Sustainable management plan of thermal water use
Main challenges and aim:
Enhanced cooperation and communication for planning and management of thermal water resources on regional level.
Key steps:
1) Preparation of status quo analysis
2) Organisation of thematic events on regional level and knowledge transfer
3) Elaboration and testing of tool for environmental impact assessment
4) Establishment of regional working body for monitoring of the Strategy
Main indicators:
1) Number of regional thematic events on the topic of environmental management
2) Average length of stay by tourist in spa resource area
3) Efficiency of thermal water use (ratio between intake and discharge)
4) Share of organic farming area in spa resource area
5) Ecological status of water bodies in thermal water areas
6) Average gross salary of enterprise in spa resource area
7) Built-up area per inhabitant in spa resource area
8) Share of green area in spa resource area
9) Size of brownfields in spa resource area
10) Health status of inhabitants in spa resource areas
What is new?:
1) Management of thermal water is practically limited between the national authority and water user
2) Thermal water resource areas are not protected with policy instruments (decree, act, rules) and are left to the user to manage them
3) Communication between municipalities, national authorities, users of thermal water is mostly absent
4) Challenges for management of natural and protected areas on regional level remain
5) Status of thermal waters considering bioindicator species is satisfying
Local results of the pilot action:
1) Preparation of scientific basis for regional development programme
2) Development of an assessment tool for strategic planning of land use and regional development
3) Establishment of working group for thermal water management in region Jugovzhodna Slovenija
4) Development of regional ecosystem approach (including green infrastructure measures)
5) Improvement of management of healing resources and spa areas on national level (with Ministry of Health)
Contribution of a sustainable development:
1) Enhancement of cross-sectoral approach to environmental management in Jugovzhodna Slovenija
2) Establishment of a continuous working group which covers environmental, social and economic challenges of thermal water use
3) Creation of open space for communication about thermal water use
4) Create conditions for economic stability and good quality jobs
The transnational added value:
1) Established system for monitoring of thermal water use
2) Tested methodology for monitoring of bioindicator species in water bodies
3) Policy instrument for protection of water body with thermal waters
Important lessons learned from the pilot action:
1) Need for communication and knowledge transfer between stakeholders
2) GIS tools are an effective tool to communicate results and motivate stakeholders
3) Healing resources are not presented just by water and gas but also climate (and forest areas)
4) Special attention is needed in management of human resources (pupils, students, apprentices, employed)
5) Need for development of tourism carrying capacity tool to manage tourism flows sustainably
6) Role of thermal waters in decarbonisation
More information about the Slovenian Pilot Action:
Vision of general public of “healing places” in Slovenia and wider: HERE
Report on sampling biotic invertebrates in water bodies of thermal waters: HERE.
Report and video-report from the first regional working group meeting.
Report Workshop on improving the status of species in the water outflow
MANAGEMENT PLAN ON INTEGRATING THERMAL WATER USE
