Keď veterná smršť skosila v novembri 2004 12 600 hektárov Tatranského lesa, išli sme pomáhať ich obnove. Aj ja som išiel. Nečakal som. Cítil som povinnosť pomôcť. Od decembra 2004 do októbra 2010 som tam viac času strávil, ako za celý svoj život. Spájali sme ľudí, vymýšľali a realizovali projekty, zháňali peniaze.

Všetko s ambíciou pomôcť Tatrám. Aj sa niektoré veci podarili a ostali stopy, ktoré trvajú doteraz. Práve kvôli tým stopám začalo ma viac ľudí nenávidieť. Nechápal som. Aj bývalí kamaráti sa stali mojimi nepriateľmi. Jedna vec, ktorá mi ležala na srdci bola, byť prospešným nie len chrániť prírodu, ale aj ju obnovovať. Komplexne. Integrovane. Na   holistickom princípe.

Vadilo mi, že veľa času a snahy sa v ochrane prírody venovalo sektorovému prístupu. Akosi sme ustrnuli v sektorových politikách. Ochranári, lesníci, vodohospodári, poľnohospodári, politici, výskumníci, podnikatelia, úradníci i laická verejnosť. Všetkým sa akosi zapáčilo hrať sa na svojom piesočku a ohradiť si ho a ani Boha do neho nepustiť, nieto tých, ktorí by mohli tejto agende pomôcť.

Pre istotu to povýšili na ideológiu bez zásahu. Jednoducho to poškodíš a potom začneš šíriť posolstvo, že príroda sa dokáže sama vysporiadať. Neviem sa s tým stotožniť. Ja som v istých chvíľach to takmer vzdal. Len otcom vychovaná tvrdohlavosť mi to nedovolila. Aj v Tatrách som veľa krát zatínal zuby. Hlavne vtedy, keď bývalí ochranári robili podrazy. Možno aj preto v posledných rokoch moje aktivity sú viac orientované do zahraničia. Uprimne sa priznám, že radšej pomôžem tomu, kto o to stojí. Najviacej sa zaujímajú ľudia zo zahraničia.

Na Slovensku? Tu vieme po sebe len štekať. Komunizmus akosi hlboko v nás zakorenil predsudky rozkazovania a nie načúvania a toho zlozvyku sa nevi.eme zbaviť. Aj ja som niektorých chvíľach svojho života podľahol tomuto zlozvyku. Nie je jednoducho sa thto vychovaného zlozvyku zbaviť.

Nevadí ideme ďalej. Rozhodol som sa, že budem tento rok otvárať kapitoly projektov, ktoré sme z vlastnej iniciatívy riešili a ktoré preskočili dobu. Tak, ako mi manželka stále pripomína. „Preskočíš dobu? Počkaj v kúte!“ Už som ostatných počkal a veľa veci, ktoré sme začali realizovať sa stávajú realitou. Veľa veci však ešte ostáva a treba ich posunúť ďalej. Kým ešte žijeme.

Myslím, že treba otvoriť kapitoly, ktoré sme prežili. Potrebujeme provokovať, aby sme začali premýšľať, kde sme a hlavne kde sme mohli byť, ak by sme po sebe nevrieskali, ale sa navzájom počúvali a nútili sami seba rozmýšľať, aby sme dohnali stratený čas.

V tomto poste sa vraciam  k Tatrám preto, lebo v ostatných mesiacoch je na pretrase zonacia Tatier, ako spasiteľský liek na našu pýchu prírody. Tak som sa rozhodol tieto kapitoly otvoriť práve v Tatrách na príklade ich devastácie veternou smršťou v novembri 2004. Začiatkom decembra 2004 sme po Tatranskej katastrofe zorganizovali diskusné fórum aktívnych občanov z Československa v penzióne Belín v Tatranskej Lomnici (prvá fotka na posteri).

Počas stretnutia sme diskutovali, chodili po zničených Tatrách a hľadali riešenia. Všetky tieto diskusie a poznania spísali do odporúčaní v materiáli s názvom „TEČÚCA ČISTOTA TATIER“ a o rok na to sme to zopakovali a voľne šírili širokej verejnosti, aby sme mobilizovali pomáhať Tatrám.

Následne sme oslovili Slovensku sporiteľňu a vďaka neuveriteľne úžasnej generálnej riaditeľke (Regina Ovesny Straka), ktorá mala cit pre inovácie a aj pre prírodu, sme od sporiteľne získali sponzorský dar 330 tisíc € na zrealizovanie VODNÉHO LESA. 

