PEOPLE: Matej Repel, the true guardian of the Slovak wetlands

We went to the Ungszennai Wetlands fishponds in the eastern part of Slovakia, between Nagymihály and Nagykapos, on the occasion of World Wetlands Day, where ornithologist Matej Repel showed us the current condition of the area’s wetlands. The expert claims that the tidal surge noticed at the beginning of the year was helpful after last year’s drought, with flooding rivers filling up countless canals, meadows, and marshes with water. There’s a good chance that many of us have noted that in prior years, particularly from spring to late fall 2022, the protracted drought had moderate to severe environmental effects in practically every region of the nation, and even serious issues in certain areas. When we visited the marshes and fishponds near Nagymihály at the beginning of February, ornithologist and Eastern Slovakia Waterbirds project coordinator Matej Repel informed us that the drought, brought on by human interference and climate change, is causing more and more problems not only for experts but for almost every single resident of the country every year. “The largest lake system in Slovakia is located in the protected area of the Ungszenna fishponds. Together with the ponds, nearby marshes, and more than 800 hectares of lakes, this […]