LIFELINE DRAVA-MURA 2009 - 2020 A Plan for Conserving and Restoring the Drava and Mura Rivers for Nature and People This document has been produced by: Ulrich Schwarz, FLUVIUS and Arno Mohl, WWF Austria WWF Austria Ottakringerstrasse 114-116 1160 Vienna, Austria www.wwf.at Konstanzer Str. 22 78315 Radolfzell, Germany www.EuroNatur.org Authors addresses: With contributions from: Cover photos: Dr. Ulrich Schwarz Martin Schneider-Jacoby (EuroNatur), Drava River, children (Credit: A. Mohl/WWF), Sturgeon Gärtnergasse 4/3 Borut Stumberger (DOPPS-Birdlife Slovenia) and (Credit: D.Kaltenegger/4nature), Little Tern (Credit: A-1030 Wien Darko Grlica (Drava League) Roberto Sauli/www.ilsalesullacoda.it) Email: [email protected] Phone: 004369910591384 Proofreading: In cooperation with: Paul Chatterton, WWF Austria DI Arno Mohl Drava League, Green Action, Croatian Society for the WWF Austria Vienna, January 2009 Protection of Birds and Nature, Green Osijek, ZEO Ottakringerstrasse 114-116 Nobilis, ZEUS, Drava Federation and DOPPS-Birdlife A-1160 Vienna Slovenia Email: [email protected] Phone: 004367683488300 Project website: www.sterna-albifrons.net This brochure was published with support of ASAMER Holding ( www.wwf.at/asamer ) Drava Vision 2020 1 Executive summary In order to better preserve the trans-boundary through implementing a trans-boundary “River ecosystem over the long term, innovative Restoration Programme” (RRP) for the Lower Spanning Austria, Croatia, Hungary, Serbia and conservation and management efforts are needed. Drava and Mura. Slovenia, the lower courses of the Drava and Mura Rivers are among Europe’s most An international NGO network – with members This brochure attempts to provide the perspective ecologically important riverine areas. including WWF, EuroNatur, Drava League, for such a RRP by highlighting the restoration Green Action, Croatian Society for the Protection potential of eight selected areas along the rivers. Once “protected” under the “Iron Curtain” of Birds and Nature, Green Osijek, ZEO Nobilis, during the Cold War, this trans-boundary river ZEUS, Drava Federation and DOPPS-Birdlife Passive management measures are proposed system (including related sections of the Danube Slovenia - has taken up this challenge and is which will prevent further damage to the river River) now forms a 600 km long “green belt” working towards the establishment of a Trans- landscape. Important steps in achieving this connecting more than 400,000 ha of highly Boundary UNESCO Biosphere Reserve “Danube- include to ban further river regulation and valuable natural and cultural landscapes. Drava-Mura” (TBR “DDM”). sediment extraction activities as well as to prevent further impacts from hydropower dams. The area is a hot spot of natural habitats that are The protection of the area as a TBR is one of rare in Europe such as large floodplain forests, Europe’s most ambitious and exciting nature Active restoration measures are recommended river islands, gravel banks and oxbows. It is home conservation projects, covering an overall area of which include the removal of river training to the highest density of White-tailed Eagles in the more than 400,000 ha and spanning current and structures in order to promote the self-restoration Danube River Basin and hosts endangered species future EU members. The plan for a TBR is processes of the rivers. such as little tern, otter and sturgeons. already highly developed in Croatia and Hungary. River restoration and ecological river management Moreover, the river ecosystem is the major source Once established it will be Europe’s largest single have the benefit of promoting and improving: for quality water, for natural flood protection and river protected area, providing a strong framework • habitats and species populations fisheries as well as an important area for for protection and ecological management of the • flood protection recreation. area’s unique natural values and forming a catalyst • groundwater conditions for sustainable development in the region. • drinking water Over 40 protected areas along the rivers underline • their ecological values. Most recently Croatia has It would form a crucial part of the “European water quality • declared about 145,000 ha of the Danube, Drava Green Belt” proposed by the World Conservation fish populations and Mura area as a future Regional Park. Union (IUCN), which aims to create an ecological • sustainable forestry network along the former Iron Curtain from the • eco-tourism and recreation However, the riverine landscape has seen many Barents to the Black Sea. changes and human impacts. Channelling of the River restoration and ecological river management natural river courses, extraction of gravel and sand The central management goal of