Activities of WWF in Slovakia has gradually developed and intensified since 2016 and WWF-Slovakia (WWF-SK) has been formally established in Bratislava in March 2019. The new founded organisation focused on the support of effective care for the protection of areas, forests, river basins, and long-term sustainable use of natural resources. Much of the actions cover transboundary issues, including protection and management of protected areas and its related biodiversity.
CONSERVATION FACTS:
Slovakia has a significant part of the Carpathian mountains, including the Ancient Beech Forests World Heritage Site as well as valuable wetland areas along the Morava and Danube Rivers.
Freshwater
- Lowland rivers: Morava and Danube with their valuable wetlands and floodplains. Especially floodplains of the Morava river are among the most biologically diverse ecosystems in Europe. WWF-SK is preparing a recovery of lateral connectivity at several places.
- Foothill Hron river is the second longest river in Slovakia where WWF-SK focusses mainly on longitudinal connectivity restoration and advocacy actions.
- The Belá river as a unique braided-wandering mountainous river: nature-based management in the floodplain is important for protection of its dynamic riverine ecosystem.
Forests and Protected Areas
- Slovakia is rich in terms of area as well as diversity of forests which covered 40% of the country and most of them are located in the Carpathian mountains. Old-growth forests belonging to the most valuable forests create only 0.5% of its total area. High-value beech forests in Eastern Slovakia are recognized as Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe (UNESCO) site.
Wildlife
- Slovakia is home of large carnivores such as brown bear, wolves and lynx. The estimated population of bears are 1500 individuals, wolves 300-600 and lynx 250-300 individuals.
Governance
- Slovakia is an EU member state (EU Presidency in 2016) and a party to the ICPDR, Carpathian Convention and EU Strategy for the Danube Region.
IMPACTFUL PROJECTS:
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2021: WWF-Slovakia's most important campaign led to the establishment of the National Old-growth Forest Nature Reserve. The efforts had begun years earlier with mapping and identification of old-growth forests and continued through numerous negotiations and the preparation of the conservation proposal itself. The old-growth forest nature reserve was established in December 2021 covering 76 localities in various parts of the country with a total area of 6,462.42 hectares.
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2021-2022: WWF-Slovakia is promoting green water management measures and raises awareness of the importance of free flowing rivers. A successful crowdfunding project supported the start of the river barrier removal movement in Slovakia. WWF-Slovakia was intensively involved in the development of the new water policy in Slovakia and all our requirements and proposals for green measures were incorporated into the concept.
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2021: WWF-Slovakia implements programmes to protect large carnivores, improve coexistence with humans and support safe animal migration routes. After long-term efforts in cooperation with a NGO coalition WWF-Slovakia contributed to the year-round protection of the grey wolf in Slovakia.
INTERESTING FACT:
The Forest programme is one of the core activities of WWF Slovakia. Follow The story of forests at Záhorie region and learn more about our work and cooperation with state foresters.
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