Danube~Delta

Danube~Delta
Landscape of the Year 2007–2009
Annual Report 2008
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Annual Report 2008
Annual Report 2008
Table of Contents
The Danube Delta – an overview .................................... 4
Landscape of the Year –
cooperation is the key! .................................................... 5
What we were able to achieve in 2008 ... ....................... 6
~ Sustainable and innovative use of reed ..................... 6
~ Boosting sustainable tourism .................................... 8
~ Biodiversity & environmental education ............... 14
~ Public relations ................................................. 15
… and what we hope to achieve
beyond this in 2009! ................................................. 17
Project management & partners ..................................... 18
Landscape of the Year – the philosophy ........................ 19
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The Delta – an overview
Landscape of the Year –
cooperation is the key!
T
E
he Danube Delta is situated in the borderland of Romania and the Ukraine, a small part extending into Moldova. Eighty
per cent of its vast area of more than 5 000 square kilometres are situated in Romania. The region is a nature paradise
in the truest sense of the word, and has no equal worldwide: It is Europe’s most extensive wetland and home to 5 400
ver since 1989, Naturefriends International (NFI) has designated border-
crossing European regions of outstanding
animal and plant species, including such rare migratory birds as the Dalmatian Pelican – which is the delta’s figurehead.
ecological value as Landscapes of the
It is also known for its wealth of fish – with the sturgeon as the “showpiece” and it boasts the largest unbroken expanse of
Year, seeking to assist in launching and
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common reed (1800 km ).
boosting sustainable development in the
regions selected. In the Danube delta –
Life between river and sea that bears the imprint of many cultures
which was designated Landscape of the Year 2007–2009 –
whether public or private – are the key to lasting success. In this
The delta is not merely rich in animals and boasting a magnificent flora, it is also known for its cultural diversity. For thou-
we have now been active in pursuit of this objective for more
respect the Landscape-of-the-Year project has, indeed, made a
sands of years it has been a place of settlement, passage and refuge. With as few as 15 000 inhabitants the delta is sparsely
than two years, together with Naturefriends Romania and other
major contribution. With our activities in the final year, we intend
populated, but the people who live there in peaceful coexistence trace their origins to approximately 20 different cultures
partners.
to further strengthen purposeful interaction and cooperation!
and ethnicities. In their majority they stem from Russia, the Ukraine and Romania, but the delta is also home to Turks,
What has applied to all Landscapes of the Year, applies also
Italians, Greeks, and Aromuns. All of them have one common trait – the strong bond with nature and water: Many of them
and in particular to the nature paradise of the Danube delta: All
depend on the Danube for their livelihood (fishing) and, to this day, many villages are accessible by boat only.
hopes for economic development are pinned to tourism. With this
in mind, it is imperative to come up with strategies that are in the
Endangered World Natural and Cultural Heritage
Thanks to its immense biodiversity and cultural variety, the Danube delta is – by international standards – a very special
It follows that our focus is on measures conducive to this aim –
place. This is why, in the 90s, it was designated both a biosphere reserve and a UNESCO world natural and cultural heritage.
from PR activities via the introduction of quality standards and the
Currently the close relationship between people and nature is at a crossroads. The delta and its people are threatened by
arrangement of training courses to the development of sustainable
environmental degradation, encroachments into the landscape and unemployment. It has become practically impossible
tourism products. Salient methods of reed utilisation and eco-pro-
for the local population to subsist on traditional breadwinning activities, such as fishery and agriculture, and more and
jects with schools are also figuring prominently on our agenda.
more young people leave their home villages. This is where the Landscape-of-the-Year project can come in and help
open up new prospects!
Legend
National Border
Border of Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve
Strictly protected areas (totalling: 50 600 hectar)
1. Roşca-Buhaiova
2. Letea
3. Răducu
4. Nebunu
5. Vătafu-Lunguleţ
6. Caraorman
7. Sărăturile-Murighiol
8. Erenciuc
9. Popina
10. Sacalin-Zătoane
11. Periteaşca-Bisericuţa-Portiţa
12. Capul Doloşman
13. Grindul Lupilor
14. Istria-Sinoe
15. Grindul Chituc
16. Rotundu
17. Potcoava
18. Belciug
i
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interests of both nature protection and the local population.
