Participants & Projects Involved (IWL Share: 100%)

• Bulgaria Wetland Restoration Project: Tzvetanka Dimitrova, Mihail Mihailov, Stoyan Michov, Veselin Koev, Daniela Karakasheva, Jordan Kutzarov, Anna Georgieva (World Bank), Alexander Zinke (Consultant to project)

Host Institution

• Danube River National Park (also a side visit to the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River)

Other Funding Partners

• World Bank

Introduction, Purpose: Why an Exchange

The Danube River National Park, which consists of wetlands as well as our two project sites – Persina Nature Park and Kalimok-Brushlen Protected Site is designated as a Ramsar site, and one of great importance for the improvement of the Danube River water quality. The global environmental objective of the Bulgarian Wetlands Restoration and Pollution Reduction project is to demonstrate and provide for replication of reduction of  transboundary nutrient loads and other agricultural pollution flowing into the Danube River and Black Sea basins while at the same time conserving key target threatened species in the two protected sites through: (i) wetlands restoration and protected areas management programs, and (ii) support for stakeholders to adopt environmentally-friendly economic activities in the two project areas.

The Danube Auen National Park, lying between Vienna and Bratislava, covers an area of nearly 10,000 hectares along a 36 kilometers stretch of the Danube. It is one of the last large undeveloped wetlands in Central Europe and encompasses an enormous variety of wildlife habitats; the River Danube, canals and tributaries, marshy pools, gravel banks, wetlands, forests and meadows. The Danube National Park is with great importance for improvement of Danube water quality and biodiversity conservation. The Danube National Park Directorate staff is well experienced in wetlands management, and in cooperation with different stakeholders. The park is open to visitors as well as is free for walking and cycling.  There are guided tours, boat excursions, bicycle tours, coach rides and adventure weeks.
The Bulgarian experts will have the opportunity to learn more for all aspects of the wetlands management, environmental monitoring, stakeholder involvement and public participation. They will have the chance to meet the staff of ICPDR Secretariat in Vienna.

Learning Objectives

The specific objectives of the exchange are as follows:

• Learn about the Danube national park status, operation and floodplain restoration needs;
• Learn about the 3 different restoration concepts implemented between 1996 and 2007 and experiences gained;
• Visit of the sites by foot and boat;
• Learn about the tourism development in the wetlands;
• Make a comparison with the situation in Bulgaria, meeting with particular stakeholders;
• Establish cooperation and networking.

Outputs/Outcomes

• The capacity of the Persina Nature Park Durectorate’s and Kalimok-Brushlen Protected Site Association’s staff strengthened and the skill for development and management of international projects improved.
• Mr. Michov will use the gained experience for the practical development of operational guidance for operation and maintenance of the restored areas.
• Mrs. Dimitrova and Mr. Michailov will use the information for the development of other wetlands restoration projects within the Danube River Basin, which will benefit the improvement of the Danube River Water quality and biodiversity conservation.
• Ms. Karakasheva will use the experience gained for the improvement of the PNP newsletter and operation of the Visitor Center.
• The production of an IW:LEARN Experience Note covering the topic of Wetland Restoration and the Bulgaria project experience.
• Individual learning objectives and final mission reports for each participant submitted one week after the completion of the exchange.

Related content

Bulgaria: Wetland Restoration and Pollution Reduction Project - component of Danube/Black Sea Strategic Partnership: Nutrient Reduction Investment Fund

Bulgaria Wetlands Restoration Project: Concept Paper

Wetlands Restoration and Pollution Reduction Project (Persina Marshes & Kalimok-Brushlen Marshes): Environmental Assessment

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