National Id
Romania_05
Site name
Danube
Summary
Green Borders - WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature) started in January 2009, along the Danube river in Romania and Bulgaria, the LIFE Nature project "Transboundary conservation of the Phalacrocorax pygmaeus and Aythya nyroca in Romanian and Bulgarian key sites" to ensure living conditions for the two species by: nesting and feeding areas, reconstruction; implementing the best practices for fisheries management, developing alternatives for minimizing the damage delt by pygmy cormorants in fisheries, stoping the species killing generated by accidental or deliberated hunting, informing the local communities on the importance of the two species and attracting funds for those alternative activities that can support the special conservation measure necessary to the species.
Light or indepth?
Light
NUTS Code
Sud - Muntenia
RBD code
AT1000
Transboundary
0
Data provider
Koszta Imola, REC
Source(s)
Main project website
"Frontiere Verzi". Reconstructie ecoogica in baltile Dunarii
NWRM(s) implemented in the case study
Floodplain restoration and management
Wetland restoration and management
Longitude
24.671109
Latitude
43.73428
Climate zone
warm temperate moist
Mean rainfall
450
Mean rainfall unit
mm/year
Average temperature
11,5
Mean runoff
65,9400024414063
Mean runoff unit
450 - 600 mm
Average runoff coefficient
0,150000005960464
Type
Actual Test Site
Average slope range
0-1% (flat, flood plain lookalike, butshowing small bumps (type of sand dunes) that don't exceed a few meters. The height in the area of Gerai Pond ranges between 22 and 24 meters, the location being almost horizontal. Only in the North area of the pond the heights increase somewhere around 40 to 45 m locally and in some cases reaches 50 m)
Performance impact estimation method
Catchment outlet
Performance impact estimation information
Field observation
Application scale
Field Scale
Installation date
2011
Lifespan
50
Performance timescale
< 1 year
Area (ha)
950
Area subject to Land use change or Management/Practice change (ha)
950
Design capacity description
could store 4.2 million m3 during floods;
3 dams were build on the 3 drainage canals: one of 110 m, one of 60 and one of 40; new canal of 900 m long and 4 m wide was constructed in order to supply the pond with freshwater.
Public consultation
1
Design contractual arrangement
Arrangement type Responsibility Role Comments Name
Design consultation activity
Activity stage Key issues Name Comments
Design phase
There were approximately 400
small landowners from Izlaz and Garcov villages on Balta Geraiului.
Consultation meeting in Izlaz and Garcov on 29-30 September, 2009
Design land use change
Land use change type
Design authority
Authority type Role Responsibility Name Comments
NGO
Implementation
WWF Danube Carpathian Programme Romania
Other
E.P.A. Olt
Environmetal Protection Agency
Other
E.P.A Teleorman
Environmetal Protection Agency
NGO
Romanian Ornithological Society
Key lessons
The successfull implementation was enabled by the good cooperation between different sectors (NGO, local authorities) and public communication and participation.
Success factor(s)
Success factor type Success factor role Comments
Public participation
main factor

There were approximately 400 small landowners from Izlaz and Garcov villages on Balta Geraiului.
Financing
Financing type Comments
EU-funds: LIFE+
Barrier
Barrier type Barrier role Comments
Other
main barrier
Due to burdensome procedures to obtain all the documents to accomplish the work, the entire activity has been delayed by a year.
Driver
Driver type Driver role Comments
Other
main driver
The need to create and ensure the protection and conservation of threatened bird species.
Financing share
Financing share type Share Comments
Policy description
Ecological restoration of the habitats (nesting and feeding) for hydrophilic species like the red duck (Aythya nyroca) and pygmy cormorant (Phalacrocorax pygmaeus), both being threatened species
Part of wider plan
1
Policy target
Target purpose
Improved Biodiversity
Runoff control
Oher Societal Benefits
Policy pressure
Pressure directive Relevant pressure
Policy area
Policy area type Policy area focus Name Comments
Policy impact
Impact directive Relevant impact
Policy wider plan
Wider plan type Wider plan focus Name Comments
Lower Danube Green Corridor strategy
Policy requirement directive
Requirement directive Specification
Direct benefits information
red duck (Aythya nyroca) and pygmy cormorant (Phalacrocorax pygmaeus) and other bird species returned to the area
Ancillary benefits information
ancillary benefits for the people living in the area, such as grassland suitable for grazing
Costs investment information
N/A info - waiting for reply
Costs capital
65000
Costs capital information
Construction of 3 dams on the drainage canals in order to retain water in the area. Construction of a new canal in order to supply the pond with freshwater
Costs operation maintenance
N/A info - waiting for reply
Costs total information
N/A info - waiting for reply
Ecosystem improved biodiversity
1
Information on Ecosystem improved biodiversity
Contributed to the quality improvement of an important habitat of the the red duck, pygmy cormorant and other emblematic bird species of the area. At the beginning of the project there 20 nesting red duck pairs on the Gerai Pond, in 2013 this number raised to 60.
Ecosystem provisioning services
1
Information on Ecosystem provisioning services
Beekeepers from all over the country, came to pick mint,fishing can be practiced in some parts of the area and increased Eco-tourism
Ecosystem impact climate regulation
Increased permanent biomas
Information on Ecosystem impact climate regulation
During the dry season in 2012 there was a green grassland with a wide diversity of plants (such as mint)
Information on retained water
1.5 million m3
Information on increased water storage
could store 4.2 million m3 during floods
Information on runoff reduction
N/A info
Water quality overall improvements
N/A info
Information on Water quality overall improvements
N/A info
Soil quality overall soil improvements
Not relevant for this application
Information on Soil quality overall soil improvements
Not relevant for this application