IUCN South-Eastern European E-Bulletin 17

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IUCN South-Eastern European e-Bulletin

Issue 17 June 2008

Dear Readers,

We have the pleasure to introduce the 17th issue of the e-bulletin. As always, it brings information on activities in the region, events and publications related to nature conservation. Many thanks to all of you who have contributed to this issue. Please note that the bulletin is available online at www.iucn.org/southeasterneurope.

In relation to SEE staff news, we have two new commission members: Aleksandra Nesic joined The Commission on Education and Communication and Lubomira Vavrova The Species Survival Commission, Mollusks Specialist Group. At the same time, we have the pleasure to introduce new colleagues that joined the team in May.

Andrea Strauss is the new Green Belt Coordination Assistant at IUCN SEE and will continue Katharina Diehl's work, who has a new position at the Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research in Germany. Andrea holds MSc in Landscape Ecology and Nature Conservation. After a first short-term position with the Green Belt in 2005, Andrea spent the last two years working in Protected Areas management in Mongolia. Andrea, welcome back!

Jelena Ilic joined IUCN SEE as Intern supporting the European Green Belt. She holds BSc in Ecology and MSc in Environmental Sciences. Her scientific interests are cultural perceptions of landscapes, flagship and taboo species. She supports the strong social component in reclaiming the former Iron Curtain due to her own past and recent memories in regards to visible and non visible borders. Welcome!

A new section we are introducing with this issue is the Membership corner, offering space for members to introduce and express themselves.

With best wishes for the coming summer season,

IUCN Programme Office for South-Eastern Europe

Membership Corner: Introduction

IUCN is a global environmental network with more than 1,000 government and NGO member organizations in more than 160 countries worldwide. The South-Eastern Europe contributes through 15 members from the following countries (in brackets is number of IUCN members in the country): Bulgaria (3), Croatia (4), Montenegro (1), Romania (4) and Serbia (3). The following list presents the member, membership category, contact person, office location and link to relevant web page. Aiming to support networking and cooperation between IUCN members in SEE, in the next issues we will introduce each of the members, presenting its mission and activities.

Bulgaria

1. Ministry of Environment and Water (MoEW), government agency member, Mrs. Kalina Stoyanova ([email protected]), Sofia, Bulgaria, http://www.moew.government.bg 2. Wilderness Fund Society (WF), national NGO member, Mrs. Zoya Borisova ([email protected]), Sofia, Bulgaria, http://www.wf-bg.org 3. Bulgarian Biodiversity Foundation (BBF), national NGO member, Mr. Rossen Vassilev ([email protected]), Sofia, Bulgaria, http://www.bbf.biodiversity.bg

Croatia

4. Ministry of Culture, Directorate for the Protection of Nature (MINK), government agency member, Mrs. Andrea Stefan ([email protected]), Zagreb, Croatia, http://www.min-kulture.hr 5. Croatian Biological Society, national NGO member, Mr. Kresimir Zganec ([email protected]), Zagreb, Croatia, http://www.hbd1885.hr 6. Croatian Society of Natural Sciences (HPD), national NGO member, Mrs. Marina Mlakar ([email protected]), Zagreb, Croatia, http://www.hpd.hr 7. Eurocoast Croatia, national NGO member, Mrs. Maja Novosel ([email protected]), Zagreb, Croatia, http://www.zg.biol.pmf.hr/~eurocoast/

Montenegro

8. The Greens of Montenegro (MGREENS), national NGO member, Mr. Aleksandar Drljevic ([email protected]), Podgorica, Montenegro, http://www.mgreens.cg.yu

Romania

9. Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, government agency member, Mr. John Samad Smaranta ([email protected]), Bucharest, Romania, http://www.mappm.ro 10. EarthVoice Romania, national NGO member, Mrs. Nicoleta Gaemana ([email protected]), Bucharest, Romania, http://www.bio.unibuc.ro 11. UNESCO-Association for Action in Protected Areas (PRONATURA), national NGO member, Mr. Emilian Burdusel ([email protected]), Bucharest, Romania, http://www.pronatura.ro 12. Speleological Association The Explorers (A.S.A. Exploratorii), national NGO member, Mrs. Raluca Crista ([email protected]), Resita, Romania, http://www.exploratorii.ro

