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Activity Report 2001 - 2009

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Activity Report 2001 - 2009 CICONIA Transnational Stork Project Europe - Africa Activity Report 2001 - 2009 The Stork - a transnational Additionally storks are outstanding model ambassador for conservation organisms for environmental education of Ciconia is the scientific name of the White children, as they are easy to observe, Stork. This globe-trotter among birds mi- require a species-rich environment, and grates from its European breeding grounds illustrate the significance of international along its western route across the straits of cooperation in species and habitat conser- Gibraltar to spend the winter in North and vation through their transcontinental mi- West Africa. Many populations declined gratory life style. steeply or, as in the alpine Rhine valley, vanished completely in the 20th century. Founding of CICONIA The White Stork has been considered a Thanks to successful reintroduction efforts bird of good luck since ancient times and is by the Rhine valley stork association a welcome sight in villages today. Its habitat (Verein Rheintaler Storch), White Storks preference makes it an excellent indicator bred for the first time again since 1923 in of valuable and diverse cultural land- the Rhine valley near Kriessern in 1995. As scapes. The Black Stork - sister species to a result of this achievement, CICONIA the the White Stork - on the other hand re- transnational stork project Europe-Africa quires natural, undisturbed forests. Con- was founded in Schaan (Liechtenstein) in servation efforts targeting the White and 1997. The stork is the symbol and logo of Black Stork, thus also benefit other endan- CICONIA. gered animal and plant species as well as society through preservation of a healthy environment. This makes the White and CICONIA’s objectives Black Stork ideal flagship species to convey • Contributing to biodiversity conservation and sustainable develop- a message of nature and landscape con- ment servation. • Supporting landscape and nature conservation efforts on stork breeding and wintering grounds and along their migration routes • Environmental education of children and young adults • Creating, maintaining, and improving stork habitat • Conservation of the two European stork species and their breeding grounds 1 Environmental education: a paradigm of transnational cooperation A teaching aid focusing on White Storks was developed in Wroclav, Poland in 1998, in collaboration with Pro Natura. The brochure was well- received and has since been published in Ger- many, Slovakia, Hun- gary, Spain, and the Ukraine with know-how and financial assistance through the stork project CICONIA. The brochure was adjusted to the re- quirements of each country and sev- eral hundred school classes have since participated in this program. Project sites CICONIA's influence ranges from Morocco to Romania and the Ukraine with emphasis on Spain, the alpine Rhine valley, and eastern Central Europe (South Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Ukraine). CICONIA acts as interme- diary and initiator CICONIA primarily mediates between sponsors/patrons and projects. The organ- izational structure is kept to a minimum to optimize the cost-benefit ratio. CICONIA works mostly on a strategic- conceptual level, providing scientific advice, conceptual support to projects, and trans- fer of knowledge. Local partners implement the projects on-site, often with the assis- tance of other internationally operating conservation organizations. CICONIA guar- antees the efficient utilization of the avail- able financial resources and thus places 1. Morocco - Larache; 2. Spain - Extremadura; 3. Southern France - Camargue; 4. Liechtenstein - Bannriet/Ruggeller Riet; 5. Austria - Vorarlberg; 6. Switzerland - Rhine valley St.Gallen; 7. much emphasis on project support and on- Southwestern Hungary - Somogy region; 8. Northeastern Hungary - Aggtelek region; 9. Eastern Slovakia; 10. South Poland; 11. Slovakia - Orava region; 12. Western Ukraine; 13. Romania - site supervision. Carpathian Mountains 2 Significant achievements Project supervision Numerous accomplishments mark CICO- The environmental education project is very The projects are supervised on-site by our NIA's 13-year history, such as the first well received. CICONIA's work is progres- project coordinator Reto Zingg. This pro- successful breeding attempt of wild White sively drawing more attention to its projects vides opportunities to establish the neces- Storks in Liechtenstein in 2007. The in every region. In 2007, the Hungarian sary contacts, monitor progress, and often fledged young were the first in Liechten- government awarded the CICONIA founda- leads to new project ideas. Reto Zingg has stein after 100 years. Additionally, valuable tion the Pro