„Wetland Tourism: A Great Experience“

Press Release from January 27th, 2012

Radolfzell.   The eastern Adriatic coast has more to offer than just beaches and a steel-blue sea: underground caves, huge lakes and karst moors - flooded and dried out by subterranean watercourses. At the World Wetlands Day on February 2nd, the Pan-European nature conservation organisation EuroNatur wants to draw the attention to the importance of wetlands on the Balkan Peninsula. This year’s campaign day, organised once per year by the Ramsar Convention, will be dedicated to the theme “Wetland Tourism: A Great Experience”. “A great abundance of wetlands stretches along the eastern Adriatic coast from Slovenia via Croatia, Bosnia, and Montenegro to Albania. The biodiversity of this natural paradise is, however, severely endangered by drainage, buildings and bird hunting,” says EuroNatur executive director Gabriel Schwaderer.

In addition, the wetlands at the eastern Adriatic coast offer not just ecological but also great economic benefits. In contrary to the beaches, nature travel destinations like the caves of Škocjanin in Slovenia, which have been declared as UNESCO world natural heritage, or the great Balkan lakes Prespa and Ohrid in the three-border region between Macedonia, Albania and Greece, have the potential to attract visitors all over the whole year thus providing a constant stream of income. Crane watching on and around the Baltic island Ruegen, for example, extends the summer season from September to October. EuroNatur promotes to introduce similar projects in southeast Europe - as the economical potential of sustainable nature along the Adriatic coast has not been fully used yet. Even though countries like Croatia and Montenegro advertise with slogans like “The Mediterranean - as it once was” or “wild beauty”, there is still not enough information for tourists to help them discover the many hidden treasures. 

EuroNatur’s travel guides “Eastern Adriatic Coast” and “Prespa-Ohrid Region” are first, important steps ‘on the journey’ to make this part of Europe with its magnificent natural and cultural heritage more popular and prevent it from destruction. “The countries along the eastern Adriatic coast want to have a longer tourist season. We help them to get there. By doing so, we create solid alternative solutions which hold long-term economical prospects without damaging the nature or shooting birds,” says EuroNatur project leader Dr. Martin Schneider-Jacoby. 


More information about:

• World Wetlands Day 

• about EuroNatur projects for the protection of the Prespa-Ohrid region
  
  

For questions please contact:

EuroNatur
Konstanzer Straße 22
78315 Radolfzell
Tel.: +49 (0)7732 - 92 72 10
Fax: +49 (0)7732 - 92 72 22
E-Mail: info@euronatur.org
Internet: www.euronatur.org
Contact: Dr. Martin Schneider-Jacoby
Press contact: Katharina Grund

The Neretva Delta is a fast changing cultural landscape. Like in Venice, its surface is linked through a net of channels. For centuries, local people have been cultivating minor fields and gardens along the river and its branches, using the borders of the reed areas and wetlands to pasture their livestock. A mosaic of reed areas, lagoons, delta lakes, pastures, small fields and gardens combines into a real bird paradise and an important resting place for hundreds of thousands of migratory birds. Even though a considerable part of the Delta has meanwhile been protected and listed under the Ramsar Convention, human interference continues to threaten its natural and cultural heritage: every year, further areas of this unique landscape are destroyed by tangerine plantations and industrial areas. And on the few remaining spots, the birds are at the mercy of hunters who shoot down anything that flies.

Since many years, EuroNatur together with its local partners has been engaged to safe this valuable region, trying to detain the destruction of the landscape and impede bird hunting. One important means to achieve this aim is to gain the support of the local population and to show them that only by preserving nature they will be able to ensure their income in the long run.

Read more about the campaign "Bird Hunting on the Balkans - Crime Scene Adriatic Coast"

A group of researchers of the Finnish university Turku have equipped Renttimä and three other cranes with transmitters so that they can trace their flight routes to and from their wintering grounds. The website of the researchers shows the current stay of the birds. Like ten thousands of other cranes, Renttimä uses the so-called Adriatic Flyway - from the wintering grounds in North Africa via the Adriatic Coast and the Balkans.

