We are really excited to announce the start of the "Establishing the Danube WILDIsland Ramsar Regional Initiative" project, funded by the Federal Republic of Germany, represented by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection.
This three-year project will complement the start-up funding received from the Core Budget of the Convention on Wetlands to launch the first river-based Danube WILDisland Ramsar Regional Initiative (RRI) in Europe.
The project aims to support the establishment of the Danube WILDisland RRI Coordination Office as a brand new Lower Danube regional office of the DANUBEPARKS Association, hosted by the Persina Nature Park in Bulgaria. The actions also provide for the development of long-term Strategic and Communication Plans to steer the operation of the RRI; the organization of numerous expert workshops and study visits to allow for experience exchange and joint planning Danube-wide. We also intend to initiate coordinated practical measures and public campaigns for wetland conservation. Our goal is to strengthen and ensure the continuation of our joint efforts through follow-up projects and continuous cross-border cooperation.
The project starts now and will run until the end of 2027.
The Danube WILDisland RRI aims to provide operational means for international cooperation, exchange of knowledge and experience in wetland preservation and support the local environmental administrations for the implementation of the Ramsar Convention. The RRI will improve the visibility of wetland-related issues, involving all relevant national and regional stakeholders. It will provide a common platform for networking, joint planning and coordination, experience exchange, awareness-raising, fundraising and practical cooperation for direct conservation measures; utilizing the preservation and restoration of WILDislands along the Danube as indicator for river-dynamics, intact ecosystem services and non-intervention management.
The Danube WILDisland RRI was developed by DANUBEPARKS within the LIFE WILDisland project and hosted by the International Commission of the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR). It was formally adopted in June 2024 as the 22nd RRI globally.
We would like to thank our donors from and supporters from the Federal Republic of Germany, represented by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection, the Ramsar Convention Secretariat, the ICPDR and our member countriesand we are looking foward to our fruitful cooperation!
This is one of the main milestones for us, which will guarantee the longevity and sustainability of our efforts to preserve the Danube as a unique habitat corridor and promote WILDislands as symbols of intact river dynamics and preserved riparian ecosystems.