedological features in the area of Bosut, there is a problem both during minimum and maximum water levels in its bed. After its reconstruction the benefit will be on a better water regime and water supply to the neighbouring forestry area provided by the Bosut River. This is the NbS solution used for drought mitigation caused by weather extremes.
Competence Centre Ltd. for research and development (HR) as Project Partner provides inputs related to analyzed projects and participates in the organization of planned study visit with the aim to apply NbS in the Action plan and future Centre activities. CEKOM conducts public procurement according to the national law in order to subcontract the experts for the pre-feasibility study conduction. The pre-feasibility study should show the future steps towards Spačva-Bosut Basin climate resilience and towards the Centre functionality. CEKOM contributes to the task of incorporation of piezometric data in the server for data collection together with HV and CF. CEKOM presents the project to one large and European influential consortium of the DaWetRest project that aims to restore and revitalize ecosystems emphasizing biodiversity and climate change.
European Affairs Fund of Autonomous Province of Vojvodina (RS) as Project Partner participates in the implemented/ongoing projects/initiatives review in order to find the synergy between such projects and RETFOR in order to potentially merge their outputs and results through the Centre for Climate Change Monitoring. FEP provides inputs related to analysed projects and participates in the organisation of planned study visit with the aim to apply NbS in the Action plan and future Centre activities. This beneficiary is responsible for a conduction of Biodiversity study related to the Spačva-Bosut basin Serbian part. This will be conducted by engaging external experts according to the national public procurement procedure. After the study is conducted, FEP organises awareness raising (round table for experts) in order to present results of Biodiversity study. This is a part of the communication and dissemination activities important for stakeholders involvement and future Community of Practice establishment.