Project title:

"Comprehensive project for adapting forests and forestry to climate change – small retention and combating water erosion in mountain areas (Poland)".

Implemented under:

Operational Programme Infrastructure and Environment 2014-2020, Action 2.1 Adaptation to climate change with ensuring and increasing resilience to natural disasters, especially natural catastrophes and environmental monitoring.

Implementation period:

2016-2023

Beneficiary:

State Forests National Forest Holding, with the support of the Coordination Centre for Environmental Projects as the implementing entity.

Project goal:

Strengthening the resilience to climate change-related threats in mountain forest ecosystems.

Supplementary objectives:

• Restoration of valuable natural ecosystems, thus positively impacting the protection of biodiversity.
• Assessment of the environmental effects of the tasks performed, carried out through post-implementation monitoring of selected adaptation tasks.

Undertaken actions:

The actions were aimed at preventing or minimizing the negative effects of natural phenomena such as the destructive action of floodwaters, floods and inundations, drought, and fires.

In the project, priority was given to the construction and modernization of small retention facilities. Their primary task was water storage, not only in reservoirs but also in wetland areas, litter, and forest soil. Foresters also undertook measures to protect forest infrastructure from the effects of excessive water erosion.

Retention actions – whether involving the construction of small water reservoirs or other structures to impede and slow down rapid water runoff – not only locally mitigate flood risks but also minimize losses caused by water erosion and drought. This is particularly crucial in mountainous regions, where specific environmental conditions and climate change contribute to intense rainfall and subsequent sudden river and stream surges. These increasingly pose risks to human health, life, and lead to local ecosystem degradation.

The forest districts involved in the project implemented investments related to:

• Construction, reconstruction or rebuilding of small retention reservoirs and dry reservoirs.
• Construction, reconstruction or rebuilding of small damming devices (weirs, small thresholds, spillways) on channels and ditches to slow down surface water runoff, restore the functions of wetland areas, protect them, and restore floodplains.
• Reconstruction and demolition of hydrotechnical structures not adapted to floodwaters (bridges, culverts, fords).
• Anti-erosion measures along roads, skidding trails, and securing forest infrastructure from the effects of excessive water erosion due to intense rainfall and water flows (including water chutes, wooden fences, brushwood, stone overlays).

These actions were aimed at enhancing water retention capabilities, restoring natural hydrological functions, and protecting forest infrastructure from the impacts of water erosion in mountainous areas. The use of natural materials and adaptation to local environmental conditions were central to the project's approach.

Following a similar project from the 2007-2013 period, the actions were environmentally friendly. This approach means solutions were adapted as much as possible to existing natural and landscape conditions, utilizing natural materials such as stone, wood, fascines or local soil.

Effects:

The most significant outcome of the project was the amount of retained water and the number of retention structures and comprehensive tasks completed.

Achieved indicators:

• Volume of retained water: 615,366.59 thousand m³.
• Capacity of small retention facilities: 916,614.89 thousand m³.
• Number of water damming or flow-slowing structures: 1,099 units.

Project value:

• Total project cost: 239,161,321.78 PLN
• Amount of eligible expenses: 187,260,332.27 PLN
• Amount of funding from European funds: 159,171,282.42 PLN

These achievements demonstrate the project's success in enhancing water retention capabilities and implementing necessary infrastructure to combat water erosion in mountainous areas, contributing to improved environmental resilience and sustainable forest management.