Promoting PES in the Danube Basin

Transcription

1 Promoting PES in the Danube Basin Fostering PES projects in CEE and NIS Training Seminar, December , Isle of Vilm Yanka Kazakova WWF Danube Carpathian Programme

2 The Danube The most international river basin in the world extends over 817,000 km² crosses through 10 countries its watershed drains 19 countries outstanding ecosystems that provide multiple functions and benefits

3 Ecosystem services biodiversity conservation water purification pollution reduction flood protection and support for socio-economic activities such as fisheries and tourism

4 Main threats to the environment: (a) Past and current loss of wetlands and floodplains that have reduced the biodiversity and stability of ecosystems, and have aggravated flooding. (b) Eutrophication and pollution of the watercourses and groundwater due to agriculture, industry and household discharges affecting not only the Danube basin but also the Black Sea (c) Inadequate financial and technical resources to support conservation, and to make it more attractive to rural and urban dwellers; (d) Potential loss of remaining stretches of high ecological value as a result of careless infrastructure development, including navigation and tourism infrastructure.

5 Main opportunities The Danube Convention The ongoing eastward enlargement of the European Union EU Water Framework Directive Reformed EU s Regional Development and Common Agricultural Policy European Neighborhood Policy

6 But..little will happen in the Lower Danube and Danube Delta if (a) countries fail to come up with credible rural conservation plans and programs to claim EU financial support, (b) if local farmers do not sign up to conservation practices that qualify them to receive conservation payments; and (c) if the leverage of the availability of EU funds is not used to leverage national and private sources of payments.

7 Overall development objective To secure global environmental benefits by mainstreaming payments for ecosystem services (PES) and sustainable financing (SF) schemes in integrated river basin management for large-scale international watersheds.

8 Specific project objectives: 1. To demonstrate and promote PES and other sustainable financing schemes in the Lower and Middle Danube river basins. 2. To derive lessons of relevance for the Danube basin at large and for other international watersheds

9 Expected outcomes O1: PES and SF schemes that reward the maintenance, improvement or adoption of conservation-friendly land uses are contributing to integrated river basin management and rural livelihoods in the Lower and Middle Danube

10 Expected outcomes O2: Key stakeholders in the wider Danube river basin, particularly in the Middle and Lower Danube are aware of ecosystem services, PES and SF mechanisms, and are considering adapting them to their river basins and situations

11 Expected outcomes O3: The project has made significant contributions to the conservation community s knowledge of how to scale-up PES and SF schemes, as well as how to incorporate them in integrated river basin management so that they deliver significant conservation and rural livelihood improvements

12 OUTCOME 1 PES and other sustainable financing mechanisms are integrated into Danube river basin and sub-basin management plans National PES schemes in Romania and Bulgaria effectively reward provision of Danube-related ecosystem services Demonstration of local-level implementation of public payments for Danube-related ecosystem services Private sector involvement and support for PES schemes demonstrated

13 OUTCOME 2 Capacity building and training in PES and sustainable financing schemes for key stakeholders in Romania and Bulgaria Information and experience exchange for key stakeholders in Danube and sub river basins

14 Outcome 3 Exchange of information and experience with stakeholders in selected major river basins Best practices and lessons learned are documented, distributed and discussed with the conservation and international community

15 Selection criteria Potential to succeed Diversity of environments and ecosystem services Diversity of payments schemes Priorities and interests of relevant national authorities Local stakeholders willingness and ability to work with the project Previous WWF experience and interest in the area

16 Roussenski Lom Bulgaria total area 110,736.3 ha, of which ca. 80,568 ha is agricultural land main occupation is in the agricultural sector cereals and vegetable production the landscape is formed by the flat plateau and the deep valley and cliffs following the picturesque meanders of the river Rousenski Lom Nature Park - UNESCO World Heritage site, Natura 2000 site

17 Environmental services Biodiversity conservation Erosion control (diffuse) Pollution reduction

18 Conservation goals Biodiversity protection, habitat and species preservation. Preservation and management of high nature value grasslands Management of high conservation value forest areas. Enlargement of the territory of the park Introduce sustainable financing sources for effective management of the protected area

19 Suggested activities Maintain the meadows along the river and prevent succession and forestation of the area. Convert arable land along the rivers into grassland Prevent conversion of high conservation value pastures and meadows to arable land. Implement sustainable forestry management (sustainable forestry certification) in the forestry practices on the territory of the park. Introduce visitor taxes to the park and taxes for providers of services on the territory of the park (hotels, restaurants, other tourist packages).

20 Identified stakeholders MoA, MoE Nature park administration Local people Farmers Forest managers Visitors Municipal authorities Tourism suppliers

21 Calarasi Fish Farms The original landscape was a mosaic of wetlands and natural channels, reed beds and patches of natural floodplain forest The existing Iezerul Lake and fish ponds are now connected with the Danube through channels IBAs, national protected site, Nature 2000 site Main occupation is in agriculture and fisheries

22 Environmental services Hydrological (water storage, flood retention, ground water recharge) Biogeochemical (nutrient retention, filtering capacity) Ecological (habitat for plants and animals spawning, breeding, nesting, feeding; reservoir of biodiversity, productivity food web) Socio-economic (use of natural resources - fish, reed; eco-tourism, recreation and education).

23 Main pressures Conflicts between fish eating birds and the farm managers (birds are often killed) Fishery practices, including morphological changes of the ponds; fluctuations in water level; removal of aquatic vegetation; reed cutting or burning Water pollution from agriculture (the main economic activity in the area is agriculture)

24 Conservation goals Ecological restoration or rehabilitation of the natural features of the former Danube floodplain; Designation and sustainable management of protected areas; Promotion of sustainable development in the Lower Danube through mechanisms which ensure the maintenance and sustainable use of natural resources.

25 Suggested activities 1. Habitat management - Timing of activities eg. fish ponds must be refilled before the mud is completely dry; the removal of vegetation (if absolutely necessary) must take place after the breeding season, etc; - The channels, which ensure direct connection of the fish ponds with the river, must be maintained 2. Control of human activities generating disturbance - Regulation of hunting - Use of specific devices to prevent access of fish-eating birds to the fish ponds 3. Development of eco-tourism activities

26 MoA and MoE fish farm owners/managers local authorities protected areas authorities farmers tourism suppliers visitors consumers Identified stakeholders