During their long and exhausting journey, the birds need resting areas where they can get new energy to continue their trip. The Bojana-Buna delta, with its lagoons and agricultural meadows, at the borders of Albania and Montenegro, would provide ideal conditions for a stopover. However, excessive poaching prevents the birds from landing there and only few stay in this area. Renttimä flew over this dangerous region, too. Exhausted by the long flight, it went down on the karst territory Nikic Polje in the hinterland of Montenegro. It is still held up there by the bad weather conditions.

During the last decades, 80% of the former wetlands along the eastern Adriatic coast were sacrificed for agriculture and tourism. In addition, every year bird hunters lurk and swarm around in the little intact wetlands to shoot the exhausted birds without mercy. EuroNatur and their partners make special efforts in the various countries to secure the precious habitats for migratory birds along the Adriatic coast as a network of protected areas for no hunting. Together with their partners, they make their presence felt. They control the territories to stop the hunting for cranes and other birds.

Link to website of the research group for cranes of the university of Turku

More about the campaign “Crime Scene Adriatic Coast – Bird Hunting on the Balkans”

EuroNatur requests better protection of migratory birds

Press Release from 15 January 2010
 
Radolfzell.   While Germany is still covered under ice and snow, migratory birds in the Mediterranean area are already waiting in the wings to return to their breeding grounds. Species like starlings, the Grey Heron, Eurasian Woodcock or the Northern Lapwing are just waiting for milder weather in our country to start their journey home. “It is irresponsible that the bird hunting is in full swing in countries like Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro and Albania in January and February, and partly continues until March”, states Gabriel Schwaderer, Managing Director of the Natural Heritage Fund EuroNatur in Radolfzell. By the shoot, the most important wintering grounds and resting areas are devaluated and turned into death traps for our breeding birds instead.

The hunting season lasts too long and poaching is publicly tolerated. The shooting of protected species like cranes or the Ferruginous Duck is very common in the Balkans. When migratory birds are shot, they cannot take care to maintain their breeding stock. The EU directive for bird protection strictly forbids hunting while the birds return to their breeding grounds. “However, the hunters in the countries along the Eastern Adriatic Sea hazard the consequences of the loss of rare species in an irresponsible way. As long as the migratory routes are not safe, even the most extensive protection measures in the breeding grounds will be inefficient in the long term,” Schwaderer warns. EuroNatur requests, that the hunting season in all Balkan countries, too must stop on January 15th latest. This act would be a major contribution to maintain biodiversity in Europe.


Background Information:

• Campaign „Crime Scene Adriatic Coast - Bird Hunting on the Balkans“
• Video bird hunting in Montenegro
  

Interview partner and photos:

EuroNatur
Konstanzer Straße 22
78315 Radolfzell
Tel.: +49 7732 - 92 72 10
Fax: +49 7732 - 92 72 22
E-Mail: info@euronatur.org
Internet: www.euronatur.org
Contact: Dr. Martin Schneider-Jacoby
Press contact: Katharina Grund

Tilos receives EuroNatur award for dedicated protection of migratory birds

Press Release from 7 October 2009

Radolfzell.   Just like every year, this autumn tens of thousands of migratory birds rest on the island of Tilos in the Dodekanes. Amongst them one finds rare breeding birds from Germany like the Golden Oriole, Red-backed Shrike, Marsh Warbler and the Lesser Whitethroat. By having banned bird hunting on their island for more than 15 years – despite massive pressure of the hunting lobby from outside – the inhabitants of Tilos, an island located near Rhodos, also protect bird life in Germany. “Tilos is an excellent example to show how undisturbed resting areas along migration routes contribute to an effective bird protection”, says Professor Dr. Hartmut Vogtmann, President of EuroNatur. Today, at the Bodensee island Mainau, the Greek community Tilos was awarded with the EuroNatur prize for their long-time commitment in bird protection. On behalf of the citizens of Tilos, mayor Dr. Anastasios Aliferis, accepted the unremunerated award.

Tilos, however, is only one of the few positive examples. On other Greek islands but also on Cyprus, Malta and along the Eastern Adriatic coast the situation is devastating. Intense bird hunting causes in many countries that the essential resting areas near and in the sea become death traps. “This makes it even more important to have positive role models like Tilos to create hope and stimulate encouragement to follow their example”, compliments Professor Vogtmann the award. The granting of the EuroNatur Award 2009 to the island of Tilos is a clear sign within the EuroNatur campaign “Scene of crime Adriatic Sea – Bird Hunting in the Balkans”. As such the little island impressively shows that there are convincining alternatives to bird hunting.

