A Ramsar Case Study on Tourism and Wetlands Wetland Tourism: Romania – The Danube Delta Romania, Birdwatching on the Danube Delta © Courtesy of Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve Authority Romania’s Danube Delta area are a vital part of the livelihoods of people living in the delta region, including between 12 Biosphere Reserve (DDBR) covers and 13 thousand who live in settlements within around 580,000 hectares, where the waters of the the DDBR. During the 1980s, the delta suffered Danube enter the Black Sea. It is the second damage from a series of economically and largest and the best preserved of Europe’s deltas; environmentally disastrous large-scale its dynamic, relatively wild ecosystem supports a agricultural and fish farming developments rich diversity of wetland habitats, numerous lakes, sponsored by the then government, which caused ponds and over 330 species of birds and 45 degradation and loss of the delta’s wetlands and species of freshwater fish. The region has a long led to soil salinisation and the virtual extinction of history and the DDBR includes a number of Iron wild carp in the region. More than 15,000 hectares Age fortified sites, remnants of Greek and Roman of the wetlands have now been restored, and settlements, and early Christian architecture. The management of this vast region has developed site has been listed as a Ramsar Wetland of ways to balance public use with conservation, and International Importance since 1991. to encourage sustainable tourism, providing opportunities to diversify livelihoods in the Agriculture, fishing and forestry in the reserve region. The Ramsar Secretariat selected 14 case studies for a publication on wetlands and sustainable tourism, to be launched at the 11th Conference of Parties, July 2012. www.ramsar.org/tourism 1 A Ramsar Case Study on Tourism and Wetlands The DDBR includes 20 strictly DDBRA. During 2002-2003 the joint management objectives for biodiversity conservation and protected sites covering a total of 50,904 sustainable development in the nature protected hectares (8.7% of the Reserve’s surface), areas areas from Danube Delta (Romania-Ukraine) and which contain the very best examples of the Lower Prut River (Republic of Moldova) were Reserve’s natural terrestrial and aquatic elaborated, obtaining support from the EU ecosystems. Buffer zones covering 222,996 Commission (TACIS-CBC Program). hectares (38.5% of the Reserve’s area) have been established around the strictly protected sites, The DDBRA works in conjunction with other designed to protect these sites from human government agencies to apply an intersectoral activities in adjacent areas. The remainder of the approach to management and planning on the Reserve consists of economic zones, covering delta, in order to implement key EU directives, 306,100 hectares (52.8% of the Reserve’s surface) including the Water Framework Directive, Habitat which include easily flooded areas, protected Directive, and Floods Directive, as well as fishing, fish farming, agricultural and forest areas, international agreements including the Ramsar and areas where ecological restoration has been Convention on Wetlands and the Convention of carried out or is planned by the Danube Delta Biodiversity. This intersectoral approach Biosphere Reserve Authority (DDBRA). contributes to cost-effective and sustainable development of the region. The Reserve is highly diverse – as well as the delta landscapes, it incorporates navigable sections of The management plans have been prepared with the Danube, flood plains, the Sărăturile Murighiol- input from all key stakeholders in conservation, Plopu brackish lake, the Razim-Sinoie lagoon recreation and tourism development in the DDBR, complex, and coastal areas along the Black Sea as well as relevant government agencies and the which include a tourism resort and coastal waters County (Judets) Councils of Tulcea and Constanţa. up to the 20 metre depth contour. Tourism is an important and growing activity in A strategy for international conservation the Reserve, although currently it only provides assistance was established in 1991with support just over 2% of the region’s employment, from IUCN, to create an integrated plan for compared to 63.5% for fishing and agriculture. management and restoration of the DDBR. This According to data from authorized tourism provided guidelines for forestry, agriculture, operators, 72,328 tourists visited the DDBR in fisheries, and tourism, as well as for immediate 2010, of which 56,256 were from within Romania practical conservation by individual agencies. The and 16,072 from other countries. first Management Plan was produced in 1994- 1995 with inputs from government agencies, The DDBR’s Management Plan 2008–2012 academic institutions, and