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NGOs join forces to save a living Danube threatened by inland navigation plans
Ruse – The most prominent environmental NGOs active in the Danube basin stand united in their opposition to plans that aim at improving inland navigation at the expense of nature and local economies. On the occasion of an international workshop taking place on the banks of the Danube River in Ruse, Bulgaria, sponsored by WWF, the global conservation organisation, and IAD, the International Association for Danube Research, NGOs adopted their common position “Save the Danube as a lifeline! Steps towards sustainable navigation” and discussed with local and park authorities as well as scientists recent findings and how to cooperate further on the issue.
Money woes threaten Romanian protected areas
Dwindling resources and bureaucratic hurdles are threatening to destroy Romania’s protected area system – home to some of Europe’s largest remaining natural forests.
Golden Award for Excellence for the Romanian Earth Hour Campaign
On the night of September 30th the Romanian Earth Hour 2009 Campaign picked up the "Golden Award for Excellence" at the 7th annual PR Awards Gala in Bucharest.
Romanian Protected Areas on the verge of collapse
Romania's protected area system, which harbors many of Europe's most outstanding natural treasures, is on the verge of collapse. Salaries of many rangers and other staff have not been paid for months; telephone and internet connections are being cut as operational funds disappear. At risk are years of investment in building the country's system of protected area management not to mention the outstanding natural treasures that they protect.
Croatia and Hungary to establish Europe´s largest river protected area - 20 years after the fall of the Iron Curtain
Croatia and Hungary signed today a declaration to establish a Trans-Boundary UNESCO Biosphere Reserve that will protect their shared biodiversity hotspot along the Mura, Drava and Danube Rivers. This paves the way to create Europe’s largest river protection area.
Bulldozers bring life to the Danube Delta
A WWF project puts earth moving equipment to work removing a section of dike on Ermakov Island in the Danube Delta of Ukraine, promising new life to the island.
Protection for Tysa Floodplain Forests -- Ukraine's riverine "jungle"
Some of Europe's last remaining floodplain forests on the Upper Tysa river in northwestern Ukraine are now under protection. In August, the Transcarpathian Regional Assembly of Transcarpathia (Zakarpatskaya Oblast) voted to formally establish the protected area of Prytysianski, including 10,600 ha of floodplain forests in the Upper Tysa floodplain. Protection of the area caps six years of work by researchers and WWF in the area.
Montenegro dams to harm crucial bird, fish habitats
Dam projects planned in Montenegro will likely harm Lake Skadar, the largest lake in the Balkans and a protected wetland site that is home to crucial bird and fish habitats, according to a study by WWF and Green Home.
Change of leadership at WWF-DCPO
Michael Baltzer, director of the WWF Danube-Carpathian Programme (WWF-DCPO) since 2005, left the organisation in July 2009 to head WWF's global tiger conservation efforts based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He is replaced at WWF-DCPO by Andreas Beckmann, who had been serving the organisation as Deputy Director since 2005.
Danube Day -- fears amidst the celebrations
Amidst this year's celebrations of Danube Day, WWF is concerned about persisting threats to the Danube as a living river. Government and EU plans to remove “bottlenecks” for navigation could impact up to 1,000 km of the river’s most natural sections.