Arial view of junction of rivers Danube and Drava / Kopacki Rit.
© Mario Romulic, www.romulic.comEuroNatur Requests to Stop Regulation Plans
Press release from 27 February 2012
Radolfzell. The decision on the future of one of the most precious floodplains along the river Danube is just around the corner. Shipping plans to regulate the Danube along a 53 kilometres section between the border of Croatia and Serbia. Working on an international level, EuroNatur categorically rejects the planned channelling, as this would be the end to the natural, dynamic alluvial forests along the banks of the Danube.
The proceedings are currently in a critical phase. EuroNatur appeals to Mirela Holy, the Croatian Minister for Environment and Nature Conservation, to make any effort to protect the floodplains against its destruction. For this purpose, the foundation supports a joint petition with the WWF directed at the minister. If this regulatory project is approved of, the nature park Kopa?ki Rit near the Croatian-Serbian border will severely be affected, being the core zone of the future transboundary five-country biosphere reserve Mura-Drava-Danube. 300 different bird species alone have been watched there, and the natural rivers are the habitat for 64 species of fish, 22 of which are specially protected in Europe.
“The regulatory measures clearly undermine the goals of the European Union to protect the loss of biodiversity in Europe. By signing the EU-accession treaty in October 2011, Croatia has committed itself to protect its precious nature reserves. Based on this EU commitment alone, this project is unacceptable in principle”, says EuroNatur Executive Director Gabriel Schwaderer.
For more information, please contact:
EuroNatur
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78315 Radolfzell
Fon.: +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