scientific institutes, incorporates a special theme for tourism and including the Danube Delta Research Institute leisure, and a range of projects and studies have (DDNI), Tourism Research Institute, and others. been conducted in preparing the tourism Ecological restoration of the delta began to component. In particular, these have included a succeed in the mid-1990s, and by today, more review of the potential for sustainable tourism than 15,000 ha of abandoned polders have been development in the Reserve, a project on an ecologically restored to wetlands in good Integrated Culture and Tourism Strategy for condition, with support from the World Bank Sustainable Development in the Danube, launched Project ‘Danube Delta Biodiversity’ and the with UNESCO in 2008, and development of a government. During 2001-2002 the Management Sustainable Tourism Development Strategy in the Plan was revised and during 2006-2007 a second Danube Delta with funding from the Flemish Management Plan was elaborated with the Government. support of the members of Scientific Council of The Ramsar Secretariat selected 14 case studies for a publication on wetlands and sustainable tourism, to be launched at the 11th Conference of Parties, July 2012. www.ramsar.org/tourism 2 A Ramsar Case Study on Tourism and Wetlands The tourism component of the Management of the DDBR is supported by the management plan sets out objectives for the Danube Delta National Institute for Research and period, which include implementation of a visitor Development (DDNI), which has been set up to management plan and promotion of the region’s provide scientific support for decision makers traditional local tourism. The plan includes a both in the DDBRA and the Tulcea County Council. strategy for sustainable tourism and For its capacity to influence policies at local and diversification of tourism based on the delta’s central levels, DDNI was nominated as “National landscape and habitats, zoning of tourism in the focal point” for fisheries and land cover. At DDBR, and implementation of a tourism European level, DDNI has been designated as a certification scheme to ensure the quality of Centre of Excellence for Deltas and Wetlands. tourism products and services in the region. The DDBR’s natural and cultural features are As part of the strategy for tourism and visitor major tourism resources. The delta offers an management, the Management Plan establishes almost unspoilt landscape of river channels, lakes, eight main zones for tourism and recreation in the reed beds, dunes and forests, beaches on the Black DDBR, based on the main tourism activities Sea coast and village settlements with traditional available in each area, areas that are strictly buildings and a rich culture. protected and where access is not permitted, and potential to enhance special character tourism. The types of tourism and tourist attractions The tourism strategy also includes local offered in the Reserve match the diversity of its partnerships between the DDBRA, local landscapes, and are based around the area’s municipalities, and tourism businesses to enhance natural and cultural features. They include: tourism products and marketing, and to establish • local regulations. This includes providing training rest and relaxation tours, based in and capacity building for guides and tourism resort hotels and pensions in the businesses, and helping to set up local tourism DDBR or on floating hotels, combining associations. At regional level, the DDBRA is trips on channels and lakes with establishing a brand as part of coordinated beach holidays along the Black Sea marketing of the delta and its tourism, and coast; • promotes tourism through a website, discovery tourism in small groups, or participation in national and regional tourism self-guided, to explore the delta’s wild fairs, visitor guides, information centres and landscapes using boats and kayaks advertising campaigns. and hiking beside channels or sand dunes; The DDBRA has also implemented a system of • youth programs focused on discovery, signage throughout the Reserve, along with a understanding and appreciation of series of visitor centres. This has significantly nature; raised awareness about the Reserve and improved • rural tourism, with tourists being public attitudes towards it. hosted and guided by local people; • ‘sun, sea and sand’ tourism on the An Administration Consultative Council was beaches of Sulina, Sf. Gheorghe; established in 2011 to assist planning and • birdwatching, photographic safaris, decision-making for the management of the sport fishing, exploring the Delta on DDBR. The Council includes representatives of kayaks, visiting localities, gastronomic local authorities, economic operators, and NGOs. tourism based on the region’s