On Thursday 27th of May 19 participants in total (including organizers - 2 from SFS and 2 from IWRS) participated in first national workshop organized on Mura River pilot area in Slovenia. Workshop was organized in the frame of IDES project (Improving water quality in the Danube river and its tributaries by integrative floodplain management based on Ecosystem Services).

After more than a year of measures regarding pandemic and health situation we, both the organizers and the participants, were looking forward to meet live on the beautiful Island of Love in Ižakovci village located directly on the left bank of Mura River in the centre of pilot area. Pilot area is defined in the inner water body of Mura River where both banks are located in Slovenia.

The aim of workshop was in first place to present project and concept of ecosystem services and in second place to receive stakeholders input for DPSIR framework (Drivers, Pressures, State, Impact, Response). DPSIR method is useful for describing interactions between Society and Environment. 

Multi-criteria analysis was used where stakeholders contributed their assessment of synergies and trade-offs among different Ecosystem Services in the Mura River pilot area. This is so called bottom up approach, which will provide legitimacy to further activities in the project.

Most recognized Ecosystem Service in pilot area were source of drinking water followed by retention area for flood protection and area important for conservation of biodiversity.

Most recognized pressures were alien invasive species followed by drought and building infrastructure. Consequently, most common proposed measures were prevention from alien invasive species and restoration of oxbow and floodplains.