Visitor Centre
The guiding principle in all this has been the rule that communication and cooperation among all stakeholders – no matter
Christian Baumgartner
Baum
umgartner
Stefanie Röder
Secretary General
Project Coordinator
Naturefriends International
Landscape of the Year
Tiberiu Tioc
Silviu Covaliov
President
Local Project Coordinator
Naturefriends Romania
Naturefriends Tulcea
„The guiding principle
in all this has been the
rule that communication
and cooperation among
all stakeholders – no
matter whether public or
private – are the key to
lasting success.“
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What we were able to achieve in 2008 …
Sustainable and innovative
use of reed
In the concluding discussion the focus was on the potential
adapted ways of reed harvesting and processing, innovative
of these products – which in the western countries have alrea-
Silviu Covaliov, LoY coordinator in Tulcea and an expert on
products and the way they are marketed.
dy found their markets – in the Danube delta, with a view to
common reed at the Danube Delta Institute, used the Institute’s
Promoting the sustainable use of common reed is one of the
Currently, it is the exportation of quality reed for thatching that
establishing, in addition to the export business, a sustainable,
annual International Symposium as a platform for presenting the
declared LoY objectives, bearing in mind that the Danube Delta
is economically relevant in both regions. The real economic and
regional economic cycle from harvesting via processing to mar-
substance, outcome, practical examples and ideas vented at the
boasts the world’s vastest unbroken expanse of reed and that
ecological challenge would be to process the huge quantities of
keting and domestic use.
expert meeting to a specialist audience in Tulcea in the Seminar
since time immemorial, reed has been valued by the people in
“low-grade” (old) reed into marketable products, for the simple
‘Yes, but’, was the ‘unequivocal’ reply. There is sufficient
the delta as both a raw material and an export commodity.
reason that unless reed is regularly harvested, the nutrient balan-
potential – and in Romania, too, the market is going to develop,
ce is disrupted and gradual silting-up will set in. Such innovative
as the number of disseminators in the construction sector who
What emerged in the discussion were (anticipated) objec-
Specialist meeting at Lake Neusiedel
reed products have for years been made at Lake Neusiedel.
are convinced of the project will increase. What is still lacking
tions, such as the poor image, doubts about the durability of the
The idea of organising an information exchange with the Lake
Examples are prefabricated multifunctional hardboard panels of
is a European quality label, which would definitely make a dif-
innovative structural elements and possible overexploitation of
Neusiedel region – LoY in 1990 and trailblazer of innovative
varying thickness and composition: Owing to the physical proper-
ference. But also massive publicity that would transform the
reed stands – though the overall response was very positive.
reed products – and to stimulate a transfer of know-how came
ties of reed, they are very stable and yet light, heat insulating and
“poor” image of reed into an “innovative” one.
up very early.
sound absorbing. These qualities are retained when the panels
By mid-March things were all set: The first specialist meeting
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Follow-up Seminar in Tulcea
construction methods – presented and discussed ecologically
“Options for the sustainable and innovative use of common
reed in the Danube Delta” (19 September 2008).
Conclusion: People’s awareness of the potential chances
There are many ways in which this can be achieved in the
has been raised and their interest roused. Still, it will take much
Danube delta: An exhibition could be arranged, showcasing the
more time, practical examples and experience to overcome
was held at Lake Neusiedel on March 12 and 13. For two days,
On several excursions, the participants gained insight into
traditional and innovative use of reed, with one of the planned visitor
all reservations. The Danube Delta Institute plans to respond
15 Romanian and Austrian reed experts – representatives of
the practice of reed harvesting and processing – starting from
centres of the Biosphere Reserve serving as a model building; an
with a research project, under which quality standards are to
reed exporting and processing companies, scientists from the
the specialised harvesting and processing machines on to the
open-air museum could be put in place, where traditional and new
be crafted for reed products. An indispensable prerequisite for
Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve and from the Lake Neusiedel
range of products and eventually to a passive house partly built
ways of using reed could be shown side by side, or local building
winning over the architects – the very target group that unfor-
National Park as well as Austrian architects specialising in eco-
with reed panels.
material could be publicised at a regional information centre.
tunately stayed away from the specialist seminar.
are used in combination with clay, timber or concrete.
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Boosting sustainable tourism
Starting points for joint activities
The discussion yielded potential areas of activity. Joint cultural activities, training
courses, tour packages and PR work for the Danube delta topped the list.
Tourism is a cutting-edge topic in the Danube Delta from both the economic per-
Doris Wiederwald, Austrian expert on EU cross-border support programmes, had
spective and the perspective of nature protection. In 2007–2009, the Tulcea County
come along to indicate the extent to which the envisioned measures could be imple-
Council with the participation of the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve ran two major
mented under the EU neighbourhood programme to be launched in 2009.
cross-border tourism projects – the construction of an “Eco-Tourism Centre” and a
On the second day, participants were taken on an information tour on land and
Europe-wide campaign for the Danube Delta as a tourism destination. Concurrently,
water, which included some of the tourism highlights, such as the small town of Vil-
visitor management is being upgraded in the Biosphere Reserve.
kovo, which is crisscrossed by canals, the Info-Centre of the Biosphere Reserve and
NFI sees it as its task to lobby for the sustainable development of tourism in
the tour bases of several tour operators.
conceptual and practical terms at the levels of planning, decision-making and implementation.
