Developing Sustainable Solutions for the Restoration of Local Ecosystems Through Pioneer Use of Discharged Thermal Waters

The project focuses on finding a sustainable way to the revitalization of vulnerable and rare soda lakes and pans in the Homokhátság region with the use of discharged and filtered thermal water.
These unique habitats have suffered from significant anthropogenic impacts over the centuries, leading to the loss of many soda pans due to drainage, pollution, and alteration. By identifying sustainable practices, the project seeks to plan the restoration ensuring long-term ecological and societal benefits.
By preparing the revival and preservation these ecosystems, the project directly contributes to the protection and promotion of biodiversity in the area. The SPArrow project aims to promote nature-based solutions to minimize harmful impacts on these sensitive ecosystems.
The Birds and Habitats Directives are key pieces of legislation aimed at protecting and conserving Europe's natural habitats and species. The SPArrow project directly contributes to the implementation of these directives by working towards the conservation and restoration of soda lakes and pans.

The project examines the feasibility and aims to find the safe methods of using discharged thermal water to maintain soda lakes and to revitalise soda pans.

• As a pilot action the sampling and analysis of the used thermal water and the soil in the area of a soda lake in Rusanda, RS and in Mórahalom,HU will take place with 4 campaigns. The joint expert team will design a work plan including the methodology and sampling techniques. It will regularly review the progress and exchange experience. The final study will contain the description and recommendations of the intended and achievable water quality that is suitable for the rehabilitation of the soda pans.
• Based on these results the Recommendations (to be made available for dissemination) will be jointly elaborated to harmonize cross-border planning and joint interventions in the enhancement of water quality and biodiversity preservation. This will include various aspects of making the thermal water safe to discharge in nature including cooling techniques that will use the thermal energy of the used spa water, irrigation of agricultural lands and desalination of the water and the potential use of salts in medicine etc. A collection of best practices will help to find the best options to elaborate in the Pilot Plan.
• The legal background of the used thermal water also needs to be reviewed. To this end a legal specialist will analyse the existing Hungarian, Serbian and EU legistation in relation to the conditions of discharging used, filtered balneological/thermal water into nature. If necessary, recommendations will be drafted to harmonize and enhance the specific legislation to ensure the legal background of the planned operations.
• Finally the main output of the project will be a Pilot Plan for the development of the water supply of the Bite-szék soda pan in Mórahalom for an ecologically sustainable integrated water management
  system. The Plan will establish a system to enhance climate resilience through water retention and improve and revitalise natural ecosystems to increase the biodiversity and carbon capture capacities of the area. It will build on nature-based solutions and the planned infrastructure will ensure environmental, social and economic benefits for humans and the natural habitat of the area. The Pilot Plan will be adaptable to local circumstances by other settlements facing similar challenges.
• Dissemination of the information obtained in the project will be done through two events. A workshop will concentrate on monitoring and sampling techniques and methods for a professional audience in Novi Sad. The second is the presentation of the Recommendations and the Pilot Plan in the framework of the closing event in Mórahalom. The content of the mandatory communication activities will emphasise the importance of preserving and improving natural habitats and the increase of biodiversity that is also beneficial for humans in battling climate change and its unfavourable effects.