Already for 28 years the Karst Research Institute ZRC SAZU has regularly organized the International Karstological School. In 2019 the event was devoted to karst hydrogeology. With approximately 200 participants it was the biggest annual meeting of karstologists in the world. The topic was selected and presented by keynote lectures, posters and field excursions. The meeting was attended by wider interested public of experts, those familiar with problems, to administrators and decision-makers, students and cavers. They are important for the development of science, the exchange of ideas, the search for solutions to exposed problems and nature protection. The school organization was supported by UNESCO as well. Each year the organizers issue a publication that illuminates the exposed problems from different perspectives and reach a wider circle of readers. The event was also presented in various public and social media.
B.01 Organiser of a scientific meeting
COBISS.SI-ID: 300322560In opinions and recommendations to the document "Important issues of water management in the Danube and Adriatic Sea (PZUV)" we proposed additional research on the dynamics and recharge of groundwater, the establishment of systematic monitoring of the quality of sinking rivers in the catchment of karst springs, upgrading the state monitoring water quality within karst aquifers by sampling in accessible water caves and by monitoring the quality during the flood pulse period from the beginning of the discharge increase through the peak and falling again towards the initial state. Due to the reduction of water quantities (also confirmed by our research of Malenščica and Rižana), we recommended to investigate the impact of vegetation cover by intercepting precipitation, transpiration of plants to water runoff into the karst and take this into account in balance forecasts. In the management of karst water resources, we drew attention to the complexity of pollutant transfer and the urgent implementation of activities according to the highest environmental standards, strengthening the low environmental awareness of residents and establishing closer links between spatial planning and water management processes. In opinions and recommendations to the draft document "Slovenia's long-term climate strategy until 2050", we drew attention to the reduced groundwater supply, which was confirmed by our research and can be largely explained by changes in climate elements. We advised that, given the great importance of karst groundwater in drinking water supply, more attention should be paid to this to define the impact of individual environmental factors, including vegetation or forest, to study the possibility of discharge retention and enriching water resources. We found that the document neglected floods in karst areas and advised to establish monitoring of the extent and duration of floods. We recommended the preparation of methodologically harmonized vulnerability assessments, which are the basis for the development of measures to adapt to the effects of climate change. We pointed out that vulnerability assessments and measures need to be designed for appropriate spatial units, in our opinion these are regions, and the most suitable water management unit is river basins.
F.34 Consultancy
Roundtable on Water Supply in Slovenian Istria on December 6, 2016 was organized by the Department of Geography, University of Primorska, Faculty of Humanities. The round table, moderated by Dr. Valentina Brečko Grubar, was attended by Mr. Zdravko Hočevar, Director of Rižanski vodovod Koper, and its representative Ms. Sara Milenkovski, Ms. Irena Vrhovnik from the Agricultural and Forestry Institute Nova Gorica, Koper Branch, Ms. Alenka Koželj from the National Laboratory for Health, Environment and Food, Dr. Nataša Ravbar from the Karst Research Institute ZRC SAZU and Dr. Gregor Kovačič from the Department of Geography of the University of Primorska, Faculty of Humanities collaborated. Roundtable on Water Supply in Slovenian Istria and Seawater Desalination on February 6, 2017 was organized by the Department of Geography, University of Primorska, Faculty of Humanities. The round table, moderated by Dr. Valentina Brečko Grubar, was also attended by Dr. Mitja Brilly and Dr. Dušan Žagar from the University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geodesy and dr. Vlado Malačič and dr. Janja Frece from National Institute of Biology, Marine Biological Station Piran. During the round table on flooding in Slovenia (21 March 2019), organized by the Department of Geography, University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Arts, the results of the project were presented by Dr. Nataša Ravbar and Dr. Gregor Kovačič.
F.18 Transfer of new know-how to direct users (seminars, fora, conferences)
COBISS.SI-ID: 69266530