Ako sa darí Vodnému lesu, sa môžete presvedčiť napríklad na Peknej vyhliadke pod Hrebienkom (4 fotografie na časovej osi Vodného lesa). Na princípe ekosystémového zadržiavania dažďovej vody v Tatrách a následnej výsadby siedmych druhov sadeníc, fungujú 3 lokality o rozlohe 96 hektárov. Lesom sa darí veľmi dobre.

Ani to nás nezastavilo, pretože hlbšie spoznávanie Tatier, nám ukázalo boľavé miesta degradácie prírody. Okrem iného sa obnažilo, že Tatry majú podrezané žily. Každoročne sa z osád Vysokých Tatier odkanalizuje viac ako 1 mil. kubických metrov tej dažďovej vody, ktorá vsakovala do ekosystémov, vyparovala sa a klimatizovala Tatry.

Za ostatných 50 rokov sme len z urbanizovaných časti Tatier odkanalizovali viac ako 50 mil. kubických metrov dažďovej vody a oslabili klimatizáciu Tater. Teraz? Už nie. Preto priemerne ročné teploty napríklad v Starom Smokovci vzrástli o 2,3 stupňov Celzia (z 4,1 na 6,4) a my čo riešime? Zonáciu? Už existujú vedecké práce vo svete, ktoré potvrdzujú, že klasická ochrana prírody vôbec nepomáha riešiť zmenu klímy. Pozrite u obrázky tobogánikov v dolnej časti posteru, ktorých je po celých Tatrách neúrekom a naďalej nám vysušujú Tatry.

Jednoducho, milujeme prírodu, ale bránime sa jej napiť, lebo tak ideológovia zavelili na základe zadefinovaných sektorových politikách.  Preto Tatry strácajú typickú Tatranskú klímu s poklesom biodiverzity a rastu škodcov, vysychanie stromov a strata biodiverzity. To nikomu nevadí v tejto republike?

My sme preto vtedy spracovali štúdiu TATRY V ZÁPLAVE KVETOV (2010) a kolega Peter Plachý, ktorý prišiel z Galanty pomáhať Tatrám sa snažil získať podporu na Tatranské vodozádržné opatrenia, aby v Tatrách bolo živé laboratórium, kde sa môžeme chodiť učiť ako ozdravovať klímu nie len na Slovensku. Bolo to pred 15-mi rokmi. No bolo to ako hluchý so slepým a nemyslím si, že sa to zlepšilo. Takto pokračuje doteraz.

Vtedy sme vnímali aj potrebu budovania kapacity, aby tí, ktorí  o tom rozhodujú mali dostatok vedomosti a múdrosti v sebe, aby vedeli tieto veci presadiť. Dali sme dohromady 108 ľudí naprieč sektorom, aby spoločne diskutovali ako ďalej v Tatrách. V 8. tímoch títo ľudkovia pracovali na komplexnom pláne obnovy Tatier (TATRY PRE ĽUDÍ), aby sme dokázali ich obnoviť, aby to naše prírodné dedičstvo bolo skutočnou pýchou a nie len na papieri.

Keď teraz počujem koľko ľudí sa bije po hrudi, ako milujú Tatry i Slovensko a zároveň podrezávajú žily Tatrám i Slovensku, tak mi je do plaču. Vnúčatám ostane krutá realita ohlodanej kosti. Toto je príbeh, ktorý sa bežne na Slovensku dennodenne opakuje ako mantra papalašského správania nie len ku prírode, ale aj k človeku. Vytratila sa úcta človeka ku človeku a rastie agresivita, ktorá požiera vzťahy i prírodu. Sme na trajektórii úpadku.  

Nech tento moja skúsenosť u Vás evokuje k rozmýšľaniu, aby sme to zmenili, aby sme sa pokúsili o zmenu. Už nám neostáva veľa času. V kútiku duše s nádejou čakám, že sa na Slovensku prebudí svedomie aspoň u jedného politika, či aktivistu, ktorí pochopia, kde je sever.

CAN THE WORLD EXPERIENCE ANOTHER BIBLICAL FLOOD? MAY AND SHOULD NOT

Archaeologists around the world are investigating the historical context of the Biblical flood. According to Bible genealogical records, the flood occurred around 2204 BC. The flood started with 40 days of continuous rain, and then it took another 335 days for the water to recede and the crew of Noah’s ark to land. According to the Bible, God decided to destroy humanity at that time because it was corrupt.

Whether it was one way or another, a fundamental question must be asked. How is it possible that at that time it rained continuously for 40 days, which caused the flood of the world. Many archaeologists and scientists around the world are investigating this connection. I would like to offer my perspective, which may clarify the context of the dramatic events 4226 years ago.