Serbia

13. Institute for Nature Conservation of Serbia (INCS), government agency member, Mr. Srdjan Marincic ([email protected]), Belgrade, Serbia, http://www.natureprotection.org.yu 14. Ecolibri Bionet: Nongovernmental Agency for Biodiversity Conservation, national NGO member, Mr. Aleksandar Vlajic ([email protected]), Belgrade, Serbia, http://www.ecolibribionet.co.yu 15. Green Network of Vojvodina (GNV), national NGO member, Mrs. Olivera Radovanovic ([email protected]), Novi Sad, Serbia, http://www.zelenamreza.org.yu

Content

NEWS

1. Confiscation of Hermann’s tortoises (Testudo hermanii) 2. Managing floods and ships on the Danube 3. Protection of Mura and Drava River 4. Business Friends of the Danube 5. Monitoring the tourism impact birds 6. Amphibian and Reptile Monitoring 7. Scientists present Results on ex-ante Sustainability Impact Assessment 8. IUCN SEE Received a Diploma for Nature Conservation 9. Introducing the journal Natura Montenegrina 10. Eco-centre in Gornje Podunavlje 11. IUCN SEE and Slovenia underline cooperation 12. The Responsible Tourism Awards

Content EVENTS

1. EU Biodiversity Protection Standards 2. The Third International Symposium of Ecologists 3. Five years of raising public awareness and participation through Danube Day 4. Historic agreement for biodiversity in South-Eastern Europe 5. IUCN WCC Sailing to Barcelona

PUBLICATIONS & COMMUNICATION

1. Attractive Videogame on Climate Change and Biodiversity 2. First Bird Guide in Serbian Language 3. Celebrities stand up for youth voice on green issues 4. Introducing the Earth portal 5. Island Conservation Newsletter

TRAININGS & SEMINARS

1. Participate in a Learning Opportunity 2. International summer school on Sustainable development and renewable energy in South Eastern Europe 3. EU accession – threats and possibilities for rural development and biodiversity conservation

News

1. Confiscation of Hermann’s tortoises (Testudo hermanii)

Croatia: On the 10th June 2008 at the border crossing Pasjak on the border between Croatia and Slovenia the custom officers found seven Hermann’s tortoises (Testudo hermanii) in a car of a French citizen coming from Montenegro. The tortoises were taken from nature in Montenegro and smuggled into Croatia wrapped in a plastic bag and hidden between boxes of vegetables. The French citizen was fined for breaking the Custom Law, and for smuggling strictly protected species and thus breaking the Nature Protection Act. The animals were confiscated and placed in a rescue centre. Hermann’s tortoise is a strictly protected species in Croatia and it is forbidden to deliberately capture, keep or kill these animals, as well as to import or export them without the appropriate permit. In view of the recent seizures it is evident that the reptile smuggling is growing, especially the smuggling of the Hermann’s tortoises which are being sold as pets in the EU. Because of this their survival in nature is in danger. For more information please contact Ms Katica Bezuh, Ministry of Culture, Nature Protection Inspection, [email protected]