Conclusion
In the LoY project group where all the stakeholders are represented and which
This first meeting on Ukrainian soil, which received extensive coverage in the regional
consequently serves better substantive coordination of the different projects as well
media, sounded an upbeat message on the chances of cross-border cooperation.
as cooperation in an atmosphere of mutual trust, this happens in the form of an on-
The cordiality of the hosts and the well-organised programme were instrumental in
going process. Meanwhile, several members of the project group advise the Tulcea
achieving this result.
Count Council and the management of the Biosphere Reserve on specific aspects of
tourism and visitor management.
The Tour d’Horizon provided opportunities for following up contacts and for deepening impressions.
In parallel and invariably coordinated with all the partners and their projects, NFI
“We hope and wish that
the Landscape-of-theYear project will be in-
designs and implements activities of its own as part of the Landscape-of-the-Year
Tour d’Horizon 2008 – trailblazer for cross-border tourism
project. In 2008, the measures taken in the interests of developing quality standards
The Tour d’Horizon is a model of soft cross-border tourism specially designed by
were followed up. Further priority activities were a meeting of stakeholders in Ukraine,
Friends of Nature for each Landscape of the Year. In line with this concept, three Tours
three border-crossing Tours d’horizon and an international seminar on transport and
d’Horizon taking place in both the Romanian and the Ukrainian part of the Danube
mobility management in tourism.
delta were organised in June and September 2008.
“The Danube delta,
a nature paradise
and a mosaic
The tour was planned together with Tiberiu Tioc, who was in charge of and accom-
strumental in stimulating
upbeat developments on
both sides of the border,
launched together with
committed people
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Meeting of stakeholders in Izmail / Ukraine
panied participants on the Romanian leg of the tour. For the Ukrainian side, Mihail
In mid-April, a small LoY delegation visited the Ukrainian side of the delta to present
Zhmud, for many years on the staff of the Ukrainian Biosphere Reserve and currently
the overall project as well as the previous activities run in the Danube delta, to gain
travel operator specialising in Delta tours (Pelican-Tours / Vilkovo), had put together a
insight in the situation in Ukraine and to establish personal contacts with potential
varied 2-day programme.
partners.
Naturally, the focus of the tour was on the unique landscape of the delta – the vast
Discussions on the two days scheduled for the visit, which was organised by the
expanse of reed and water, home to an impressive variety of species. Even participants
coordinators of the Lower Danube Euroregion, Igor Babaian and Valentyn Stroia, re-
with little previous knowledge of ornithology, never tired of watching through their binocu-
volved around crafting and promoting sustainable tourism products and strategies,
lars the elegantly soaring pelicans and the herons and scarlet ibises hunting for fish.
especially in the context of cross-border cooperation.
of cultures”.
In addition to unforgettable impressions of nature, the tour provided insight into the
More than 30 stakeholders – representatives of regional and local authorities, of
history and culture of the region – following in the footsteps of Greeks and Romans and
and initiatives”.
travel agencies specialising in nature and eco-tourism, of business promotion and
of the many other peoples who left their imprint through briefer and longer periods and
Stefanie Röder,
vocational training institutions as well as of local and regional NGOs – gathered for
whose descendants are the minorities currently living in the delta. During several days
NFI Coordinator
a one-day meeting in Izmail to collect information, to present their own projects, to
spent at fishermen’s boarding houses in Crişan, participants gained an impression of
identify problems and capabilities and to jointly sound out possible options.
how people in the delta pass their daily lives.
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Overcoming real and mental borders
stration and tourism, drawing on existing cross-border projects.
Entering and leaving Ukraine turned out to be somewhat time-
Both the Romanian and the Ukrainian side would benefit from
consuming. In the absence of scheduled ferry transport on the
such a development.
