This summer officially began with two Slovenian LIFE projects that were successful at the 2015 Call for proposals for LIFE Action Grants.

LIFE ViVaCCAdapt

LIFE ViVaCCAdapt – Adapting to the impacts of climate change in the Vipava Valley is the first Slovenian LIFE project from sub-program Climate Action, priority area Climate change adaptation (CCA). The project is being carried out by Development Agency ROD Ajdovščina in partnership with Municipality of Ajdovščina, Institute for Water of Republic of Slovenia, University of Ljubljana – Biotechnical Faculty and companies Hidrotehnik d. d. and BO-MO d. o. o.

Due to geographical, hydrological and climatic characteristics the Vipava valley is affected by natural disasters, including floods, drought and the bora wind that affected various activities and the population. The natural disasters have also intensified under the influence of climate change. In order to improve the existing situation the project set the following objectives:

  • Analysis of the current situation in the Vipava Valley with regard to adaptation to climate change.
  • Definition of strategic actions to adapt to climate change. Draw up a set of measures in collaboration between different sectors (agriculture, forestry, hydrology, transport, tourism, urban planning, etc.).
  • Reconciliation of defined objectives and strategic actions. Determination of the main (primary) and the other (secondary) measures and propose their sequence of implementation.
  • Evaluation of the potential positive and negative effects of each of the proposed measures on the development of viticulture, fruit farming, horticulture and also ecosystems.
  • Establishment of pilot decision support system (DSS) for irrigation in order to rationalize the water consumption in accordance with the requirement of the Water Framework Directive and by default in the Rural Development Programme.
  • Design the demonstration center to plant windbreaks (WB) in order to spread information about them and their importance.

LIFE ARTEMIS

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The project LIFE ARTEMIS – Awareness Raising, Training and Measures on Invasive alien Species in forests, which started with a kick-off meeting on 11th  July 2016, is being carried out by the Slovenian Forestry Institute in collaboration with the Institute Symbiosis, Slovenian Forest Service and the Institute of Republic of Slovenia for Nature Conservation.

The goal of the project LIFE ARTEMIS is to contribute to the reduction of the harmful impacts of invasive alien species on biodiversity by increasing public awareness and by setting up an efficient early warning and rapid response framework for invasive alien species in forests.

Project objectives to be achieved by the project are:

  1. Increase awareness of the general public, in particularly of private forest owners, of threats caused by invasive alien species to forests.
  2. Establish an efficient national institutional framework for early detection and rapid response for alien species in forests.
  3. Improve the national capacity for early detection of alien species in forests by mobilizing and training professionals and volunteers.

Increased awareness of the general public and of specific target audiences will be achieved by running a general national awareness campaign on alien species. Additionally, two campaign showcases will demonstrate approaches to engage volunteers:

  1. An area-based campaign in an urban protected area will work towards engaging volunteers in IAS surveying and eradicating alien plants.
  2. A species-based campaign will mobilize forest owners to detect an alien fungus, which is threatening maple trees, and encourage them remove infected trees to help limit spreading of the disease.

Based on the capacity assessment of existing institutions and members of the civil society, a national institutional framework for early warning and rapid response (EWRR) will be established. Cadres of professionals and volunteers for the EWRR will be established through specific training. As a support tool, a dedicated national information system for alien species will be developed to document and share information on alien species.

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