2. Managing floods and ships on the Danube

Austria: Two initiatives were launched in March to help reduce the impacts of key pressures on waters, ecology and settlements in the Danube River Basin. Led by the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River Basin (ICPDR), the first initiative is the Danube-European Flood Alert System - international system for forecasting Danube floods and providing early flood warning. It will help Danube countries to avoid some of the impacts caused by floods in recent years since it will provide countries the time to prepare for evacuating communities, to build sandbag walls and switch off water supplies to avoid potential contamination. The system was developed for the ICPDR by the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission. The second initiative is the Joint Statement involving government, industry, developers, scientists and conservationists focused on balancing new navigation (or inland waterway transport) projects with environmental protection on the Danube. Navigation was the key problem for the Danube in the past and it is needed to avoid further damage caused by new navigation projects. This Statement will help meeting the EU Water Framework Directive and it will facilitate EU plans for making the Danube a major transport corridor, as a sustainable alternative to road transport. It provides a set of principles that guide the development of navigation projects in a sustainable way. The Statement was further agreed to by the Budapest-based Danube Commission on Navigation and the Zagreb-based International Commission for the Sava River Basin.

For further information, please contact ICPDR Secretariat, Ms. Jasmine Bachmann at [email protected]

3. Protection of Mura and Drava River

Croatia: In February 2008 the Ministry of Culture, as the competent authority for nature conservation in Croatia, on the basis of the expert opinion of the State Institute for Nature Protection, proclaimed preventive protection on the area of Mura and Drava River in the category of Regional Park. Total area has 145.301,61 ha and it is spread over five counties in the northern part of Croatia.

The area of Mura and Drava River is characterised by high biological diversity and high landscape values. In Europe these natural river landscape became

Photo by Sanja Kojar, 1999 very rare, therefore the protection and proper management of these natural and cultivated values is of great importance. Wetlands, like flooded woods, humid grasslands, abandoned river beds and meanders, are among the most endangered habitats in Europe. This area is habitat for numerous fish species, amphibians, reptiles and dragonflies. 177 bird species are recorded, 42 of them listed on Annex I of the Birds Directive. Wider area of river Drava is also a SPA site. Beside biological diversity and landscape values, this area is valuable for its geological heritage, alluvial and diluvial sediments, palaeontology findings and numerous hydro-geological phenomena. It is included in the national ecological network, and will become a part of Natura 2000 in the future. Establishment of this protected site on rivers Mura and Drava is one of the prerequisites for connecting it with protected areas of neighbouring countries and setting up MaB – Man and Biosphere Reserve Mura – Drava - Danube.

For more information please contact Ms Ivna Vukšić ([email protected]) and Ms Mirna Bojić ([email protected]), Ministry of Culture, Nature Protection Directorate

4. Business Friends of the Danube

Austria: The presentation of the project: Business Friends of the Danube by the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR) gains support of renowned Austrian and international companies. This long-term project involves Coca-Cola Hellenic and The Coca-Cola Company, as well as the ORF, the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation. With the Business Friends of the Danube the ICPDR started an ambitious project creating a win-win situation for all involved parties and the Danube

River in particular. “Membership of the Business Friends of the Danube carries responsibilities that are not only financial. More importantly, members agree to cooperate with the Governments to preserve the uniqueness of the Danube River and its resources over the long-term”, said Philip Weller, Executive Secretary of the ICPDR, summarising the basic idea behind the project. The ICPDR invites businesses operating in direct relation to the Danube River to reinvest in the region. With the annual fee of 25,000 Euros, a Business Friend of the Danube will contribute meaningfully for a minimum of two years to the fund either with direct or indirect investment. “However, the cooperation between the companies is also of great importance but on a different level. How companies economise can have either a positive or negative effect. Water and the responsible and sustainable management of this precious resource is the centre piece of the cooperation.” says Mr. Weller Currently, the ICPDR is in discussion with a number of companies and is inviting new companies to realise their own social and ecological responsibility.

For further information, please contact ICPDR Secretariat, Ms. Jasmine Bachmann at [email protected]

5. Monitoring the tourism impact birds

Bulgaria: Monitoring the tourism impact on birds in the Central Balkan National Park was carried out for a second time, following the methodology suggested by Dr. Sara Schweitzer and Kathryn Spear, both from the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, USA. The methodology is part of the Project “Development of a programme for monitoring of birds targeted at a long-term assessment of the tourist impact on the populations of certain species of birds.” Six transects in similar habitats in the Kalofer and Tazha park sections were monitored for two weeks under the guidance of Kathryn Spear. Three of the sample sites were within zones of visitor impact –Byala reka Eco-path, hiking path to the Rai tourist chalet and in the region around the Sladkata voda information check-point above the village of Tazha. The remaining three sites were far from human presence: along the river Tundzha in the Dzhendema Reserve, in the “Pirustiata” locality and along the Byala reka River.