“Banning bird hunting has created a solid foundation for a socially responsible and ecologically compatible tourism on Tilos”, continues Vogtmann. With its manifold biodiversity and calm nature the island attracts nature lovers all year. The diversity of breeding birds alone is spectactular: Eleonora’s Falcon, Bonelli’s Eagle, Long-Legged Buzzard, Audouin’s Gull and European Roller can be watched all year. Gentle tourism creates an important source of income for the insulars all year long. Together with its partners EuroNatur is working towards this development also in other project areas but especially in the Balkans.

Background information:
EuroNatur Award: Previous award winners of the EuroNatur Award are amongst others Prof. Dr. Klaus Toepfer, Karl Ludwig Schweisfurth, Prince Charles, Michail Gorbatschow, Nelson Mandela and Dr. Hans Bibelriether. The EuroNatur Award is unremunerated. This award honours excellent achievements for Nature Conservation.


For further information and photos please feel free to contact us.

EuroNatur
Konstanzer Strasse 22
78315 Radolfzell
fon +49 7732 927210
fax +49 7732 927222
e-Mail: info@euronatur.org
www.euronatur.org
Contact: Gabriel Schwaderer
Press contact: Katharina Grund

Crime Scene Adriatic Coast – Bird Hunting on the Balkans

Press Release from 29 September 2009

Radolfzell. The Ferruginous Duck is one of the most rare breeding birds in Germany.  Hence the shooting of hundreds of Ferruginous Ducks continuing during their breeding season, as it is happening in Serbia and Croatia these days, was fiercely criticised by the European Nature Heritage Fund EuroNatur. Although this species is internationally protected by the Bern Convention and must neither be hunted in Croatia nor Serbia, bird conservationists’ partners report on disastrous situations in the wetlands of both countries. Amongst them are the Association for Bird Conservation and Research Vojvodina and the Croatian Association for Bird and Nature Conservation who confirm with pictures the hunting of large numbers of ducks.

“These hunting activities mean more ‘bleeding’ for the Central European population of Ferruginous Ducks and must be stopped immediately,” demands Gabriel Schwaderer, General Manager of EuroNatur. On the 1st of September the bird hunting officially starts in Croatia and Serbia. “If the hunting of such rare species like the Ferruginous Ducks during breeding season is permitted, it opens the floodgates to illegal hunting because allegedly missed shots get out of control,” says Mr. Schwaderer. Already in March of this year, EuroNatur has therefore requested in writing to the Ministers of Forestry and Agriculture of both countries to ban the hunting during the breeding season of the ducks until the 1st of October.

The importance of these actions is strikingly documented in a video named “Duck Hunting near Carska Bara” in which hunters openly show illegally shot birds . These pictures attract Italian hunting tourists who travel to the Eastern Adriatic Coast and its back-country for bird hunting due to the tightened controls in their own country. In the hunting video 21 dead ducks are seen, more than half of them are Ferruginous Ducks, amongst them also a squab duck. The video clearly documents that the hunters have a total lack of understanding that this act is unlawful. 

Within the EuroNatur campaign “Crime Scene Adriatic Coast – Bird Hunting on the Balkans” EuroNatur has already collected comprehensive material about the illegal hunting of Ferruginous Ducks on the Eastern Adriatic Coast. “We must impose pressure on an international basis to improve the devastating situation for migratory birds like the Ferruginous Ducks on the Eastern Adriatic Coast. If you can hear shots on the Adriatic Coast, it’s going to be quiet in our local wetlands”, says Mr. Schwaderer. EuroNatur demands amongst others the implementation of hunting ban areas across all essential breeding and gathering areas for the Ferruginous Duck along the Eastern Adriatic Coast.

Background information:

• The video “Duck Hunting near Carska Bara” can be watched here
• In Germany there can be found very few Ferruginous Duck couples at lake Bodensee and very rarely on the lakes of Brandenburg and Saxony. With only one to two proofs of offsprings per year this species is seriously endangered and depends on a solid and constant population in Croatia and Serbia. The Ferruginous Ducks is on the international Red List.
• More information on the campaign „Crime Scene Adriatic Coast – Bird Hunting on the Balkans” can be found here
  

For photo material and interviews please feel free to contact Dr. Martin Schneider-Jacoby, Project Leader at EuroNatur.

