About project
A sustainable development along with environmental protection belong to priority areas of scientific research which result from the necessity of counteraction to negative impact of anthropopressure on environment. One of the vital aspects of these research are studies on protection, improvement and restoration of biodiversity. Wetland areas forming habitats of many valuable species of flora and fauna belong to especially endangered areas.
Drainage land reclamation done in the past and the regulation of watercourses result in negative changes in water conditions leading to permanent, advanced changes in flora and fauna. One of the most unique and valuable wetland areas in Poland threatened by environmental degradation is Kampinos National Park (KPN). On account of its biodiversity the area of KNP was found in 1999 by the European Parliament to be European bird refuge and an ecological knot and in the year 2000 it was placed on the list of UNESCO Biosphere Reserves and since 2004 it has been part of European ecological network Natura 2000. Primary water conditions dominating in the area were disturbed by drainage and by transforming the wetlands into meadows and pastures and these threats were enhanced by urbanization pressure from the neighbourhood of Warsaw agglomeration. Also observed climate changes may contribute to the limitation of water resources. On account of an international meaning and scale of environmental protection of this area, there is an urgent need of elaborating a scientific, complex method of selection of restoration works leading to ceasing nature degradation and to improvement of biodiversity state in the endangered wetland areas of the park.
A direct aims of the project result form this need which include the recognition of possibilities and limitations of swampy conditions restoration. Realization of this aim will contribute to achieving of the main aim at the same time, which is the increase of biodiversity by the restoration of swampy conditions. The proposed methodology would enable us to define target state of the environment taking into account existing water, soil and socio-economical limitations, and to elaboration as a final product the environmental-technical assumptions for planned restoration works. The elaboration of the proposed methodology requires complex scientific research which would extend theoretical and experimental knowledge and at the same time using the newest information technologies it would lead to creating new integrated tools for research and modelling of phenomena taking place in swamp ecosystems and their surroundings. These research will be carried out by a several partner scientific centres, the team of National Park and non-governmental organizations. Tasks planned in the project will be realized by seven cooperating research teams specialized in:
- surface waters,
- ground waters,
- soils,
- plants,
- socio-economical aspects,
- technical and environmental actions
An additional team will be the GIS documentation and data bases team.
In order to integrate the research carried out by specialist teams the structure of the project was divided into six activities
- present state estimation,
- target state determination,
- identification of limitations,
- methods of achieving the aim and effects of action assessment,
- environmental-technical assumptions of restoration works,
- management.
The activities described above will be executed with the use of main eleven tools serving to achieve a direct project aim:
- a dynamic model of surface waters balance along with the visualization of hydrographic network,
- 3D hydrogeological model and hydrochemical model with the zone of shallow ground waters,
- historical map,
- hydrological situation,
- plant-habitat map,
- map of soils and soil processes,
- vegetation map and succession processes,
- directory of technical actions,
- directory of environmental actions,
- spatial map of planned actions,
- conflict regions map along with the determination of conflict types,
- wetland areas quality estimation map and a meta model of restoration works.