This knowledge literally stands on the water, because by examining the trend changes of precipitation in little Slovakia on the data 1901-1970, it is evident that there are months in which there is a decrease in precipitation and there are months in which there is an increase in precipitation.

We published this in the book Water for the 3rd Millennium in 2000, and at that time we were laughed at by all the experts. Now unizono scientists say that there is a spatial and temporal change in the distribution of precipitation.

It is not only necessary to talk about it, but also to understand why it happens. If we understand this, then we will understand that the same stupid things that the current civilization is doing, was also done by the civilization before the Biblical flood. Then we will not argue that God has punished us, that we are corrupt (even though we are), but that we are responsible for these changes.

What should the cause be looked for? Well, let’s look at the diagrams of the distribution of monthly precipitation with an approximation to 1901 and to 1970. There is a decrease in precipitation in spring and autumn and an increase in precipitation during the summer and winter monsoons. Why is it like that? Because it rains less often than in the past, because we feel that when it rains more than we need, we send the rainwater into the sea.

On average, we send about 250 million to the sea from Slovakia per year. m3 of that rainwater, which in the past remained in the land and then evaporated and returned to the ecosystems after the formation of clouds in the form of rain.

This regular cycle of water evaporation, the birth of new life through vegetation and the formation of clouds and precipitation lasts an average of 8 days and is called the small water cycle, in which it recycles about 24 billion in the annual balance. m3 of water.

Since we have done incomprehensible miracles across the country to drain rainwater from forests, through agricultural land to inner villages of towns and villages, an average of 1% of the aforementioned volume of water (250 million m3) is lost every year and flows into the sea, so this water will not return to the country in Slovakia.

After 50 years of such tyranny of the country, “only” 15 billion have decreased from small water cycles in the territory of Slovakia. m3 of rainwater. Still in small water cycles, what’s left, but we’re working hard to make sure there’s nothing left.

Since all the inhabitants of the planet Earth are working hard on this, according to general estimates, approx. 760 billion are channeled annually from the continents. m3 of rainwater, thus we stored more than 45 billion in the oceans. m3 of fresh water. We have contributed to the rise of ocean levels by more than 12 cm in 60 years.

We are actually such “bortács” who are trying hard to eliminate life on the continents and accumulate fresh water from the continents in the oceans. Some countries have already completed the breakdown of small water cycles. In those countries, it doesn’t rain at all for at least half a year, and when it does, it’s a complete disaster.

Just as there were disasters in California, Greece, Pakistan, Italy, or Korea, new and new disasters will increase every year, and when they combine there will be a global flood. That is, a NEW BIBLICAL FLOOD, which will be survived by the most resistant unspoiled communities, who will start doing the same stupid thing that we do with our population growth: CHANNELING RAINWATER INTO THE SEA.

So this is my perception and message to the Withered Egypt, where the world powers are struggling with how to decarbonize the world and find the culprit who is to blame for our overheating of the world. We friends are all guilty and we need to change it in our heads that rainwater is not waste, but God’s gift, which should not be channeled into the sea, but left where it falls or in a suitable place.

If we don’t understand this in the next decade and start a fundamental change with rainwater management, we will end up friends where the previous civilization ended, which caused it to rain for 40 days…

South Korea at the invitation of the Korea Green Foundation 

This blog will be writen as report on the visit to South Korea at the invitation of the Korea Green Foundation on 2-9. April 2021

Authors of the report: Michal Kravčík, Mooyoung Han

The aim of the visit was to monitor, present and communicate the causes of the forest fires in South Korea, which are increasing from year to year. Discussions were at the level of communities, politicians, experts and managers for forest protection.

Former Thai Ambassador Im Jae-hong (from left), Tovenet Chairman Hwang Tae-in, former Vietnamese Ambassador Lim Hong-jae, Nowon Urban Agricultural Network CEO Lee Eun-soo, Slovakia ‘People and Water’ Chairman Michal Kravcik, and Han Mu-young, who participated in the water harvesting event ahead of Arbor Day last week Professor Emeritus of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Seoul National University, former deputy commander of the Army Special Warfare Command Lee Jeong-ha, former chairman of Gadin Moon Kwon, former Croatian ambassador Byun Dae-ho, and former Iraqi military officer Kang Man-seop.

Source: https://www.hankyung.com/society/article/202204116759i

No big conclusions can be drawn from the week-long stay, but by visiting individual areas of South Korea, it was possible to understand the causes of more frequent forest fires in Korea. It is evident that the risks of fires are related to the drying up of not only forests but also the entire Korean Peninsula.