a TBR should be also are essential steps necessary for achieving from the riverbed and hydropower dams are to halt any further degradation of the riverine compliance with the requirements of the EU having a major impact on its ecological integrity, landscape and to begin the improvement of the Water Framework Directive, Flood Directive and biodiversity values and natural resources. natural river dynamics. This will be achieved Habitats and Birds Directives. Drava Vision 2020 2 Vision international framework for the conservation and management of the area. The long term vision for the Lower Drava and The Living Drava and Mura Rivers is to have fully wild rivers over a large This would span five countries, including current Mura need space – area and to secure their health and productivity for and future EU members Austria, Croatia, For humans all time. The aim is to ensure a variety of river Hungary, Serbia and Slovenia. dynamics, natural habitats and species while also For nature producing greater benefits in natural goods and Once established the TBR “DDM” would be: For life services for local people. “Europe’s Largest River Protection Area” with This should be achieved through the an overall size of more than 400,000 ha establishment of trans-boundary protection and ecological management of the riverine area as well The World’s first Biosphere Reserve, that is as the restoration of degraded river stretches and commonly shared and managed across five floodplain areas. countries A backbone for regional cooperation, international understanding and peace keeping along the former “Iron Curtain” Natural Drava River course in Croatia (Credit: B. Stumberger) River restoration and ecological river management would have multiple benefits including biodiversity protection, natural flood protection, water quality improvement, forestry and fisheries. Living Drava – Space for children (Credit: Revital) A Trans-Boundary UNESCO Biosphere Reserve (TBR “DDM”) is proposed to provide the Drava Vision 2020 3 Table of contents: Executive summary … 2 Vision … 3 1. Drava and Mura Rivers: Ecological values, international importance and protection status ... 5 1.1 Ecological values and international importance ... 5 1.2 Protection status ... 6 2. Historical state, pressures and impacts on the Drava-Mura rivers ... 8 2.1. Historical state ... 8 2.2. Pressures and impacts ... 9 3. Future perspectives … 16 4. International examples of good river restoration and ecological management ... 19 5. Action Plan … 20 5.1. Action Spots with status, development and proposed restoration measures … 22 5.2. Drava and Mura from above: The living Vision ... 32 6. Photo gallery nature and people … 33 7. References … 34 Drava Vision 2020 4 1. Drava and Mura Rivers: Ecological values, swampy softwood floodplain with shallow and very dynamic The area hosts the best examples of rare natural habitats international importance and protection status floodplain lakes (compare fig.40 in the chapter 3 "future such as large softwood forests, wet meadows, natural perspectives") (WWF 1999). islands, gravel and sand banks, steep banks, side branches 1.1. Ecological values and international importance and oxbows. The Drava has a length of 750 km and the Mura, its most The hydrological dynamics of both rivers, its active erosion important tributary, is 420 km long. These rivers spring in and sedimentation, combined with periodic flooding of the the Alpine mountains at 3,500 m a.s.l. with the Drava riverine areas of different duration, level and frequency, joining the Danube on the edge of the Pannonian lowland at have determined the formation of the landscape, their 80 m a.s.l.. Together the rivers drain an area of 48,000 km² unique vegetation and rich biological diversity. Excellent shared by Austria, Croatia, Hungary, Italy and Slovenia. hydromorphological conditions can be found on shorter With an average discharge of 550 m³/s at its mouth the stretches along the Lower Mura, downstream of the Mura Drava is one of the most important tributaries of the confluence in the Drava and along the Lower Drava Danube. (Schwarz 2007, compare figure 4). In total over 60% of the Lower Drava and Mura falls at least into the "good" hydromorphological assessment class (for the upper catchment including Austria this good classification can be estimated for only some 20% of the river courses). Fig. 2: More than 100 pairs of White-tailed Eagles breed along the Danube-Drava-Mura river system (Credit: M. Romulic/ www.romulic.com). The river system connects more than 400,000 ha of landscapes with extremely high natural and cultural values and an amazing biological diversity. Fig. 1: The Drava-Mura basin (Credit: Schwarz/FLUVIUS). The lower courses of the Drava and Mura Rivers, spanning