The aim of the monitoring was to investigate the correlation between the number of birds and tourist impact through certain indicator species on selected routes. Processing of the data gathered is ongoing and results are forthcoming. The park directorate plans regular monitoring of the target bird species during the breeding season.

For further information, please contact Ms Diana Terzieva at [email protected]

6. Amphibian and Reptile Monitoring

Bulgaria: Monitoring of amphibians and reptiles in the Central Balkan National Park started in May 2008 and will be carried out over three months. Information gathered is expected to up-grade data on amphibians and reptiles in the lowest parts of the park and on the distribution of reptile species. A team of researchers will collect data on the seasonal dynamics of species, density, structure and other parameters of the populations within the Tazha and Kalofer park sections. Special attention will be given to observation of the river valleys at the southern park boundary. So far, viviparous and wall lizards, salamander, agile frog, smooth snake, viper, horned viper and Aesculapian snake have been identified.

It is worth noting that 8 amphibian species occur in the Central Balkan NP, among them the European tree frog – a globally threatened L.Wolf, Photo by Angel Ispirev species. There are also nationally significant populations of Salamander and common frog within the park.

The park is a home to 14 reptile species, like Aesculapian snake of European significance and like the slow worm, viviparous lizard, smooth snake and viper that have a national significance.

For further information, please contact Ms Diana Terzieva at [email protected]

7. Scientists present Results on ex-ante Sustainability Impact Assessment

Germany: Land use policies on the European level aim to support regional rural development and social cohesion, and to decouple economic growth from environmental degradation. In order to do so, tools are required that allow an assessment of potential impacts of land use policies on all sectors. Several interdisciplinary research projects with partners from all over Europe aim to facilitate this process of understanding beforehand the size and impact of policy effects. First results were presented on an international conference in Berlin.

Following an invitation by the Leibniz-Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research, some 300 scientists from 120 research institutes used the opportunity to present and discuss the methods and models that were developed for ex-ante sustainability impact assessment during the last four years. The event brought together experts from various areas of expertise, such as land use, environmental economics, socio- economics and landscape research. The results show an extremely broad range of data and a wide variety of potential applications. They will help not only to make politics more transparent, but also to make scientific results more easily available for decision makers.

Dr. Katharina Helming, responsible coordinator of the integrated project SENSOR and host of the conference stated: “On the basis of these projects we can provide decision makers with tools that allow a science based assessment of land use policy effects on sustainable development at regional scale. The broad approach used in these projects, the interdisciplinary cooperation and the support of tailor-made computer models make it feasible to anticipate potential impacts on landscapes and to compare alternatives.”

SENSOR is an Integrated Project in the 6th Framework Research Programme of the European Commission focusing on tools for environmental, social and economic effects of multifunctional land use in European regions. EFORWOOD (forestry wood chain), PLUREL (rural-urban linkages) and SEAMLESS (agriculture) belong to the same family of projects. The Leibniz-Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF e.V.) conducts integrated systems analysis of agricultural landscapes for sustainable management of land and water, conservation of natural and cultural resources and sustainable development of rural areas.

For further information please contact Katharina Diehl, [email protected] http://www.sensor-conference2008.eu/ http://www.zalf.de

8. IUCN SEE Received a Diploma for Nature Conservation

Serbia: On the occasion of its 60th anniversary, the Institute for Nature Conservation of Serbia, held a celebration on 23 April 2008 in Belgrade, during which IUCN SEE received an official certificate for the successful cooperation and provided support to improvement of nature protection in the region. The membership of the Institute in IUCN and the previous arrangement with IUCN ROfE to host the Programme office for SEE in its premises facilitate the achieved close cooperation of two partners. During the reception, IUCN SEE received congratulations from institute members and other organisation representatives, for being a highly estimated partner in the international cooperation on nature

conservation.

