• GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FORUM
  1-3 May, Bratislava - Slovakia

• World Conservation Union support to the convention on biodiverzity
  - Notes for speech by IUCN Director General David McDowell to the Fourth Conference of the Parties of the Biodiversity Convention

Founded in 1948, IUCN - The World Conservation Union brings together States, government agencies and a diverse range of non-governmental organisations in a unique partnership. The headquarters is in Gland in Switzerland. IUCN mission is to influence, encourage and support societies throughout the World to ensure the integrity and diversity of nature and to ensure that any human use of natural resources is appropriate, sustainable and equitable. A central secretariat co-ordinates the IUCN programme, represents member views on the world stage, provides them with the concepts, strategies and technical support they need to achieve their goals.

The main aim of the Programme is to promote environmentally sound planning in accordance with the aims of the World Conservation Strategy worked out by IUCN, WWF, and UNEP. Next aims of the Programme are to participate in international conservation affairs, to promote and support the application of restoration ecology, to promote and implement model of sustainable living with emphasis on the integration of economic development and nature conservation.

The IUCN Foundation, the International Union for Conservation of Nature, Slovakia was registered in December 1994. It is a small unit (3 permanent employees) and it's main task is to prepare and to coordinate the projects aimed at integration of nature conservation issues, social issues and economic development.

IUCN Slovakia is a non-governmental organization, the aim of which is to share the promotion of IUCN mission, which is to influence, encourage and assist societies throughout the world to conserve the integrity and diversity of nature and to ensure that any use of natural resources is equitable and ecologically sustainable.

IUCN Slovakia promotes its mission in Slovakia especially by:

• preparing programmes, concepts, projects and realizing the activities aimed at efficient nature and environment protection, especially by coordinating IUCN projects and activities in Slovakia,
• harnessing the potential of its members, IUCN Commissions and other constituents of IUCN to build global alliance for nature conservation,
• strengthening the capacity of its member organizations to conserve biological diversity and maintain ecological life-support processes,
• providing a forum for discussion of conservation issues, including their scientific, educational, legal, economic, social and political dimensions, and supporting this with appropriate services (e.g. by organising seminars, conferences, excursions, camps),
• monitoring the state of nature conservation in Slovakia, securing processing of information and basic materials on nature conservation for IUCN Headquarters in Gland and IUCN European Programme,
• creating expert networks and information systems in support of its members and other constituents of IUCN for efficient nature conservation, developing public relations and popularizing nature conservation,
• providing training services and consultancy for nature conservation and environmental issues for individuals and organisations working in this area,
• issuing, communicating, presenting and distributing significant statements on nature conservation, especially drawing on the expertise of IUCN members, Commissions and IUCN Headquarters,
• building a representative nature conservation library, creating, translating, publishing, distributing and presenting print materials, books, maps and audiovisual programs,
• promoting enhanced collaboration between governmental and non-governmental organisa-tions, especially IUCN members, leading to strengthening of the human skills of the IUCN member organisations and partners,
• influencing national and international legal and administrative instruments with the aim of guaranteeing populations the rights to enjoy the benefits provided sustainably by the environment,
• mobilizing the IUCN distinctive strength so as to influence international nature conservation and environmental policies, e.g. those of the United Nations and its Specialized Agencies and Programmes,
• assisting in the development of mechanisms for development of discussion and looking for effective solutions to transboundary and transnational environmental issues,
• participating actively in preparation of international Conventions relevant to the issues of nature conservation and natural resources,
• possible creating of funds and allocating small grants for nature conservation projects.

During 3.5-years of operation IUCN Slovakia has carried out 6 projects. All projects have produced also a publication. Approximately 120 persons (experts, technical works, etc.) participated in them. Besides independent experts also some state nature conservation institutions have participated in the projects (Ministry of the Environment, Department of nature conservation, Administration of Kysuce PLA, Polana PLA, Slovensky kras PLA, Tatra NP), NGOs (Slovak Union of Nature and Landscape Conservationists, Society of Sustainable Living, Slovak River Network).

• "Biodiversity and nature conservation in the areas used by the former Soviet army in Slovakia" with a demonstration locality in a Slovensky kras karst area. Detailed analysis of nature conditions in this area, followed by the evaluation of the damage caused by the Soviet Army and plans for for restoration have been carried out.

