The ecosystem service agenda is an integral part of the European strategy to maintain and protect biodiversity. Pursuant to the EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2020 (Action 5), Member States are obliged to map and assess the state of ecosystems and their services on their national territories by 2014. The assessment of economic values of these services, and the promotion of their integration into various systems on the national and EU level, is recommended by 2020.

Evaluated Ecosystem Services

Nine ecosystem services have been evaluated in PSA, and two of them

on the whole range of rivers Drava, Sava and Danube and their floodplains. To evaluate ecosystem services, different ecosystem valuation methods have been used, depending on data integrity and time availability. All relevant stakeholders and experts connected to the field of agriculture, forestry, water management, physical planning,

tourism and nature protection were included in the project. Altogether, 25 meetings were held regarding the use of river and floodplain ecosystem services on regional and national level.

Pilot Study Area Drava - Molve

Greylag Goose (Anser anser)

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Figure 2: Location and extent of PSA Drava – Molve, extent of inundation zone in PSA (width ranges from 1.5 to 3 km), and position of dykes

Ecosystem services relevant for Drava-Sava-Danube floodplain ecosystems and Pilot Study Area:

List of Ecosystem services relevant for Drava Sava Danube Floodplains

Functions Ecosystem service Highly relevant Relevant Evaluated Not

Regu

latin

g

Flood mitigation

Balance of erosion and acumulation

Nutrient retention and water self purification

Carbon sequestration

Local climate regulation

Air purification

Draught mitigation, water storage

Supp

ortin

g

Habitat and biodiversity provision

Biocorridor provision

Prov

isio

ning

Timber production

Biomass energy

Fish production

Game animals production

Drinking water supply

Irrigation water supply

Agriculture production

Cultu

ral

Estetic value of landscape

Recreation/Tourism

Naive art inspiration

Raw material for local crafts

Habitats for indigenous breeds

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Comparison of scenarios for evaluated ecosystem services:

List of Ecosystem services relevant tor Drava Sava Danube Floodplains

Ecosystem serviee Estimate for scenario

$A B C

mil. $. for pilote study area 201 km2.year–1

Wood production 284 $.ha of forest–1.year–1 60 55 67

Fish production 277 $.ha of water body–1.year–1 0,45 0,5 >A

Flood mitigation 5020 $.ha of floodplain–1.year–1 26,4 -7,4 31,5

Habitat provision 17800 $.ha of floodplain–1.year–1 139 107 179

Game animals production 18 $.ha of floodplain–1.year–1 1,45 <A >A

Drinking water provision 396 $.ha of floodplain–1.year–1 19,5 ? >A

Nutritient retention 250 $.ha of floodplain–1.year–1 0,95 ? 1,28

Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea)

Scenario B: Drinking water provision can not be evaluated properly due to the complexity of hydrological processes and lack of data. However, it can be assumed that scenario B due to the absence of inundation and less permeable bottom of accumulation (compared to active river bottom) would lead to the reduction of groundawater recharge. To evaluate nutrient retention in scenario B additional analyses should be done.