Crafting certified quality standards and
vocational qualifications for sustainable tourism
Course for Nature Guides (April 2007 – April 2008)
northern branch of the Danube, which constitutes the border-
NGOs, such as Naturefriends, that seek to enhance the
line, the road through the Republic of Moldova is currently the
human-nature relationship through active engagement with
The delta’s greatest tourism potential lies in its fauna and flora, but there is a lack of
commonly used and least expensive route. The repeated border-
nature, could be useful partners, also when it comes to sensi-
nature guides speaking foreign languages and of relevant training programmes. To
crossings took several hours and put passengers’ patience to the
tising the local population to the wishes of travellers who would
remedy the situation, Naturefriends Romania together with the Romanian Association
test. And yet, all of them agreed that the excursion into a part of
rather stay off the beaten track of mass tourism. What the Da-
for Ecotourism (AER) and CEDES, the state certification institute, organised a pilot
Ukraine, where the Bessarabian influence is tangible, was clearly
nube delta needs is a tourism infrastructure that fits in with the
training course for “Nature Guides”, which was attended by 20 participants from
a valuable addition to the Tour d’Horizon, one of whose objectives
natural environment – what it does not need are destructive
Tulcea and the Danube delta.
is to remove barriers at political borders and in people’s minds.
mega-projects. With this in mind, those taking part in the Tour
The idea is to put in place regular, officially recognised courses with a view to
d’horizon consider themselves ambassadors in the service of a
training a substantial number of people, thus serving the dual purpose of boosting
A model of soft travel
type of tourism that shows respect to nature, the environment
sustainable tourism and of creating jobs.
To make sure that the Tour d’horizon will not remain a one-off
and the population on both sides of the border.
Building on the subject matter and didactics of the theory module, a standard
curriculum and a reader were generated. 2008 saw the concluding practice-oriented
event, all those responsible for tourism and nature protection
Three successful tours have evidenced that it is worthwhile
as well as nature conservation and environmental organisations
working along these lines and have motivated Naturefriends
are called upon to jointly design and market similar border-cros-
to organise another Tour for disseminators. In light of the ex-
sing tours on a long-term basis. This would be conditional on
perience gained, the group will be even smaller and will thus
Get out into the delta – and get into it
stepped-up cross-border cooperation in policy-making, admini-
benefit from a transfer by boat.
was the motto in the third week of April. In several days of “field training”, organised
part of the programme, rounded off by an intensive German-language course.
and supervised by Tiberiu Tioc, participants had the chance to put their knowledge
“The delta’s greatest
of ecology, flora and fauna as well as their weatherproofness to the test.
Maliuc was the site of the warm-up stage, where the man-made ponds of a former
“One of the objectives
fish farm offer optimum conditions for watching a multitude of different bird species.
Maliuc was also the base from which boats took the participants on excursions on the
of the Tour d’Horizon is
nature guides spea-
the help of maps and models. The information centre is a classical stopover on every
tour of the delta and a must in the stock-of-trade of future guides.
in people’s minds.”
but there is a lack of
The outdoor programme was rounded off with a visit to the information centre in
Crişan, where participants were introduced to the origins and ecology of the delta with
at political borders and
in its fauna and flora,
narrow channels to the classical destinations in the delta, such as lake Martin with is
spectacular cormorant colony, lake Rotundu or the Lipovan village of Mila 23.
to remove barriers
tourism potential lies
king foreign langu-
The field training concluded the main, substantive part of the training course for
Nature Guides. An evaluation is expected to provide the basis for up-dates and for
ages and of relevant
its integration as a regular training programme into the regional tourism development
scheme.
training programmes”
German language add-on course
In the autumn, participants had the opportunity to take a German-language course in
Tulcea. After English, German is the language most frequently spoken by guests visiting
the delta. This intensive course – ten hours per week through three months – started
in October 2008 and ended in January 2009. It was privately sponsored.
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“Experience the delta in a slow way is our recommendation for all the stakeholders involved in tourism, to organize their trips in a way in which any tourist could enjoy all the
natural, cultural and social elements of Danube Delta life, which has to be preserved.”
Katrien Bauters, (WES) Tourism Expert
gling Nature Guides. Only half of the 20 course participants stayed
Course for the providers of
tourist accommodations in the Danube delta
the Seminar Sustainable Tourism in Wetlands and Coastal
to the end. The outcome was worth the trouble – their knowledge
Currently, the local population draws most of its income from
Areas, organised by the Tulcea County Council. Other topics
of German is now sufficient to communicate with guests and to
tourism by providing accommodation. Even now, many fami-
on the agenda were trends in and sources of funding for su-
continue building on the acquired stock of language.
lies are letting rooms, though not all of them meet accepted
stainable tourism in Europe, the ”Strategy for the Development
standards – and, to save expenses, many of them are not re-
of Sustainable Tourism in the Delta Region” crafted by the Bel-
gistered.
gian Consulting company WES, and the interactive approach
The course was a veritable boon as well as a challenge for the fled-
Eco-label-Workshop
In mid-March, the “EU Flower” – the eco-quality label of the
To find an expedient way out for all those involved (hosts and
adopted under the Landscape-of-the-Year 2007–2009 project,
European Commission for tourist accommodations – was fea-
guests) is the objective of an advanced training course for provi-
showcased by means of best practice examples and activities
tured at a two-day workshop in Tulcea. Organised by Interna-
ders and operators of (private) tourist accommodations, which
in the tourism sector.
tional Friends of Nature in cooperation with the Tulcea County
started in October in the delta community of Crişan.
