Stork village meeting in Slovakia: A look at challenges and successes in stork conservation
The annual meeting of European stork villages took place for the first time in the Slovakian stork village of Buzica from 25 to 28 May. Around 30 participants from seven villages discussed the latest developments, challenges and successes in European stork conservation.
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Komarnica dam: postponed instead of cancelled
The Komarnica River will continue to flow freely through its eponymous canyon - at least for the time being. The project has been temporarily halted, but not cancelled.
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Aoos Springs Dam Drains Life from One of Europe’s Last Wild Rivers
The lack of required ecological flow from a hydropower dam in the Greek section of the Aoos/Vjosa River is endangering a unique and fragile ecosystem. A new scientific study underscores the urgent need to establish a minimum flow regime to restore the river’s ecological functions and safeguard its rich biodiversity.
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Scientists across Europe oppose hydropower development in Montenegro’s Komarnica Canyon
++ Delayed environmental review and decision-making raise serious concerns over transparency and governance ++ Procedural failures and legal shortcuts undermine public trust in Montenegro’s environmental commitments ++
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Millions of birds still illegally killed – and most countries failing to stop it
++ Joint report by EuroNatur and BirdLife on illegal bird hunting ++Only 8 out of 46 countries on track to meet anti-poaching pledge by 2030 ++
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EU Parliament votes to weaken wolf protection
In a deeply concerning move for biodiversity across Europe, the European Parliament approved on the 8th of May the European Commission’s proposal to downgrade the protection status of wolves under the Flora-Fauna-Habitat Directive. What is particularly worrying is that the fast-track vote was taken in an urgency procedure in which the responsible environmental committee was not even consulted.
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Test flights at Vlora Airport construction site – A big show
++ Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama boasts of test flights at Vlora International Airport ++ Munich Airport no longer active in an advisory capacity ++ European institutions and Bern Convention sharply criticise controversial Vlora airport project ++
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English stork village honoured: Storks back on the island
It has taken nearly ten years for the network to grow again, but now the European Stork Villages initiative has another new member: The Knepp Estate and the village of Storrington in England have been honoured by EuroNatur for their merits in the successful reintroduction of white storks to the UK.
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Goldman Prize for EuroNatur partners from Albania
Besjana Guri and Olsi Nika from our Albanian partner organisation EcoAlbania were honoured with the Goldman Environmental Prize, the highest award for environmentalists. They received the award for their tireless efforts to protect the Vjosa.
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Bear cub drama
At the end of March, a bear cub was delivered to the animal welfare organisation FOUR PAWS in Pristina, Kosovo. The cub had been caught in Albania and put up for sale online. A scandal showing that wildlife trafficking has not been completely curbed yet in the region and that effective structures for bear emergencies are urgently needed.
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