We can heal the climate by simply but effectively retaining rainwater where it falls. Why is this necessary? Human activity (eg deforestation, changes in water runoff due to urbanization, agricultural practices that only lead to maximization of production) leads to a reduction in the country’s ability to retain water naturally. Water has no chance to stay in the ground, seep, saturate soil pores or replenish aquifers. Rainwater retention contributes to the regeneration of natural resources and the climate. On the contrary, rainwater that drains uselessly carries flood risks.

At the same time, these measures are important to mitigate the effects of extreme weather events due to climate change. Torrential rains and floods, prolonged drought and insufficient water distribution during the year are problems that we are already experiencing in Slovakia.

Want to know more? Visit the Drienová Bioclimatic Park and make sure that unpretentious and nature-friendly measures can regenerate the damaged landscape, bring life back to the soil and heal the climate.

As part of the activity, a new water retention measure was installed in the Bioclimatic Park in April 2022 in the orchard of old varieties – “Lake on the Hill”.

Workshops

Are you interested in how we can optimize the amount of water in the country, prevent drought, protect against torrential rains and floods, restore biodiversity and preserve the country’s ecosystem services?

We are preparing workshops in which you will have the opportunity to take a tour of water retention measures in the Drienová Bioclimatic Park and practically participate in various activities related to water retention and use in the country. As part of the project, we plan a total of 5 workshops during 2022 and another 5 during 2023. One workshop is designed for a group of 20 people and lasts about 6 hours.

Who are the workshops for? For farmers, farmers, representatives of cities, municipalities and the public.

The dates of the workshops will be published on our website and Facebook.

If you want to be informed in advance and secure a place, fill in this REGISTRATION FORM or contact us at park.drienova@bioklimapark

If you would like to visit Bioclimatic park you can use this map of water retention measures:

Pictures

The first 2 workshops took place in May 2022 and were aimed at creating a unique vineyard in the Bioclimatic Park Drienová, which is planted seedlings of unique varieties of must and table vineyards suitable for colder areas, which will be grown in a nature close to it. The aim is to create a practical example of adapting to climate change in the region – the ability of crops to adapt and provide food for people in new conditions. It is now vital for the seedlings to supply enough moisture, which will be provided by a wind pump pumping water into collection tanks during the dry season. In addition to the practical – manual part of the workshop, participants had the opportunity to take a tour of other water retention measures in the area with an explanation of their function for each part of the park. We ended the workshops with a joint lunch in nature and a rich discussion about something other than water.

The next workshop was held in July 2022. In cooperation with the Municipality of Ďurčiná and the NGO People and Voda, water retention measures were built – wooden dams directly in nature in the Krakotná valley in the cadastre of the Municipality of Ďurčiná. This valley supplies water to the reservoir for the Municipality of Ďurčiná, and the excess water is used to supply water retention measures in the Bioclimatic Park.

Extreme weather fluctuations force us to look for simple, quick and effective solutions to help our country reduce their consequences. In the case of drought and floods, we see such practical solutions in the implementation of general measures to retain rainwater in the country.

In the case of drought, these are simple measures that help the country restore its ability to retain water and use it for people, agriculture, biodiversity. In the case of torrential rains, it is the ability to absorb more water and slow down flood waves.

A group of experts from the Greek Ministry of the Environment and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of the Slovak Republic, who are looking for opportunities for cooperation in the field of afforestation and restoration of areas damaged by fires, prolonged drought and floods as a result of the climate crisis, took part directly in the field in the construction of such measures as part of Slovak-Greek cooperation. After the field trip they visited the Bioclimatic Park, where they could see the effectiveness of the measures during a guided tour.