Council, the seminar was targeted at local entrepreneurs and
public authorities.
The certificate course consists of a series of modules on pertinent topics – also and in particular environmental and energy
Offering a mix of theory and practice, the workshop was co-
aspects – spread out over a total of 720 hours of theory and
ordinated by Andrei Blumer from AER and by Dagmar Diwok
practice. Participants who pass the final exam will acquire an of-
from the EU Eco-label promotion team of the DG Environment.
ficially recognised qualification. For private enterprises it means
Hence, the 30+ participants benefited from both information on
to take an important step towards certified quality standards.
Both events were officially registered activities of the “Open
Days 2008 – European Week of Regions and Cities”.
Their core messages were consistent as well:
• All efforts to improve accessibility and mobility need to take
into account the profile of the delta and of its visitors.
• Nature and culture in the Danube delta will reveal their treasures only to those opting for a slow and soft approach.
certified quality standards in Romania and on the EU label and
The course is funded and organised by GTZ Romania in
• Cooperation between private and public stakeholders is of
from a practical demonstration ‘on the ground’, in the form of a
cooperation with Naturefriends and the recognised “Consulting
the essence when it comes to mobility management, even
“pre-audit” at the Delta Hotel. The focus was, on the one hand,
Group” training institute. The lively response testified to the need
though a legal basis for “public-private partnerships” is still
on the trends prevailing in the international (eco-)tourism market
for advanced training: Within no time all, the 22 places were
and the conclusions to be drawn for the Danube delta in terms
gone with many names still on the waiting list.
of target-group-specific approaches and on recommendations
concerning the environment, safety and publicity.
The course, which is scheduled until the end of May 2009,
is, on the one hand, designed to promote the introduction of
tourism.
Eco-label, two complementary quality labels. The following were
ditions ‘on the ground’ for a starting point. Hence, it is of use to
Those were suggestions to be followed up by the subsequent
the key questions: Which products and services can be labelled
participants in their daily practice, helps them generate higher
Seminar on Ways of adjusting tourism products offered in the
in Romania, what are the advantages, which criteria need to be
profits in the medium term and keeps them actively involved in
Danube delta to the standards and requirements of Europe-
applied and what will be the impact on the resource balance?
the upswing of sustainable tourism in the delta.
an ecotourism – an event that formed part of the RomanianUkrainian project, “The Danube Delta in Europe”, coordinated
management in the Delta communities, the lack of qualified
International seminars on
sustainable tourism in the Danube delta
March seminar in Tulcea, the EU tourism eco-label was also
nature guides and the drastic taxes, with none of the revenue
In October, several contextually harmonised seminars in Tulcea
high up on the seminar agenda.
being channelled into improving the infrastructure.
were devoted to diverse aspects of developing sustainable tou-
At the seminar, in any case, it was just a small step from theory to practice: Split into small groups and equipped with lists of
region. The longer a tourist stays the
stakeholders opt for and commit themselves to sustainable
reliable quality standards and, on the other hand, to take con-
The participants mentioned several concrete problems en-
“Time is money – for the destination
lacking in Romania.
• Good practice examples can only be taken over, if regional
A second line of topics included the EU Flower and the AER
countered in the delta: the inadequate waste and waste water
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Next day, the outcome of the discussion was presented at
more benefit remains in the region.
Thus, if you provide infrastructure for
quick access you should especially care
about slow-down activities and gentle
by the Tulcea County Council. Drawing on and following up the
mobility. Otherwise the tourist will as
quickly disappear as he has arrived –
rism in the Danube delta. The target groups were (inter)national
and regional stakeholders, decision-makers and NGOs:
criteria, the participants went through several hotel rooms with a
The series was kicked off on 2/10 with the Seminar Transport
fine toothcomb. To everybody’s pleasant surprise the Delta Hotel
and Mobility Management at the Danube Delta Destination,
met a substantial number of criteria, as the hotel management
organised by Naturefriends International and Romania and
had already taken such cost-effective measures as installing
featuring, inter alia, instruments and examples of soft mobility
low-energy light bulbs and well-insulated windows.
from other European tourism regions.
and a visit to the delta might become
a 1-day-trip.”
