donauregionen+ Programme co-funded by the EUROPEAN UNION danube regions analysis 2009 - 2012 The Spatial Development of Interregional Co-operation in the Danube Space GS NC reg i onen donau jointly for our common future 5 ________________________________________________________________________________________________ Bratislavský kraj General Information Land use From the landscape structure viewpoint there are three different types of landscapes (geomorphologic complexes) in the Slovakian part of the region with different landscape potential. There are two plain areas from the west to the east: Vienna basin (the valley Dolnomoravský úval goes beyond from the Czech republic, area of flatland Záhorská nížina with complexes of plain Borská nížina and fells Chvojnická pahorkatina) and Small Danube basin (area of plain Podunajská nížina with complexes of flatlands Podunajská rovina and fells Podunajská pahorkatina) which are divided by the massif of Carpathians (Small Carpathians). The northern border is represented by the flysch Slovakian-moravian Carpathians, mountains Považský Inovec and Tríbe which take turns with headlands of valley Podunajská nížina along rivers. Border on the north-east is represented by volcanic mountains Pohronský Inovec, Štiavnické vrchy and plain Krupinská planina of the Inner Carpathians (Mazúr, E., Luknniš, M., 1980). Rivers Morava, Danube and Ipe comprise borders on the west, south-west, south and south-east. Differences in the landscape structure and the strong anthropogenic changes primarily into agriculture productive area will be outcomes of the rate of so-called cultivated land (rate of farmland from the whole territory – see the table) as compared to the extent of forests in the area. Nature conservation and landscape Protected areas Nature conservation and landscape protection in Slovak republic is supply by the Act No. 543/2002 on Environmental protection and landscape conservation. First level, as a general protection, is applied to the whole territory of Slovakia. The 2nd up to the 5th level, as a special protection, is applied to the protected areas and their buffer zones according to the §17 of the Act on environmental protection and landscape conservation. European Union law and statutes of international conventions geared to the nature conservation and landscape protection were implemented to the environmental law of Slovak republic by means of this Act as well. Protected areas in terms of §17 of the Act No. 543/2002 on Environmental protection and landscape conservation are as follows: 1. Landscape protected area 2. National park 3. Protected site 4. Nature reserve 5. Natural monument 6. Protected landscape feature 7. Special protected areas Large-extension protected areas are all protected areas with the area of more than 1000 ha (landscape protected areas and national parks). Small-extension protected areas have the area of less than 1000 ha. Ecological networks Territorial system of ecological stability represents systemic approach to the solution of the quality of the landscape. TSES represents such spatial structure of connected ecosystem, their elements which ensure the diversity of the conditions and form of life in the landscape. They are created in order to preserve optimal landscape structure, minimization conflicts of interest between elements of natural environment and anthropogenic activities. It is supported by several acts (no. 543/2002, no. 24/2006, no. 17/1992, no. 50/1976) in Slovak legislative. In TSES makes important function also those ecosystems, which should be considered from classical natural preserving point of view as a less valuable. The basement of this system is represented by the biocentres, biocorridors and interactive elements on the local, regional and supraregional level. TSES projects in Slovak republic were realized “from above down”, from the Generel supraregional TSES through regional and local TSES. The elements of the supraregional TSES were qualify in Generel supraregional TSES of Slovak republic confirmed by resolution of the government of Slovak republic number 319 in April 27 1992. 6 ________________________________________________________________________________________________ State of the environment Air quality and pollution Bratislava County spreads out over an area of 2053 km2. The main share in air pollution of Bratislava County has agglomeration Bratislava with 84 % of total emission amount. Agglomeration Bratislava: Bratislava spreads along both banks of the Danube at the boundary line of the Danube plain and the Little Carpathians, which interferes into the northern part of the city. The ventilation of the city is favourably affected by high wind speeds. With respect to prevailing north-west wind, the city is properly situated to major air pollution sources, which are concentrated in relatively small area between the south-eastern periphery of Bratislava. The main share in air pollution is from chemical industry, power generation and car transport. Secondary suspended particles, the level of which depends upon meteorological factors, land use and agricultural activities and characteristics of surface, are significant secondary source of air pollution. Persisting and hardly solvable problem is still increasing concentration of car transport. Water EU legislation solves the problems of protection of the suistanable water exploitation by way of Water frame directive (WFD), which has came into force in 2000. By means of this directive the way of water monitoring, assessment and management has been significantly changed in the most of European countries. Slovak republic transformed WFD into new Water Act no. 364/2004 Coll., which entered into force on 1 July 2004. Water Act relates to all forms of water bodies, water protection, rights to waters and their recording, water constructions and rights and duties to plots directly connected with waters. From the hydrological point of view the area of interest belongs to the Danube catchment. In addition to the Danube River, surface water network comprises rivers Váh, Nitra, Ipe, Hron, Morava and Small Danube, which is the longest and the biggest sinistral arm of the Danube. Surface water quality The basis for surface water quality assessment is the summary of all classification results inder the STN 75 7221 STANDARD “Water quality”. Classification of surface water quality evaluates water quality through 8 groups of indicators: group A – oxygen demand, group B – basic physical and chemical determinants, group C – nutrients, group D – biological determinants, E – microbiological determinants, group F – micropollutants, group G – toxicity, group H – radioactivity. Using the threshold values system, water is classified into 5 quality categories (I. class – very clean water, II. class – clean water, III. class – polluted water, IV. class – heavily polluted water, V. class – extremely heavily polluted water). Categories I., II. and III. are considered as favourable water quality. Waste Since 1993 Programmes of Waste management has been elaborated from the state level in accordance to the state environmental policy. In new SR Programme of Waste Management for years 2006-2010 was respected principles of national plans of waste management preparation, which is recommended by European Committee GR for environment. This document is the reference document for regional programmes of Waste Management for years 2006-2010. Waste generation according to the categories significantly reflected structure of the economic activities carried on in individual counties and it is only a little connected (except for certain kinds of waste) with number of inhabitatant of the county (contrary to the municipal waste). In terms of waste load in Slovak republic, Bratislava and Nitra county belongs to the most loaded territories in terms of waste generation. Trnava county is one of the most loaded counties from the view of hazardous waste amount. Significant occurrence of hazardous waste is also in the territorial smallest county of Bratislava, which is characterized in high concentration of economic activities. Water management Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2000 establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water policy requires river basin management plans with the aim 7 ________________________________________________________________________________________________ to develop for each river basin district and to achieve good ecological and chemical status and contribute to mitigating the effects of floods. It is needed to reduce the risk of adverse consequences, especially for human health and life, environment, cultural heritage, economic activity and infrastructure. In developing policies referring to water and land uses will be considered the potential impacts that such policies might have on flood risks and the management of flood risks. Flood risk management plans should focus on prevention, protection and preparedness. In order to have available an effective tool for information is necessary to establish flood hazard maps and flood risk maps. In the context of flood risk management the principle of solidarity between individual regions and member states of the Community is very important. Development of river basin management plans under of flood risk management plans are elements of integrated river basin management. Based on available or readily derivable information, such as records and studies on long term developments, in particular impacts