The Danube River Network of Protected Areas
In June 2009, the Danube River Network of Protected Areas has been established by signing the Declaration of Vienna (.pdf, 730 KB). As a first step, the partnership expands the cooperation, coordination, consultation and strengthens links between the national administrations of protected areas of Danube riparian countries. These are aiming to enhance nature conservation and wise management of natural and cultural heritage in and beyond the boundaries of Protected Areas at the Danube River.
Aims of the Network
Based on the principles of the Ramsar Convention and the Convention and Co-operation for the Protection and Sustainable Use of the Danube River (Sofia, 1994), the Declaration of Tulcea solidifies the aims of the Network:
- enhance nature conservation of Danube River Protected Areas
- wise management of the Danube Protected Areas
- exchange and promote expertise in the management
- improve knowledge of the status, the economic, social and environmental impacts and the management of the Danube Protected Areas
- actions for prevention, control and reduction of pollution in the floodplains and wetlands in the Danube basin
- promote awareness of the international importance of Danube River
- promote sustainable development
- influence the implementation and future development of public policies
From Idea to Reality
The Declaration of Tulcea signed in April 2007 is an appeal for the establishment of the Danube River Network of Protected Areas. Permanent cooperation and regular meetings or workshops should enhance the transboundary cooperation in the near future. The development and realization of joint programs and international projects is the priority aim for the near future. Cultural festivals, ceremonies and exchange programmes (e.g. volunteers) are important steps to help us reach our long-term goals.
DANUBEPARKS – transnational project in the ETC-programme for Southeast Europe
Based on existing partnership among Protected Areas along the Danube River and in accordance with the appeal launched by the "Declaration of Tulcea" in April 2007 the transnational project “DANUBEPARKS” has been developed.
The partnership applied for co-financing in the South East Europe (SEE) Programme. This EU-Programme is a unique instrument which, in the framework of the Regional Policy's Territorial Cooperation Objective, aims to improve integration and competitiveness in an area which is as complex as it is diverse.
The programme is supporting projects developed within four Priority Axes including “Protection and Improvement of the Environment” (Priority axis 2) with focus on “Promote cooperation in management of natural assets and protected areas” (Area of Intervention 2.3) highly relevant for “DANUBEPARKS”
In March 2009 the application for co-funding has been approved by the South East Europe (SEE) Programme. This enables Danube Protected Areas to establish the “Danube River Network of Protected Areas” as a platform to address transnational challenges, implementation of joint conservation strategies, coherent management practice, and a common corporate identity.
For the first step, the partnership includes 12 Protected Areas from 8 Danube countries. Additional partners will be invited in the future. All Project Partners work on site and are leading actors in the management of natural heritage with full political support by relevant ministries which is underlined by the numerous ministries joining "DANUBEPARKS" as observer partners.
Project management, Steering Committee, and the establishment of standing technical task forces will ensure active cooperation, communication, and know-how transfer among project partners. This will be the base for the planning and implementation of pilot projects of transnational relevance focussing on following modules: 1. improvement of river morphology, 2. floodplain management & habitat network, 3. conservation of flagship species, 4. implementation of NATURA 2000 & transnational monitoring, 5. Danube nature tourism.
Fostering an integrated approach of managing Protected Areas, the Network will involve a wide range of local, national, and international stakeholders. A main focus will be on raising public awareness on the common natural heritage of the Danube and the dissimination of project results. The established framework of the "Danube River Network of Protected Areas" and the generation of transnational follow-up projects ensures continous transnational cooperation in the long term.
In the project period between March 2009 and February 2012 the ETC-SEE project “DANUBEPARKS” is to invest a project budget of 2.7 Mio € for the conservation and sustainable development of the natural heritage at the Danube river.
