Project Title: LIFE Danube Free Sky - Transnational
conservation of birds along Danube river
Project budget: € 6.636.170,00
Co-financing source: LIFE programme
Project duration: September 2020 – February 2026
Summary:
The risk of power lines for birds is still an underestimated
reason of mortality in certain countries or areas. Its significant and serious
impact on populations of endangered species is unknown and underrated even by
authorities worldwide.
The LIFE Danube Free Sky project represents a unique example
of wide transnational cooperation. Strong collaboration is presented of
beneficiaries from 7 countries and one non-beneficiary country including the
private commercial sector, nature conservation authorities, municipality, and
private non-commercial entities. The project presents a solution to one of the
biggest threats for the wild living species of birds today - interaction with
the power line. Moreover, this problem will be solved along with one of the
most important migration corridor, stopover site, and wintering place for many
bird species in Europe - the Danube river.
With its riparian zones and riverine habitats, the Danube forms ecological networks and Often build the backbone for bio—corridors. In addition, the corridor and its adjacent areas attract hundreds of bird species. Every year millions of birds follow the Danube on their spring and autumn odyssey to and from distant migrating sites. On y the Lower Danube and Danube Delta host some 331 species of birds, including the rare dalmatian pelican, as well as of the world population of red-breasted geese. Many of these species have undergone a dramatic decline in recent decades. Bird mortality from interaction with power lines and other electric utility structures has been documented for over 380 species of birds, with critically endangered and threatened species among those.
Objectives:
1. To contribute to the aim of the EU Biodiversity Strategy to halt the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services along the Danube river.
2. To reduce and prevent direct and indirect bird mortality caused by electrocution and collisions with the power lines within 23 project SPAs and 9 IBAs
3. To increase the population of the 12 target species
4. To establish safer migration routes and habitats along the Danube river
5. To start/strengthen the cooperation between the key stakeholders and increase the efficiency of adopted measures on a transnational level