Remarkable start of the new joint Danube-wide project: LIFE WILDisland! On May 10, 2022, the kick-off conference of the LIFE WILDisland project initiated the new cross-sectoral cooperation.
After the welcome speech given by Mr. Ivan Zavadsky (ICPDR) and opening words made by several ministers of key departments from different Danube countries, the project was presented by Mr. Georg Frank - WILDisland project manager and DANUBEPARKS Secretary General.
Keynote speech from Brussels about the Strategic dimension of LIFE WILDisland for the Biodiversity Strategy 2030 was given by Frank Vassen (EU Commission), after which a Panel Discussion was held (different Danube countries and sectors).
Finally, the Communiqué on Danube-wide cooperation in the field of Nature and Ecological Connectivity was presented and signed by the 9 Danube Countries and their Excellency Ambassadors. During the Ambassador's speeches, the role of the Danube river as a connection between the countries from the source to the delta was stressed out several times. Hopefully, this is really a great step forward to better cross-sectoral international cooperation along the Danube!
Also, at the end of the first day, a technical project meeting was held to establish the LIFE WILDisland Steering Committee.
On the second day of the conference, a field trip to LIFE WILDisland restoration sites in the Donau-Auen National Park was organized. During the boat trip from Wildungsmauer to Hainburg the project site "Schwalbeninsel" was visited as well as the Dynamic LIFE Line Danube project site.
This was a great opportunity for the experience exchange about the results of LIFE Revitalisierung Donau-Ufer and other ecological river engineering projects in the Donau-Auen National Park.
After the inspiring conference, the first results of the project are coming out soon. You can find more project updates HERE!