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European Regional Centre for Ecohydrology, PAS

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Address: ul. Tylna 3, 90-364 Łódź, Poland

Website: www.erce.unesco.lodz.pl

Description:

The European Regional Centre for Ecohydrology under the auspices of UNESCO has grown out of the International Centre for Ecology (ICE) of the Polish Academy of Sciences. The scientific profile of the ICE was based on Ecological Bioenergetics, developed in the 1970s through the International Biological Programme (IBP). One of the achievements of the IBP programme was the reduction of ecological processes to physics, providing fundamentals for dialogue between ecologists and hydrologists in the 1990s.

The theoretical and empirical background for formulation of ecohydrological principles was developed in the 1980s and 1990s at the Department of Applied Ecology, University of Lodz.

By agreement between the President of the Academy of Science and the Rector of the University of Lodz, the long cooperation between these institutions was formalised in 2004. From that time on, new dimensions of science and education at international and national levels have been enhanced strongly.

The scientific profile of the Centre focuses on development of ecohydrological solutions and their implementation for restoring freshwater resources in the framework of UNESCO International Hydrological Programme and the European Water Framework Directive. The mission of the Centre is to develop leading, theoretical and empirical, transdisciplinary foundations of ecohydrology, which aim is to enhance catchment sustainability potential (Water, biodiversity, ecosystem services, resilience, culture and education, WBSRC) and to build social, economic and green capital for the implementation of sustainable and responsible development strategies.

Disciplines: ecohydrology, ecology, sustainability science

Fields of activity:

Ecohydrology – development and implementation of systemic nature-based solutions for enhancement of catchment sustainability potential  - WBSRC

Molecular Biology – integration of molecular biology and genetics into diagnostics of reservoirs and assessment of risk of toxic algal blooms occurrence

Sustainability Science – harmonization of requirements of environmental protection with society needs

Latest achievements:

  • In 2020, professor Maciej Zalewski, director of European Regional Centre for Ecohydrology, was invited by the Committee of Regions, European Commission, as an expert to participate in formulating the opinion on the Fitness-Check for the Water Framework Directive. The propositions for up-dating the WFD, made by professor Zalewski, were voted on and accepted unanimously by the Committee of Regions in Brussels.
  • In 2018 two LIFE projects conducted by the teams of ERCE and UNESCO Chair EHAE, were awarded by the European Commission as Best of LIFE + (project EKOROB “Ecotones for reducing diffuse pollution”), and Best of the Best LIFE+ (project EH-REK “Ecohydrologic rehabilitation of recreational reservoirs “Arturówek” Łódź as a model approach to rehabilitation of urban reservoirs”).

Research facilities :

European Regional Centre For Ecohydrology: 3 laboratories for microbiological analysis, chemical analysis of water and generic analysis.

University of Lodz field station in Tresta Rządowa: field laboratory station

Contact person:

Professor Maciej Zalewski
Director of the Institute
m.zalewski@erce.unesco.lodz.pl
(+48 42) 681 70 07