• "Ecological and economic evaluation of the fishponds in Slovakia" with a demonstration locality surounded by karst plateaus of the Slovak karst. Habitat analysis and evaluation of the fishpons of Slovakia significant from the point of view of nature conservation have been done followed by the promotion of such a management of commercial fishponds with a high biodiversity - demonstrated on one target locality, which will enable their commercial utilisation and at the same time their nature conservation.

• "Proposal of the National Ecological Network (NECONET) of Slovakia". It has been proposed the system of 70 core areas (35 of European, 35 of national significance, most of them are situated in mountain areas). They serve as reserves of richness of biodiversity and functioning as ecostabilising factors of the landscape, mutually interconected by ecological corridors. The project aimed at 1) safeguarding more effective conservation of biodiversity in Slovakia - especially on the level of species and ecosystems, 2) increasing the ecostabilising efficiency of nature elements, which will improve the quality of nature environment and improve the landscape productivity. The project represents the first proposal of the ecological network in Slovakia.

• "Aspects of the implementation of the National Ecological Network" have been carried out with the emphasis to reflect a proposed National Ecological Network of Slovakia into sectorial policies. To provide guidelines for conservation of NECONET elements directly in the individual sectors of economy, mostly influencing NECONET (forestry, agriculture, water management and tourism) and to analyse and summarize all the available legislative tools, which can be used in favour of the conservation of NECONET elements and sustainable development.

• "Nature conservation in the Kysuce region and participation in its sustainable development", an example of a collaborative management project, which has brought together state administration, NGOs, local communities and entrepreneurs. The primary aim was to make the evaluation of natural conditionsof the part of PLA Kysuce and to analyse the economic interests of the villages in the area of interest focused on elaboration of the proposal of common strategy of sustainable development. The concept of the project reflected one of the crucial strategies of IUCN - "collaborative management" - promotion of the coordination and cooperation of all stakeholders involved in development of the area and strenghtening of the local and human potential in terms of building up of the environmental awareness and knowledge.

• "Biodiversity conservation in the Protected Landscape Area - Biosphere Reserve Polana and Management of its permanent grasslands". The project has been realised in Polana BR. The main task was the evaluation of the natural conditions and agricultural (economic) interests in the area, mainly the interests of agriculture cooperatives and private farmers. To design and development of the model management plan integrating agriculture and nature conservation interests in Polana BR focused on solving the conflicts of interests between nature values and agricultural interests of the area.

We would like to continue in mountain projects:

• Continuation of the agricultural project at Polana BR by evaluation of the natural conditions of other localities at Polana mountain and submountain meadows. To propose the the final management plan for all localities of permanent grasslands in the Polana BR.

• Promotion of Ecotourism in the Carpathians - an international ecotourism project in mountain areas. The project is strongly supported by IUCN European Programme. IUCN Slovakia should coordinate that international project. We have already started to elaborate the project proposal and consulted with the organisations with Bohemia (IUCN), Romania (EarthKind, George Romanca), Slovenia (Triglav NP) Poland (IUCN), Hungary (IUCN).

• Wetlands. The key element of the project is to initiatie and stimulate the conservation and rehabilisation of wetlands in the Danube River Basin involving a network of representatives from all Danube river countries. The creation of the small-scale demonstration projects, various positive examples of wetland restoration will provide the basis upon which to undertake wetland restoration.

• "Collaborative managemet" in the Kysuce region. To continue in the successful project realised in Kysuce. The potential to promote international project Bohemia-Slovakia-Poland.

• Integration of nature protection and regional development in Tematinske Hills. - collaboration with the Ministry of the Environment on the proposal of new PLA declaration.

• Dissemination of information - with the cooperation with Open University UK to provide the program of distant learning 3 dimensions
  • factual education - conservationists minimum
  • case studies
  • philosophy of conservation

• Global Biodiversity Forum - IUCN Slovakia will be involved in the preparation and organisation of Conference of the Parties of the CBD next year, Slovak Union of Nature and Landscape Conservationists, the member of IUCN will serve as a primary local host for the GBF in Bratislava. IUCN Slovakia will be heavily involved as a primary local backup.

Besides the activities connected with the projects mentioned above, our organisation is an in-country representative office of the secretary of IUCN, maintains an information feed-back between the IUCN and the members, gathers information for compilation of international publications (e.g. Tourism in protected areas) and reports (e.g. Compliance with Biodiversity Conventions) and develops a database of experts.

• Link to IUCN - The World Conservation Union