EuroNatur
Konstanzer Straße 22
78315 Radolfzell
Fon +49 7732 - 92 72 10
Fax +49 7732 - 92 72 22
e-Mail: info@euronatur.org
www.euronatur.org
Contact: Dr. Martin Schneider-Jacoby
Press contact: Katharina Grund

Montenegro reduces hunting period

Press release from 10. June 2009

Radolfzell.  EuroNatur, the European Nature Heritage Fund, reports first achievements in the fight against bird hunting on the Balkans. Montenegro has considerably shortened the hunting period. "By changing its bird hunting season, Montenegro has taken an important step towards an EU-membership", says EuroNatur's project leader Dr. Martin Schneider-Jacoby. Montenegro is the second country on the Eastern Adriatic coast after EU-member Slovenia, which stops the hunting season on January 15, thus implementing one requirement of the EU- Directive on the conservation of wild birds. Until now, bird hunting was permitted until March 15. The new law bans bird hunting during this delicate period of return to the breeding grounds, thus preventing disturbances at resting areas and protecting resting birds and migratory birds crossing the country to other destinations such as Germany, according to the EU-Directive on the conservation of wild birds. Implementing this regulation was one of EuroNatur's demands on the governments on the Eastern Adriatic coast. 

Within the scope of its campaign "Crime Scene Adriatic - Bird Hunting on the Balkans", EuroNatur had increased international pressure upon the countries along the Adriatic flyway during the past months. According to EuroNatur's estimates, each year bird hunters kill around two million migratory birds on the Eastern Adriatic coast. One highlight of the campaign was the "1st Adriatic Flyway-Conference" held in April 2009 in the Montenegrin town of Ulcinj; on this occasion, EuroNatur, together with regional representatives and delegates of renown European institutions such as the Ramsar Convention, African-Eurasian Waterbird Agreement (AEWA), BirdLife International and Wetlands International drafted a list of clear demands on the responsible politicians of the region. In this "Declaration of Ulcinj", they claim the alignment of national hunting and nature conservation laws to the EU-standards as well as the control of compliance with these standards.

"By changing the hunting law, the Government of Montenegro has given a positive signal", says Schneider-Jacoby. Yet, there remains much to do. EuroNatur demands a consistent hunting stop both during the time of return of the birds and for their breeding period, i.e. at the least from January 15 until October 1. In addition, it will be necessary to control the compliance of the new regulations.

Background Information

• More about EuroNatur's campaign "Crime scene Adriatic - bird hunting on the Balkans", background papers and information on the Adriatic Flyway-Conference you find here. 
• For further information, photos and interviews please contact our bird expert and EuroNatur project leader Dr. Martin Schneider-Jacoby.
  

EuroNatur
Konstanzer Straße 22
78315 Radolfzell
Phone: +49 (0)7732 - 92 72 10
Fax: +49 (0)7732 - 92 72 22
E-Mail: info@euronatur.org
Internet: www.euronatur.org
Contact: Dr. Martin Schneider-Jacoby
Press contact: Katharina Grund

EuroNatur: International conference on the protection of migratory birds along the Eastern Adriatic Coast proposes solutions

Press Release from vom 20. April 2009

 
Radolfzell/Ulcinj.  “Habitat destruction and bird hunting turn the Balkan Peninsula into a dangerous course for migratory birds. The international conference on the protection of migratory birds helped significantly to reach the objective of improving the dramatic situation on the Balkans”, says Prof. Dr. Hartmut Vogtmann, president of EuroNatur. He looks back on a successful conference which EuroNatur together with its partners has organised from 14-17 April 2009 in Ulcinj in Montenegro. More than 100 experts from 15 European countries came together to develop concrete approaches to the protection of migratory birds in South East Europe.

