Reconnecting the Latorica river floodplain

Latorica river

The meandering Latorica river flows from Ukraine into Slovakia. It forms a unique landscape of oxbow lakes, soft and hardwood floodplain forests, grasslands, and meadows. This is an important migration corridor and breeding habitat for rare and threatened bird species, and also a significant number of indigenous fish species.  Despite a patchwork of protected area designations, the landscape and biodiversity are threatened by climate change and decreasing water availability.

Through a combination of reconnecting and seasonal rewetting of floodplains, as well as active transboundary management, the project envisions a restored wetland landscape. That landscape extends up to 38,000 ha and will support abundant biodiversity, flood and drought protection, whilst also providing sustainable livelihoods from nature friendly land management. Stakeholders from both countries will be brought together to share knowledge and understanding to co-develop a framework for the restoration of the landscape.

Wetland restoration

Commissioned by Wetlands International, Stroming analysed the hydrological situation of the Latorica on both sides of the border. We mapped the needs of nature, agriculture, and local communities, and developed proposals to restore wetlands, reduce flood risks, and strengthen biodiversity. The spatial applicability of these interventions are specified in the report based on hydrological and topographical analysis.