Development and Protection of the Transboundary Biosphere Reserve Mura-Drava-Danube

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The UNESCO’ programme Man and Biosphere declared the Transboundary Biosphere Reserve Mura-Drava-Danube in June 2012, on the area of the Republic of Croatia and Hungary. Management institution from both country increase their cooperation by development joint projects which are successfully applied on different programmes for financing – IPA CBC HU-HR programme, INTERREG Danube Transnational programme, LIFE+ and LIFE programme. Those projects are related to the habitat restoration, landscape rehabilitation, education and eco-tourism development such as Three Rivers-One Aim, Water and Life for Drava and Vuka, Lingua, Two Rivers and One Hill, Old Drava, Drava Life. During the projects implementation an excellent partnership has been developed between the Hungarian and Croatian beneficiaries. These projects targeted certain issues, but during their realisation the need for an overall, harmonised management occurred. The project Riverside aimed to elaborate a Joint Nature Conservation Management Policy (hereafter Policy) for the core and buffer zones of Transboundary Biosphere Reserve Mura-Drava-Danube (hereafter TBR MDD). The Policy will focus on the following issues: give a general description of TBR MDD; state main threats and challenges for conservation; suggest potential solutions and management practices; share best practices and case studies; give recommendations for further development. In the development of the Policy, other relevant stakeholders (Ministries, water, forestry, tourism management, regional councils, local inhabitants,..) will be included. Fostering the joint management among the partners, mutual studies will be launched targeting selected Natura 2000 species (especially dragonfly species). Furthermore, protection measures will be applied on some Natura 2000 habitats and species. The message of the Policy will be shared not only with the stakeholders or decision makers, but wide public will be informed about the value and importance of TBR MDD too. Also, the small scale of infrastructure will improve the managment activities with visitors in the area of TBR MDD and with that consequently connected better managment with Natura 2000 habitats and species. The Representative book of TBR MDD will be published to show the joint efforts of management institutions. Numerous public events will be organized (3 Biosphere Reserve days, 3 Biodiverity days, Waterparty, Kick of and Closing conference, workshops, trainings) will be organised for the local inhabitants and stakeholders. To make the TBR MDD more tangible, promotional material (leaflets, giveaways...) will be made and distributed. The project will be realised by management institutions and Zala county, from Hungarian side Duna-Drava NPD, from Croatian side public institutions for nature protection from Međimurje, Varaždin, Koprivnica-Križevci, Virovitica-podravina i Osijek-Baranja county. To improve the quality of wetland habitats a small scale habitat restoration is planned within the Duna-Drava National Park, by partially dredging the Kisinci lake. Each beneficiary will participate in the development of the Policy and take part in the presentation and promotion of the TBR MDD. 20 studies and other document will be design during the project implementation. The Policy will be important for those stakeholders whose activity will affect the TBR MDD directly. The results of joint studies will be used by nature conservation managers and authorities. The wide public, especially the local inhabitants will benefit from the project by numerous public events, Representative book of TBR MDD and the multilingual leaflets. In all counties, TBR MDD is located in the eligible area. Although the concrete action will be realised in eligible area, the Policy will also mention those parts of TBR MDD (Tolna and Bács-Kiskun county), which are outside the eligible area. The planned project duration is 24 months.

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