Project Detail

Natural Grasslands: Habitats for White Storks and Resources for Communities

Conservation of the Continental Grasslands in the upper Mures River Floodplains through their Integration into the National Natura 2000 Network and Implementation of a Model Project for the Sustainable Grasslands Management in Dumbravioara Village, with the Involvement of the Local Community Using a Flagship Species, the White Stork. Activities include: identification of potential Natura 2000 sites and preparation of in the village; construction of an observation tower for tourists; promotion materials; guided tours.

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Project Snapshot

Grantee:

Asociatia Grupul Milvus

Country:

Romania

Area Of Work:

Biodiversity

Operational Phase:

Phase 2

Grant Amount:

US$ 23,211.00

Co-Financing Cash:

US$ 10,053.00

Co-Financing in-Kind:

US$ 3,969.00

Project Number:

ROM/05/01

Start Date:

3/2005

End Date:

5/2006

Status:

Satisfactorily Completed

Photo Gallery

Video camera mounted at one of the stork's nests in Dumbravioara, Romania

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Project Characteristics and Results

Policy Influence

Following awareness raising activities in the community, the latter started to iinfluence decisions at the local level, showing that Dumbravioara, "the village of storks", wants to build its future in harmony with nature, relying rather on eco-tourism than on polluting industries. While the local authorities had granted permission for an environmentally polluting investment (asphalt-mixture industry), 525 community votes against this changed the course of decision towards denial of the investor's access. The Milvus NGO had an important role to play as a catalyst in this process.

Emphasis on Sustainable Livelihoods

Following awareness raising activities, the local population realised that stork habitat conservation (protection of green pastures) is the only income-generating value for the community. This resulted in their voting against an environmentally damaging investment in the area.

Promoting Public Awareness of Global Environment

Message boards and publications such as the guide to installing stork nest supports educate the local community on the global importance of preserving the grasslands in their natural state and the protection of storks as flagship species.

Significant Participation of Indigenous Peoples

Most of the project activities were carried out by local people who were continously involved in developing ideas and implementation methods. All social and age categories were covered, including youth (students of Dumbravioara school)

Planning gef grant

No such plans at the moment.

Notable Community Participation

The Milvus NGO works closely with the local community during the establishment of the Stork museum, tourist information and bird rehabilitation centre.. The storks' festival is organised by a local initiative group and Milvus.

Replication of project activities

The component on grassland conservation in the upper Mures floodplains, including integration in the Natura 2000 network, can be replicated in other segments of the Mures river or in other rivers' floodplain areas, considering the low extent to which this type of habitat is protected from threatening human activities. The local community pilot initiative on the sustainable management of grasslands in Dumbravioara village using the white stork as a flagship species is also replicable in any of the neighbouring villages with a similar level of occurrence of the white stork.

Project sustainability

The project was designed for long-term achievements. The Stork Festival has already attracted funds and aims for self-sustainability starting 2007. The Stork Museum derives enough funds for itself from visitors (not costly). The Milvus NGO will operate the Rehabilitation Centre along with volunteers from Peace Corps and the community. It is aimed to turn it into a CITES Rescue Center, with most of the funding coming from government resources.

Policy Impact

The rehabilitation center and the innovative solution for powerlines isolation will provide a standard and a model for future development of procedures concerning animal protection and welfare.

Capacity - Building Component

There were several seminars organized for the local community, for instance: bio gardening, the Agro-environmental programme of the Romanian Government and Natura 2000, sustainable pasture management.

Project Results

1. Raising awareness on nature conservation issues among local people was successful. The community understood the importance of grassland conservation for the benefit of the white stork population. This represents the basis for eco-tourism development as an income-generating activity.

2. The documentation for including the area as a Natura 2000 site was developed under the project and was submitted to the Ministry of Environment for decision.

3. A web surveillance camera was mounted on a white stork nest to monitor their activity in real time.The captured images can be seen on a computer located in the Stork Museum. The information recorded is kept and utilised by Milvus specialists. Once internet will be available in the village (2007) the images from the stork nest will be widely broadcasted.

4. Stork festival becomes traditional as established through the project in 2005. An increased number of local population got involved in the event in 2006.

5.An innovative solution to isolate medium-voltage power poles hosting white storks nests was developed for the first time in Romania and used in the project. The methodology was worked out by the Milvus NGO with the electricity company and involved the selection of ?electrocution hot-spots? in Dumbravioara and ordering of the insulating materials. The electricity company carried out the work at their own cost.

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Indicators

Biophysical

Number of innovations or new technologies developed/applied 1

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