Košice Region Forum for Landscape Recovery: co-creation workshop organized by Košice Self-governing Region

Within the GoDanuBio project, the Košice self-governing Region took the opportunity to organize the fourth co-creation workshop, which took place in June 2022 in Košice. The workshop was organized in the framework of the Landscape Recovery Programme – Košice Region Forum for Landscape Recovery.

The Košice self-governing Region continues to implement the Landscape Recovery Programme, which focuses on the implementation of Water retention actions, changes in land management approaches, and the recovery of damaged landscapes in the rural and urban areas that are affected by demographic changes.

On Thursday, June 2022, the Košice Regional Forum of Landscape Recovery was held at the Congress Hotel Roca with the active participation of the State Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of the Slovak Republic Martin Kováč and Deputy Chairman of Košice self-governing Region Daniel Rusnák.

The workshop was organized in a physical form with the participation of 120 participants consisting of: Water Councils representatives (based on the Landscape Recovery Programme), Farmers, Agriculturists, Foresters, Water managers, Volunteers, Activists, representants of Local, Regional, and State administration, Representatives of the National Land Fund, Interest groups including NGO´ and General Public.

The workshop was professionally led by experts: Michal Kravčík (environmentalist, People and Water NGO.), Jaroslav Tešliar (head of Agency for Regional Development Support  Košice, NGO.), and Jana Bieliková  (transition2Bio, PEDAL Consulting).

Guiding objective of Košice Region Forum for Landscape Restoration

The workshop organized by Košice self-governing Region aimed to create a space for an open discussion focused on the barriers that complicate the implementation of the Landscape Recovery Programme in the framework of the Košice Region: (legislation, centralization of the system, funding, etc.) The discussion took place between representatives of the regional authority and a representative of the state administration - the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of the Slovak Republic. Workshop was a great opportunity to present examples of good practice within the field of the Landscape Recovery Programme. The main objective of the organized workshop was to dive deep into the plans of the Water Councils of Košice Region within the Landscape Recovery Program 2021-2030 of individual regions included topics for comprehensive solutions for the WEF (water, energy, food) approach, like climate change effects on water supply; soil fertility; extreme heat and the occurrence of natural disasters.

Brief Agenda of Workshop Košice Region Forum for Landscape Recovery

The workshop was divided into two main thematic blocs to achieve an open discussion-oriented to the main themes of the workshop as follows:

9:00 – 14:00  Best  Practice Examples  of Landscape Recovery Programme activities within the whole Košice Region (identification of barriers to implemented activities)

14:00 – 16:30 Panel Dicussions  (with the active participation of the State Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Slovakia)

The panel discussions strongly focused on:

• What mechanisms and tools are necessary for the sustainable management of landscape recovery?
• How does the legislative environment need to be improved?
• What financial mechanisms are needed to strengthen the long-term management of Landscape Recovery?
• Which stakeholders are necessary to reach?

Identified barriers - results of panel discussions

The approach to the care of damaged landscapes in rural and urban areas of the Košice Region is strongly sectorally - oriented
The institutes at the regional level mostly expect decision-making at the higher levels of management of the State
There is a need to build professional capacity in the participatory governance process. The sectoral approach to Landscape Restoration needs to be replaced by multisectoral solutions. It is necessary to strengthen trust in participatory governance at the regional level
It´s time to start the discussion - Together with the stakeholders, identify and discuss relevant barriers to the full development of the Landscape Recovery Programme and overcome these barriers

More information at:

https://web.vucke.sk/sk/novinky/kosicky-samospravny-kraj-organizuje-forum-k-obnove-krajiny.html