National Id
Romania_ 07
Site name
Lower Prut Floodplain Natural Park
Summary
The project's objective was to improve the conservation status of aquatic bird species in Lower Prut Floodplain Natural Park, Galati County, Romania, through a series of strategic interventions involving scientific inventory, monitoring activities, sites restoration, raising awareness activities, implementation of the park management plan and designating four Special Protected Area - Romanian Natura 2000 sites. Partners were the University of Bucharest, Romanian ornithological society and Romsilva-Galati Forestry.
Light or indepth?
Light
NUTS Code
Sud-Est
RBD code
RO1000
Transboundary
0
Data provider
Barbu Constantin, RECImola Koszta, REC
Source(s)
Some aspects concerning wetland restoration programs in the Prut River Basin
Lower Prut Floodplain - Ecological restoration of the Lower Prut Floodplain Natural Park
Ecological Reconstruction works - Pochina Lake
NWRM(s) implemented in the case study
Floodplain restoration and management
Lake restoration
Longitude
28.096111
Latitude
45.991667
Climate zone
cool temperate dry
Mean rainfall
500
Mean rainfall unit
mm/year
Average temperature
11
Type
Case Study Info
Vegetation class
The aquatic vegetation; palustrian vegetation;
Monitoring impacts effects
1
Monitoring parameters
Monitoring of birds populations status: 1. Establishing a birds species monitoring program; 2. Establishing the facilities for the birds watching monitoring; Assessing the bio-accumulation of organic chlorine pesticides in birds.
Application scale
River
Installation date
2010-10
Area (ha)
74,8000030517578
Area subject to Land use change or Management/Practice change (ha)
41,7999992370605
Favourable preconditions
Wetlands belong to the category of ecologically fragile areas, their dynamic being influenced mainly by the qualitative and quantitative characteristic of the water in the hydrographical basin in which they extend. For this reason, the conservation measures promoted in these spaces must be doubled by a strict control of the anthropic activities / arrangements using water for different purposes or as a medium of discharging some wastes.
Public consultation
1
Design contractual arrangement
Arrangement type Responsibility Role Comments Name
Design consultation activity
Activity stage Key issues Name Comments
Implementation phase
These include information dissemination, consultation of every village in the area, and active participation and education with local educational material to be produced. The project takes into account that there is a relatively high illiteracy in the area and will address stakeholders in wide variety of ways, including picture books, nature trails, six annual environment days with expeditions into the area, children's exhibitions, and bird watching towers
Awareness raising activities
Design land use change
Land use change type
Design authority
Authority type Role Responsibility Name Comments
Regional / sub-national water authority
Implementation
Regional Environmental Protection Agency Galati
Other
Financing
County Council Galati
County Council
Other
University of Bucharest, Research Center for Environment and Impact Studies
Research and development ceter for the environment
NGO
Monitoring
Romanian Ornithological Society
Forest owners
Forestry Department Galati
NGO
Park Administration Lower Prut Floodplain
Other
Other
The administrative circumscription of Suceveni Commune, Rogojeni Village
Key lessons
The works at works of Pochina Lake assures, by gravitational transfer a sufficient water volum to contribute to the conservation of this special area, designated Special Protected Area (SPA).
Success factor(s)
Success factor type Success factor role Comments
Attitude of decision makers
main factor
Financing
Financing type Comments
National funds
The Ministry of Environment and the Sustainable Development
Local funds
Galati County Council
EU-funds: LIFE+
The European Commission - LIFE Nature
Barrier
Barrier type Barrier role Comments
Driver
Driver type Driver role Comments
Organisation committed to it
main driver
Financing share
Financing share type Share Comments
European funds
50
412.355 Euro
National funds
50
412.355 Euro
Policy description
The ecological reconstruction works carried out within the project ensure, by gravitational transfer, a water volume, enough to contribute to the conservation of this special conservation area, declared SPA.
Also, this water transfer from the Prut into Pochina Lake will allow for the cleaning of the bottom of the lake in the future, together with the excess of water being evacuated the extra alluvial deposits, too.
With a view to maintain the water level, dykes were built on the channels as well as footbridges for the free circulation.
Quantified objectives
The ecological reconstruction works proposed by the project and achieved during the year 2009, consisted in the cleaning and re-profiling of the two channels connecting Pochina Lake and Prut River, respectively the supply channel (L=362m) situated in the eastern extremity of the lake, and the evacuation channel (L= 235 m) situated in the western extremity. The dredging of the mud from Pochina Lake was carried out by the removal of the aquatic vegetation and the elimination of the mud on a part of the lake, i.e. the enlarging of the entrance area of the supply channel into the lake.
Part of wider plan
1
Policy target
Target purpose
Increase Water Storage
Improved Biodiversity
Groundwater Recharge
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
National
Environment & Biodiversity
Lower Danube Green Corridor programme
Policy requirement directive
Requirement directive Specification
Direct benefits information
Better conditions for the birds population; increasing the number for aquatic bird species (especially those listed in Annex I of Birds Directive, Bern Convention and in ORNIS lists); improve the trophic state and saprobity of the target aquatic systems; allowing the water oxygenation of the lakes through the input of the fresh water from the Prut River; including the monitoring birds protocols in the adaptive Management Plan of Lower Prut Floodplain Natural Park;
Ancillary benefits information
Supply the potential of fisheries resources; using the potential of providing services for tourism and recreation;
Costs total
824710
Ecosystem improved biodiversity
1
Information on Ecosystem improved biodiversity
Restoration of aquatic birds sites in the natural protected area located in Lower Prut Floodplain Natural Patk - Pochina Lake