Despite the fact that an average of 1400 mm falls on the Korean Peninsula per year, up to 50% of precipitation falls in the summer months (July-August). After extreme rainfall in the summer of 2020, when the monsoon lasted 49 days, scientists agreed that the cause was global warming [1].

After the long summer monsoon, droughts came, which were repeated in the winter of 2021-22. The number of fires in the winter of 2022 increased by more than 100% compared to 2021. There are many dry streams in the country and with very low water levels on the rivers. These indicate that there is low amounts of the water in the country.

Here it is necessary to realize that if 1000 m3 is drained from a small piece of drained land every year, then 10 thousand m3 of rainwater is drained for 10 years and 30 thousand m3 is drained from the given area in 30 years. This water is absent in small water cycles, thermoregulation is weakened and the result is the release of heat into the troposphere, which overheats the site and the surrounding area. With each 1 m3 of rainwater drained, 700 KWh of heat is released into the atmosphere.

According to expert estimates, it drains about 500 mil. m3. This needs to be clarified by analysis. In the 50 years of implementation of the old water paradigm in the territory of South Korea, more than 25 billion have been lost. m3 of rainwater that remained in the country replenished soil and groundwater reserves, evaporated through vegetation and was part of small water cycles that created conditions of more frequent rains and humidification of the landscape. This reduced the risk of fires.

If this trend does not stop, there is a risk that the country of South Korea will continue to dry up, and the time will come soon after what South Korea has built over many decades in forest protection will have the potential to cause large-scale fires. South Korea can prevent this by systematically launching programs that strengthen the water retention of forest ecosystems and thus prevent fire risks.

In this context, it should be borne in mind that increasing rainwater retention in the country strengthens ecosystem services. The water in the soil contributes to the growth of vegetation and thus also of woody plants, because there is permanently enough water for vegetation. At the same time, excess water from the soil gravitationally seeps into the underground reserves. The water that contributes to the growth of vegetation evaporates. The evaporated water transports latent heat to the higher colder layers of the atmosphere. As water vapor condenses in the higher colder layers of the atmosphere, clouds form, and at the dew point, latent heat becomes sensitive and heats these colder layers. This means having more water in the country means enhanced thermoregulation of the country and reduced risks of fires.

It should also be recalled that sufficient water in the country also contributes to the daily condensation of water vapor in the microcycles that form horizontal rainfall: Annual horizontal rainfall can give the country 50-80 mm of moisture, which also protects areas from drought and fire. This can be achieved by keeping the part of that water that flows out of the country without useful during heavy rains, ecosystems being restrained in the country, the restoration processes of the country are started and at the same time the restoration of small water cycles is strengthened, horizontal rainfall is strengthened. This will cause it to rain more during those times of the year when it rains very little, and it will rain less when it rains too much. For this to happen, a systemic program of increasing the country’s retention capacity is needed, provided that rain is not a waste, but an irreplaceable source of life, biodiversity, stability, community security.

The nature of the monthly precipitation totals suggests that it is possible to create the right conditions for the moisture that was in South Korea’s forest to return a few decades ago within 5 years. This will ensure the protection of forests against fires, improve the climate, strengthen biodiversity, increase the protection of areas against floods and droughts and also improve the hydropower potential of the river throughout the country. However, there is a need to create frameworks to help politicians make good decisions.

We recommend:

1. Establish the Korean National Coordinating Board for the Ecosystem Flood Program
2. Development of a Republic of Korea Flood Action Plan to Reduce Fire Risks by 2030 – should be specified across South Korea’s river basins and reflected in concrete community-level solutions
3. Create legislative frameworks that will motivate all forest owners and managers, but also agricultural and urbanized lands to leave rainwater where it falls.
4. Create partnerships with private investors that will allow carbon credit to be invested in rebuilding damaged land by strengthening photosynthesis. The potential is to increase the sequestration of 3-4 tons of CO2 / ha by annually enhanced photosynthesis
5. To increase the level of education and capacity building of technological solutions for ecosystem flooding of the country, we recommend creating three model areas, in which already in 2022 they will experimentally test technological solutions, capacity will be built for mass ecosystem flooding of the whole country.
6. Consider partnership cooperation with Slovakia also because South Korea has several significant investments in Slovakia (eg KIA), which can show a way out how to cooperate internationally in integrated nature protection in the ongoing climate change.

In Košice and Seoul, April 11, 2022

Michal Kravčík 

Mooyoung Han 

1. https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20200804001000315