Alois Lang, Tourism Expert
(Lake Neusiedl National Park)
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Biodiversity &
environmental education
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Public relations
Munich and Zurich and the World’s Leading Travel Trade Show
flora and fauna including many rare and protected species, such
General remarks
Romanian Tourist Offices in Berlin, Munich and Vienna and with
Sf. Gheorghe is situated in a unique landscape surrounded
by swamps, embankments, sand dunes – habitats for diverse
in Berlin (ITB). Once again, the excellent cooperation with the
as the Dalmatian pelican, the sturgeon and the European pond
Press relations and PR activities are built into the Landscape-
the German Society for Technical Cooperation (GTZ) in Romania
School Project: Natura Trail Sf Gheorghe
turtle. Thanks to kilometres of sandy beach, Sf. Gheorghe’s role
of-the-Year project. In addition to presentations at fairs and
was immensely helpful.
Natura Trails have been conceived by Naturefriends Internati-
in tourism is on the rise.
conferences, articles in (trade) journals, and press releases on
onal with a view to opening up natural areas and in particular
Together with the students, NFI expert Andrea Lichtenecker,
specific LoY events, the Annual LoY Report 2007 was published
Info-tour for journalists and travel agents
also protected areas to low-impact exploration and to offering
LoY coordinator Stefanie Röder and head of school Adnana
in April in German, English and Romanian, and two Info-Letters
At the end of August, Naturefriends Romania arranged a
a live experience of biological diversity “in passing”, as it were.
Pătrăşcoiu worked out the route and contextual alignment of
were mailed in English and Romanian, with some passages
Danube-delta info-tour of several days on behalf of the Tulcea
The project, which was launched in Austria, has by now ex-
the Natura Trail. Walking the trail once more with biologists
also in Russian.
County Council. The target group were journalists and travel
panded to include approximately 30 Natura Trails throughout
from the Danube Delta Institute, the children got a chance to
Current information and extensive reports as well as photo-
Europe. Natura Trails promote the idea of sustainable tourism
put their knowledge to the test and to add to it. Laying out the
graphs and publications for downloading are available at www.
that deliberately includes the local infrastructure and populati-
Natura Trail was documented on video and on a poster created
landscapeoftheyear.net/danubedelta (DE, EN, in part FR). The
The emphasis was on nature experience, but Tiberiu Tioc –
on. With their focus on NATURA 2000 sites, Natura Trails also
in class; both were presented in Tulcea on Danube Day, the
website www.sustainable-danubedelta.net (EN, ROM, in part
the organiser of the tour – also made a point of giving participants
showcase, ‘on the ground’, the positive aspects of EU environ-
29th of June.
mental legislations.
agents from all over Europe (Germany, Austria, Switzerland,
Great Britain, Sweden, et al.).
RUS) is designed as a regional platform for the Landscape of
an impression of the culture and daily life of the local population.
At the end of the year, an English/Romanian foldout brochure
the Year, but is also available to other initiatives as an informa-
The excellent cooperation between the resident population and
Against this background, the scheme of laying out the first
was completed, addressed to holidaymakers and residents who
tion forum for sustainable development. The website is being
the tour providers was another subject ventilated on the tour
Natura Trail in Romania suggested itself. Considering the natural
are invited to explore nature along the 6-kilometre trail. The
consistently expanded.
and evidenced by the fact that – following the practice of the
environment, it is obvious that there are no long walking trails,
brochure is distributed free of charge through info centres and
but even a short walk will reveal exceptional flora and fauna. A
tourism facilities.
Tour d’horizon – all boat excursions were arranged with local
Travel fairs
boat owners. Since several of them had taken the Nature Guide
very special place was selected for the project: Sf. Gheorghe,
Guided tours are envisaged as well as a Nature-Guide trai-
As in the previous year, LoY Danube Delta was represented
course offered under the Landscape-of-the-Year project, visitors
where the southernmost and oldest branch of Danube flows into
ning programme for members of the Eco-Club, which would
with a stand and presentations at all the major travel fairs bet-
greatly benefited from their newly acquired knowledge. By now,
the Black Sea. And a very special design was translated into
enable them to introduce other children, and in particular the
ween January and March, starting with the International Fair
they have come to play an active role in promoting sustainable
practice: The Sf Gheorghe Natura Trail was designed in close co-
children of holidaymakers to their natural environment.
operation with the Ecological Club of the school of Sf Gheorghe,
attended by pupils and students aged between 9–14 years.
for Holidays, Travel and Leisure in Vienna, via the Reisepavil-
tourism in the delta. Accordingly, the feedback from participants
It goes without saying that an official opening event is plan-
lon (Specialist Fair for Sustainable Tourism), which in 2008
was very positive. Outcome: Many articles in the international
ned to be staged in the spring of 2009, in time for the start of
had opted for the CMT Stuttgart as its venue, on to the fairs in
press and inclusion in the catalogue of travel agencies.
the tourism season.
