Posted on 16
September 2009
The ceremony in the presence of the Prime
Ministers of Croatia and Hungary, Mrs Jadranka
Kosor and Mr Gordon Bajnai, took place in
the border city of Barcs, Hungary.
Given the global significance
of this agreement, WWF has highlighted the
leading role of the Governments of Croatia
and Hungary with a “Leaders for a Living
Planet” award, handed over by Lifeng Li,
Director of WWF Global Freshwater Programme.
"This cross border
agreement to protect an area of great natural
importance will foster regional cooperation,
international understanding and peace keeping
– 20 years after the fall of the ‘Iron Curtain’”,
said James P. Leape, Director General of
WWF International. “It is not only a significant
advance for the region but can serve as
an example of how nature conservation visions
can bring countries together”.
With rare large floodplain
forests, river islands, gravel banks and
oxbows, the new protected area covers a
500 kilometres section of the three rivers
and about 630,000 hectares of unique natural
and cultural landscapes. The protected area,
which has been declared with help of WWF
and partner organisations (e.g. Drava League,
Green Action and Euronatur) is awaiting
UNESCO approval to become a Biosphere Reserve
in 2010.
Today’s agreement, which
was signed by the Ministers of Croatia and
Hungary, Božo Biškupic (Minister of Culture)
and Imre Szabó (Minister for Environment
and Water) has the potential to become the
cornerstone for a five-country Biosphere
Reserve shared with Austria, Slovenia and
Serbia. This would create the world’s first
Biosphere reserve, commonly shared by five
countries.
“WWF greatly welcomes
this step of the governments of Croatia
and Hungary as a very important milestone
for the conservation of Europe’s natural
treasures,” said Gábor Magyar, CEO
of WWF Hungary. “This cross-border undertaking
between a current and a future EU member
is a potent symbol of the proposed unification
of Croatia with the European Union,” Andreas
Beckmann, Director of WWF’s Danube-Carpathian
Programme added.
The area is home to
the highest density of breeding pairs of
the White-tailed Eagle in Europe and endangered
species such as Little tern, Black stork,
otters and sturgeons. It is also an important
stepping stone for more than 250,000 migratory
waterfowls every year. “The diversity of
species in this region is one of Europe’s
richest. Such areas can only be topped by
the tropical rainforests,” says project
leader Arno Mohl from WWF Austria.
Moreover, the river
ecosystem is vital for the socio-economic
well being of the trans-boundary region.
It is a major source for good drinking water,
for natural flood protection, sustainable
forestry, agriculture and fisheries as well
as having an important role in promoting
eco-tourism, awareness raising and environmental
education in the region.
“We encourage Austria,
Slovenia and Serbia to join the proposed
Biosphere Reserve with Croatia and Hungary
to complete this green belt protecting the
heart of Europe”, WWF stresses.
