Activities from ReCo Pilot Actions: Enhancing biodiversity and connectivity in a historically wet meadow near Znojmo, Czech Republic

In April 2025, the project partner Podyjí National Park successfully completed a pilot action involving the restoration of a degraded wetland and the construction of a system of three small ponds with variable depths. Small ponds and wetlands are vital elements of the landscape, particularly in the generally dry region along the border of the Pannonian Basin. They play a crucial role in retaining water, mitigating drought effects, and enhancing the overall resilience of ecosystems. Moreover, they serve as important habitats and migration corridors, supporting a wide range of fauna by providing breeding, foraging, and sheltering sites. Even small-scale wetlands can have an outsized impact on maintaining the ecological balance of the surrounding landscape, especially in areas increasingly threatened by climate change and intensive land use.

With this project, we anticipated that the ponds’ varying depths and shore steepness would create a rich mosaic of microhabitats, supporting a wide variety of specialized species. Shallower and temporary ponds are expected to provide ideal conditions for species such as the Fire-bellied Toad (Bombina bombina). In contrast, the deeper ponds are better suited to species like the Italian Crested Newt (Triturus carnifex) and the Common Spadefoot (Pelobates fuscus), which require more permanent aquatic environments.

Immediately after the construction was completed, the bare, wet shores attracted a range of insects seeking moist, mineral-rich ground. Several butterfly and bee species were observed sipping water and minerals from the wet soil, highlighting the immediate ecological benefits of the new habitat. In the coming years, we expect the pond system to undergo further ecological succession. Due to periodic drying, some areas may gradually develop saltmarsh-like characteristics, potentially attracting saltmarsh specialists and further enhancing the biodiversity value of the site.