Natura - medal in gold, the performed these duties largely on a volun- biotopes were preserved or newly created highest governmental distinction for nature tary basis and will increasingly be assisted in many of the project areas. conservation. by Rudolf Staub of the administrative of- fice. The return of the White Stork to Liechtenstein was a direct result of the project effort. Two nesting pairs The Hungarian environment minister and the are currently residing in Ruggell and Schaan. The photo shows the first White Stork fledgling in Liech- state secretary of the department of the envi- tenstein after 100 years. (Photo: Marco Nescher) ronment present Reto Zingg with the Pro Natura - medal in gold. Structure Supporters / Sponsors The transnational stork project CICONIA is a chari- Aage V. Jensen Charity Foundation table foundation based in the Principality of Liech- Arco-Foundation tenstein. The members of the foundation board Fondation Claude et Giuliana are: ILLF - International Lottery in Liechtenstein Foundation • HH Prince Christoph v.u.z. Liechtenstein, Karl Mayer Foundation Schaan (FL), chairman Lanius-Project • Andreas Zeller, Flawil (CH), former member of Governments of Liechtenstein and Vorarlberg MAVA Foundation parliament Naturschutzverein St. Gallen • Josef Biedermann, Planken (FL) pancivis - Foundation • Dr. Tobias Salathé, Givrins (CH) Schweizer Vogelschutz SVS / BirdLife Switzerland • Dr. Hans Peter Pfister, Eich (CH) Sonnenwiese Foundation Fürstlicher Kommerzienrat Guido Feger Foundation Management of the administrative office based in Propter Homines Foundation Schaan (FL): Vera Michalski-Hoffmann, Montricher • Reto Zingg, project coordinator Vogelwarte Sempach / Swiss Ornithological Institute CICONIA wishes to thank its supporters, • Rudolf Staub, acting manager without whom the numerous projects could not have been realized. The board of trustees, composed of prominent economists and politicians, supports the foundati- on’s activities and objectives. 3 Project Sites Morocco - Larache Spain - Extremadura Large wetlands still remain along the lower Environmental education projects in the course of the Loukkos river near Larache Extremadura region have been supported in northwest Morocco that represent a vital by CICONIA since the late 90s. Environmen- stop-over for countless migratory birds tal awareness was raised by means of the including many central- and northwest White Stork, excursions, and in-class les- sons. Travelling exhibitions, theater produc- tions, documentaries, and slideshows were used as complimentary teaching aids all of which originated at the environmental cen- ter in Torrejon el Rubio. The project was further improved by con- crete species protection measures such as Modern pedagogical approaches raise the removal of plastic strings from stork nests, appeal of environmental education. which would pose a threat to the fledglings. Lastly, an extensive habitat improvement Project partner is the Fundación Global project was launched in 2007 with financial Nature, represented by the environmental support of the MAVA-foundation. education center LA DEHESA. Project expenses: 230'000 CHF. The extensive wetlands of the Loukkos’ estuary are an important stepping stone habitat for southbound migratory birds. European White Storks. CICONIA collabo- rated with the bird conservation research group GREPOM of the University of Rabat to initiate a conservation project. From 2001 to 2002 a feasibility study on the conservation of the wetlands was carried out with special emphasis on the cultural feasibility and the needs of the local popu- lation. Subsequently, the local flora and fauna were recorded through various sci- entific surveys, the results of which will form the basis of a management concept. A network of conservation areas has been established on a contractual basis with local landowners, facili- The goal of this management concept is to tating the ecological improvement of numerous wetlands. ensure long-term conservation of the wetlands, which have in the meantime been Liechtenstein placement of nesting platforms was comple- declared a RAMSAR-site. Concrete meas- mented with concrete habitat improvement ures are currently implemented. In addition The White Stork has been absent in Liechten- projects since 2001 after the Propter Homi- to this project, the Moroccan White Stork stein for roughly the past 100 years, al- nes Foundation consented their support. count was financed. though breeding pairs have began settling in New ponds were dug in the Bannriet (Schaan Local project official: Groupe de Recherche the neighboring Rhine valley of St. Gallen municipality) and habitat was improved in the pour la Protection des Oiseaux au Maroc since the 1990s. Planning and encouraging municipality of Mauren. In reward of these (GREPOM), Mohammed Aziz El Agbani
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