Oxbows in Poland

Project: Revitalization, biodiversity protection and usage of the Vistula River oxbows; preventing degradation of Upper Vistula River Valley as an ecological corridor.

Regulation carried out between wars and in 60s of the 20th century made the Upper Vistula River Valley lose its natural "wild" character. The river bed was straighten out, meanders were crossed by levees. Industry and agriculture development and water pollution resulting from it as well as sewage.

In frames of the project we plan to take comprehensive actions that will contribute to renovation and maintainance of oxbows values and strengthen their functions. We are going to take investment, legal, educational, information and promotion actions. 

The main project goals are:

• maintainance and increase In biodiversity of the Vistula oxbows
• popularization of oxbows natural values and the idea of their protection
• increase of interests in the Vistula River valley as a recreation place , "human coming back to the Vistula River,
• the Vistula River promotion as an important natural refuge and ecological corridor , increase in public awareness of necessity of its protection
• gaining experience on renovation and revitalization of oxbows

The project is going to be realized on the part of Vistula River that flows through Małopolska. The project will be implemented in cooperation with Institute for Nature Conservation of Polish Academy of Sciences in Kraków. INC tasks will be as fallows: supervision on the oxbows revitalization actions and some of works connected with detailed nature inventory of the Vistula River Valley.

Planned Project Duration: 2012-01 - 2014-12