Rolling hills, smoked cheese, and wooden dams: SystR partners gather in rural Slovakia and get involved in on-the-ground action
In the last week of April, partners from across Europe came together in the Slovak village of Ábelová for the third consortium meeting of the SystR project. Over three days, partners were warmly welcomed by Ábelová’s mayor, Jaroslav Maslen, and his colleagues, together with local teams from People & Water, the Slovak University of Agriculture, and UVL SK. Alongside project discussions and workshops, participants visited a local farm, a historic castle-turned-hotel, and an ecotourism lodge to learn more about the region, its history, and the challenges it faces (see more on LinkedIn).
The highlight of the meeting was a hands-on field day where partners swapped meeting rooms for axes and hammers to help build two small dams designed to slow down rainwater runoff and reduce soil erosion (see more on LinkedIn). These simple but effective measures form part of wider efforts across the region to restore natural water cycles and strengthen resilience to increasingly extreme weather.
Ábelová plays an important role within SystR as one of the project’s three demonstration sites. The village shows why climate resilience efforts should not only focus on large cities, but also include smaller rural communities that are often on the front line of drought, heavy rainfall, and land degradation.
Across the wider Novohradské Podzámčie microregion, SystR partners are implementing a range of nature-based solutions in villages, farms, and surrounding landscapes. From water-retention measures to greener public spaces, the aim is to improve groundwater recharge, retain rainwater in the landscape for longer, and help cool local environments during hotter periods.
What stood out throughout the meeting was the strong local engagement and enthusiasm for the project. The energy and commitment of local partners and community members left participants feeling optimistic about the work ahead.
As partners returned home, attention now turns to the next phase of the project, including the second round of regional stakeholder workshops across all six demonstration and replication sites. Several partners will also represent SystR at the European Urban Resilience Forum (EURESFO) in Guimarães this June.
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