“Natura Trails have been conceived
by Naturefriends International with a
view to opening up protected areas to
low-impact exploration and to offering
a live experience of biological diversity
‘in passing’, as it were.”
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“The idea behind this Championship was to give
photographers from all quarters of the globe
the opportunity to build non-verbal bridges
between people living along the Danube.”
Manfred Pils, NFI President
Guest appearance of the Danube delta
at the Leipzig Euregia ...
Photo Championship 2008
At the invitation of GTZ Romania, Naturefriends Romania pre-
between countries, landscapes and people, NFI mounted the
sented “Landscape of the Year – Danube Delta” from 27–29
photo championship featuring the theme “The Danube and its
October at the Euregia 2008 in Leipzig, an international Trade
Tributaries” as part of the Naturefriends Photo Championship
Fair and Congress with the focus on regional development in
2008. The Championship was organised in cooperation with
Europe.
the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube
To showcase the role of the Danube as a connective element
With 24 participating countries, Euregia provided an excellent opportunity for an ‘across-Europe’ exchange and the
River (ICPDR) and was also designed to draw attention to the
EU Water Framework Directive.
… and what we hope
to achieve in 2009!
In
the year that concludes the Landscape-of-the-Year project, the emphasis
will have to be on ensuring the continuity of what has been achieved. Insti-
chance to forge useful contacts with a view to future coopera-
On 10 December, the prizes were awarded at the Vienna
tutionalising the training schemes and quality standards in the region is one of the
tion. What was again substantiated beyond any doubt was the
International Centre, the UN headquarters in Vienna. IFN Pre-
declared objectives, and the same goes for strengthening joint activities by filing
sterling quality of the cooperation between Naturefriends and
sident Manfred Pils and Saša Dragin, the Serbian Minister of
joint applications for projects extending beyond 2009 and including coordinating
LoY partners – in the given case with GTZ Romania and the
Agriculture and Forestry and President of ICPDR, presented the
activities on the ground.
Tulcea County Council.
awards to the three “IFN Master Photographers 2008”.
In parallel, activities and schemes that have been in the pipeline for some time
The Landscape-of-the-Year project was represented with
In the category of colour paper prints the prize went to Max
information material of Naturefriends and the Tulcea County
Rupff, Switzerland, for “Guter Fang” (A Great Catch), which pic-
spring are, inter alia:
Council at the busy Romania stand of GTZ and also at the “Co-
tures the dressing of a freshly-caught fish in close-up; in the
• the formal opening of the Sf. Gheorghe Natura Trail and the start-up of routine
operation Market” – a workshop headlined “Successes through
category of black and white paper prints the prize went to the
joint projects in rural areas – options for European cooperation“,
Austrian Erich Stiglitz for “Sonnenbad” (Sunbathing), which shows
where Silviu Covaliov presented two LoY activities – a school
a sun-worshipper on a Danube raft; and in the category of slides
project featuring pollutants in water and the seminar on sustai-
the prize went to Dorian Hodorogea, Romania, for his motif “Boats
A conference on “Sustainable Business Promotion – the Basis of Nature Conser-
nable reed management.
of Silence”, an impression of the Danube in the afterglow.
vation and Biodiversity” is planned to formally conclude the Landscape-of-the-Year
... and in the European Parliament
Foto-Video Sobotka sponsored the Championship, which is also
On 2 and 3 December, the role of the Danube delta in Europe
documented in a catalogue.
FuessAudiovision, Kodak, Julius Escher Fotogroßhandel and
activities (e.g. guided tours)
• renovating and reopening a bird observation station
project in the autumn.
The idea is to get together with all the partners and to formulate an action programme
under the motto “Sustainable Danube Delta”, covering future projects and initiatives,
and to agree on first concrete steps. Cross-border cooperation with Ukraine will be one
was discussed in the European Parliament at the invitation of
Touring exhibition 2009
the Social Democratic and the Liberal Groups.
are to be put into practice. Scheduled for implementation in the course of the
Two panel discussions focussed on the importance of the
The winning photographs plus another 80 pictures were on dis-
Danube delta in the context of science and research and on
play at the Vienna International Centre from 10 – 19 December.
political strategies for its sustainable development. Panellists
There are plans to exhibit them in several places along the Da-
included MEPs, the Governor of the Biosphere Reserve Liviu
nube in 2009, and they are expected to reach Tulcea in time for
Mihaiu, scientists from the National Danube Delta Institute and
Danube Day (29 June).
of the objectives, as the delta constitutes an ecological and cultural whole.
