Groundwater project

With Proteus we share dependence on groundwater

Project summary

Budget: 34,006.20 EUR (EEA and Norway contribution: 19,985.22 EUR)
Project duration: 12 months (1. 1. 2015 – 31. 12. 2015)

Applicant: Society for Cave Biology
Partners: ZRC SAZU, Municipality of Črnomelj and Municipality of Dobrepolje

Information, suggestions and complaints
Gregor Aljančič, project manager: info@tular.si, +386(0)31804163
Fb: https://www.facebook.com/TularCaveLaboratory

Current challenges and wider public priorities

Proteus (Proteus anguinus) is a world-famous cave amphibian, a priority species of Natura 2000 with no monitoring scheme. A large part of Slovenia’s drinking water comes from the cave habitat of Proteus – an environment extremely vulnerable to pollution.

Long-term protection of Proteus and its groundwater habitat

• constant public promotion
• innovative monitoring methods
• NGO networking and advocacy.

Outcomes

• high public awareness of the vulnerability of Proteus and groundwater
• methodology for monitoring of Proteus
• improved conservation practice
• NGO control over implementation of environmental legislation.

Outputs

• 3 innovative monitoring methods ready to use (transect counting, eDNA forensic survey of Proteus distribution, GIS vulnerability analysis)
• media coverage, lectures using innovative education tool e-Proteus (live video stream to classrooms)
• NGO network
• workshop “SOS Proteus ”: salvaging washed-out Proteus after floods
• request to improve conservation practice submitted to the Republic of Slovenia, the Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning.

Beneficiaries

School youth (including Roma community youth), research and nature conservation organizations, local communities (municipalities of Črnomelj and Dobrepolje).

The project is supported by the EEA Financial Mechanism and the Norwegian Financial Mechanism 2009-2014.