 “Just a few years ago, the Balkans were uncharted territory on the migration map. But within the framework of the conference, experts clearly confirmed the existence and importance of the Adriatic Flyway”, says Dr. Martin Schneider-Jacoby, EuroNatur project manager. The wetlands along the Eastern Adriatic coast provide internationally important resting areas for more than 20 waterbird species, for instance the black-headed gull, the black-tailed godwit, or the Eurasian spoonbill. Besides other species, more than 15,000 cranes and 10,000 honey buzzards cross the Adriatic Sea every year. That is why experts point out the urgent necessity to ensure safe resting sites along this migration route.

The members of the conference outlined the most important results in the “Ulcinj Declaration”. This declaration was passed EuroNatur and other representatives of important agreements for the protection of migratory birds in Europe like the African-Eurasian Waterbird Agreement (AEWA), BirdLife International, the Council of Europe, the Ramsar Convention, and Wetlands International. The statement includes clear requests for the responsible politicians of the region. Top priority has the improvement of the regulatory framework of the protection of migratory birds and their habitats along the Adriatic Flyway. The Ulcinj Declaration demands the adjustment of national legislations on bird hunting and nature protection to the European standard and the control of these laws. Experts on bird protection underline the urgency of a better protection of wetlands and resting sites on the Balkans by the creation of hunting-free areas, international collaboration on the protection of migratory birds, and selective training of experts on bird protection and nature conservation in the countries along the Adriatic Flyway.

Another important topic of the conference were the enormous, though hardly used possibilities of the Balkan region for nature based tourism. “The Bojana-Buna Delta is a pearl of the European Green Belt. We just have to make it shine properly”, said Prof. Dr. Hartmut Vogtmann, president of EuroNatur, at the opening of the conference in the Bojana-Buna Delta with around 250 participants. Bird watching tourism offers great opportunities for both humans and nature. In the USA, for instance, profits are 20 times as high as the income from bird hunting, the experts point out in the Ulcinj Declaration.

Background:

• You can download the Ulcinj Declaration here (pdf-file, 240 kb)
  
• More about the Adriatic Flyway
  
• More about the EuroNatur campaign „Bird hunting on the Balcans- Crime Scene Adriatic Coast"

Dr. Martin Schneider-Jacoby, bird expert and EuroNatur project manager will be pleased to assist you with further information, photo material and interviews.

EuroNatur
Konstanzer Straße 22
78315 Radolfzell
Germany
Phone: 0049 - 7732 - 92 72 10
Fax: 0049 - 7732 - 92 72 22
E-Mail: info@euronatur.org
www.euronatur.org
Contact: Dr. Martin Schneider-Jacoby
Press contact: Katharina Grund

EuroNatur reveals alarming figures

Press release from 17 March 2009

Radolfzell, Germany. Like every year, the migratory birds are returning from their wintering grounds in southern Europe and Africa. Yet, "how many of them eventually arrive at their destination is a gamble", says Professor Dr. Hartmut Vogtmann, president of the foundation EuroNatur, the European Nature Heritage Fund. "Especially the Adriatic Flyway is a dangerous area for migratory birds", EuroNatur reveals in an extensive analysis about the present situation of bird hunting on the Balkans. The publication of the report is part of the campaign "Crime scene Adriatic - Bird Hunting on the Balkans", which focuses on informing the public about this big issue. "Only by international pressure we will be able to improve the situation for migratory birds in the countries along the Adriatic Flyway", claims Mr. Vogtmann.

The results of this report account for the urgent need of action. "Bird hunters ambush the birds, making the Eastern Adriatic coast a death trap for over two million birds every year", says EuroNatur project manager and ornithologist Dr. Martin Schneider-Jacoby, who was significantly involved in editing the paper. Every year, each hunter brings down at least ten birds, and this is only the tip of the iceberg, added by an unknown number of birds killed by mostly Italian hunting tourists and a large number of illegal bird hunters.

Not only rare waders and waterfowl such as the common snipe, cranes and spoonbills count among the species shot, but also species typical for our cultural landscape such as the field lark, the hoopoe and the quail.
"Those who think this happens far away, are wrong", warns Martin Schneider-Jacoby, "because when the birds fall out of the sky to their deaths the Adriatic, it will become very silent on our fields.”