Christian Baumgartner on behalf of International Friends of
Nature and the Landscape-of-the-Year project.
The event was concluded with the signing of a resolution in
which the participants, inter alia, call on the European Parliament to send a fact-finding mission to the delta and on the DG
Environment to set up a Danube Delta Working Group.
Awardee
Dorian Hodorogea
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Annual Report 2008
Annual Report 2008
Project Management
& Partners
L
andscape of the Year is a project of Naturefriends International, so overall responsibility lies with NFI. Executive partner in the delta is Naturefriends Romania, with
its President Tiberiu Tioc acting as coordinator. Since September 2007, Silviu Covaliov
has been acting as local project coordinator in Tulcea.
Landscape of the Year –
the philosophy
T
he guiding principle of Landscape-of-the Year projects is to preserve selected
natural and cultural landscapes in Europe and to trigger sustainable border-
crossing development. Invariably, the idea is to interlink economic, social and
ecological objectives, for example by promoting sustainable tourism. Another key
Partners active in the Project Group are the Romanian Danube Delta Biosphere
objective is to encourage cooperation and dialogue within the region and to involve
Reserve Administration (ARBDD), the National Danube Delta Institute (DDNI) in
all stakeholders. The objective pursued at the European level is to make the public
Tulcea, the Romanian Eco-Tourism Association (AER), the Tulcea County Council,
as well as decision-makers aware of the region selected: This is how Landscape-
the Danube Carpathian Programme of the World Wide Fund for Nature (DCP WWF)
of-the-Year projects draw Europe-wide attention to the diversity of the continent’s
and the German Society for Technical Cooperation (GTZ) in Romania.
regions while generating awareness of Europe in the regions concerned and how
they build bridges between countries, people and regions. Moreover, experience
Additional cooperating partners
exchange is boosted between previous Landscapes-of-the-Year (Network of Lands-
The International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR), Natio-
capes of the Year). Taken together, all this is supposed to trigger lasting change,
nalpark Neusiedlersee und Seewinkel (A), the City of Tulcea, the school of Sf. Gheor-
i.e. initiate activities and processes that will show effect beyond the Landscape of
ghe, the Romanian Ministry for the Environment, Romanian Tourist Offices in Berlin,
the Year’s official duration.
Munich and Vienna, Greenways Romania, and on the Ukrainian side the Regional
For detailed information access www.landscapeoftheyear.net.
Agency for Crossborder Cooperation “Lower Danube Euroregion” and the Union for
Rural Green Tourism Development.
Contacts
Duration & Funding
Naturefriends International
The official duration of the Landscape-
Stefanie Röder
of-the-Year project is three years (2007–
A-1150 Wien, Diefenbachgasse 36
2009); in actual practice it extends over
Phone: + 43 1 8923877
4 years, including one year of prepara-
Fax:
tory and follow-up work plus evaluation.
+ 43 1 8129789
[email protected]
Funding is mainly provided by NFI with
support from the European Commission
Naturefriends Romania –
(DG Environment) and from the German
Prietenii Naturii Romania (PNRO)
Society for Technical Cooperation (GTZ).
Tiberiu Tioc
Funds are also contributed by various
Aleea Genistilor 25, sc.C, ap.M1
sponsors and under EU aid schemes.
Sibiu 550355, Romania
Phone / Fax: +40 369 561 778
Current information …
Mobil:
on activities in the Danube delta at:
+ 40 743025154
[email protected]
www.nf-int.org
“The Landscape of the Year is supposed
to trigger lasting change”
www.landscapeoftheyear.net/danubedelta
Project coordinator in Tulcea
www.sustainable-danubedelta.net
Silviu Covaliov
Phone: +40 751179189
[email protected]
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Naturefriends
International
Gefördert aus Mitteln
der Europäischen Union
Association of Ecotourism in Romania
Imprint: Published by: Naturfreunde Internationale | A-1150 Wien, Diefenbachgasse 36. Editing: Stefanie Röder. Photographs: Christian
Baumgartner, Silviu Covaliov, Lion Feijen, Eva und Rüdiger Löchner, Stefanie Röder. Graphics: Hilde Matouschek | www.officina.at. January 2009.
Diefenbachgasse 36
A-1150 Vienna
Phone: +43 1 8923877
Fax:
+43 1 8129789
[email protected]
www.nf-int.org
www.landscapeoftheyear.
net/danubedelta