Serbia, Croatia, Albania, Montenegro and Bosnia-Herzegovina offer a gloomy picture: Though these states strive for a membership in the EU, their hunting laws are miles away from European standards: extremely long hunting periods of seven months and more are usual, and neither breeding periods nor the return to breeding sites are a taboo. Only Slovenia offers a slight hint of hope; since its accession to the EU, it has made a considerable progress, being the only state along the Adriatic Flyway that consistently implements the EU-regulations of bird preservation, banning bird hunting as of January 15. This ban must urgently be imposed on the other states as well, demands EuroNatur. "As long as the flyways are not safe, even the most extensive protection measures in the breeding areas are doomed to fail in the long run", says Schneider-Jacoby.

Background Information:

• EuroNatur-Report about Bird Hunting on the Balkans: “Bird Hunting along the Adriatic Flyway - An Assessment of Bird Hunting in Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, Slovenia and Serbia”,
  PDF (219 kb)

Already 20 years ago, EuroNatur, in cooperation with local nature conservationists and with the help of international bird watchers, started collecting data about bird hunting in ample field studies on the Balkans, added by a comprehensive survey of nature conservationist partners about the details of bird hunting in the respective states along the Adriatic Flyway (Albania, Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Slovenia) between 2006 and 2008. The evaluation of these data is the basis for an analysis and assessment of the present bird-hunting situation on the Balkans.

• More about the EuroNatur-Campaign "Crime Scene Adriatic Coast - Bird hunting on the Balkans"
• International Conference: The preservation of migratory birds along the Adriatic Flyway is the central topic of a conference held by EuroNatur and various partners from April 14-17 2009 in Ulcinj, Montenegro. More...
  

Dr. Martin Schneider-Jacoby, bird expert and EuroNatur project manager will be pleased to assist you with further information, photo material and interviews.

EuroNatur
Konstanzer Straße 22
78315 Radolfzell
Phone: + 49 (0)7732 - 92 72 10
Fax: +49 (0)7732 - 92 72 22
E-Mail: info@euronatur.org
www.euronatur.org
Contact: Dr. Martin Schneider-Jacoby
Press contact: Katharina Grund

Press release of October 25, 2007

Radolfzell. It is getting quiet outside. The last migratory birds start their journey to the South to spend the winter in Southern Europe and Africa. "We wonder how many of them will come back", says Claus-Peter Hutter, president of the European Nature Heritage Fund (EuroNatur). Their journey is getting more and more dangerous. Some of the biggest risks for the migratory birds are to get shot or trapped. According to EuroNatur, the situation is still critical even on Malta, where the European Commission called upon the Maltese government again last week to prohibit the spring hunt on migratory birds on the whole island. But even this would not be the solution for the entire problem, as the fowling on Malta is only the tip of the iceberg. The official number of killed birds proves its startling impact: more than 100 million birds are shot or trapped legally throughout Europe each year, according to a study published in a German journal about bird protection ("Berichte zum Vogelschutz"). "An intolerable situation", says Claus-Peter Hutter.

The study only counts the official number of killed birds within the EU. Unreported cases like illegally killed birds or birds which were injured and not found afterwards are not included. Latter can be up to 20% of the official number of killed birds.

Besides that, the fowling causes indirect damage. When birds are scared and flee quickly, they loose a lot of energy and do not have enough power any more for their long journey to the South. Their breeding success lessens considerably when they are additionally weakened by not having enough opportunities to rest and feed.

Hundreds of thousands of migratory birds are killed in countries in South Eastern Europe, a number which largely is not included in the study, either. The Balkans, for example, are an important area for fowling, but are not taken into account. EuroNatur fights for bird protection exactly in those focal areas. "The Balkans are one of our main topics", says Claus-Peter Hutter. "To protect the species effectively in the long term, we have to protect the birds on their journey." Latest numbers about the Eastern Adriatic Sea prove how important it is to increase the control of fowling. EuroNatur fights for a ban of hunting for the Lake Scutari of which the Montenegrin part is protected as a national park. With measurable success. In 2007, the number of wintering birds increased by more than 100,000 and thus was three times higher than in the previous year.

For further information please contact:

European Nature Heritage Fund (EuroNatur)

Konstanzer Str. 22

78315 Radolfzell

Phone  07732 – 92 72 0

Fax   07732 – 92 72 22

e-Mail  info@euronatur.org

Internet www.euronatur.org