For more information, please check www.iucn.org/southeasterneurope

9. Introducing the journal Natura Montenegrina

Montenegro: The science and popular science journal Natura Montenegrina is published from 2001. in electronic format and distributed as a CD to more than 200 libraries and institutions world wide. As of its 7th issue, these scientific papers will be available on the web page of Natural History Museum of Montenegro under http://www.pmcg.cg.yu/natura_montenegrina.htm. One of the components of the Journal is popular science where it is possible to announce the organization’s anniversary, to present the projects’ progress, to submit photographs of nature research activity. Its aim is to present data on biodiversity of the Balkan Peninsula to the public. All articles are published exclusively in English and they can be sent to [email protected]. Guidelines are available: http://www.pmcg.cg.yu/instructions_to_authors.htm.

For further information, please contact Mr Marko Karaman at [email protected].

10. Eco-centre in Gornje Podunavlje

Serbia: At the very border of the Special reserve Gornje Podunavlje, in Backi Monostor, an Eco-centre is opened in July 2008, offering space for youth education on nature that surrounds them. It is a result of the cooperation between the NGO Podunav from Backi Monostor, lopcal community, Public Company Vojvodinasume, Reserve Gornje Podunavlje management team and the Sombor municipality. Its mission is nature protection and eco-tourism development through education and workshops. Interactive workshops will stimulate the awareness rising on the

importance and basic principles of nature protection.

For further information, please visit www.backimonostor.com

11. IUCN SEE and Slovenia underline cooperation

Slovenia: The Grad castle was the main venue of several meetings of great importance for strengthening the cooperation between the IUCN SEE and Republic of Slovenia authorities. SEE office held its regular meeting this year in the Grad castle, accepting the hospitality of the Goričko Nature Park management team, an active partner within the Green Belt initiative. The joint commitment to future cooperation was symbolically marked by positioning the Green Belt plate at the castle entrance. Based on the wide experience, Marija Zupančič Vičar, IUCN Regional Councilor gave a valuable input to the next four years programme of IUCN SEE office that is currently under elaboration. The programme included meetings with representatives of national authorities, the Ministry of Environment and Spatial planning of Slovenia and the Institute of Republic of Slovenia for Nature Conservation. Main topics of joint interest were IUCN’s scope of work in the region and the World Conservation Congress, with the special focus on the Sailing from the Balkans to Barcelona initiative. Bilateral meeting was held focusing on the Institute of Republic of Slovenia for Nature Conservation’s further involvement in the Protection of Biodiversity of the Sava River Basin Floodplains project.

For more information, please check www.iucn.org/southeasterneurope

12. The Responsible Tourism Awards

Founded in 2004 by responsibletravel.com, in partnership with Telegraph Travel, World Travel Market and Geographical Magazine - the magazine of The Royal Geographical Society. The focus of the Awards is that all types of tourism can and should be operated in a way that respects and benefits destinations and local people. The Awards recognise individuals, companies and organisations in the travel industry that are making a significant commitment to the culture and economies of local communities and are providing a positive

contribution to biodiversity conservation. Winners are nominated by tourists and this there are 1900 nominations across 13 categories received. The winners will be announced on Wednesday 12 November during WTM World Responsible Tourism Day at World Travel Market, London.

For further information, please visit www.responsibletravel.com

Events

1. EU Biodiversity Protection Standards

Bosnia and Herzegovina: A seminar on “EU Biodiversity Protection Standards Implementation in South Eastern Europe” has been held in Sarajevo from 16-18th April, 2008. It was organized by WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature) and the Federal Ministry of Environmental and Tourism of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The seminar offered the possibility to discuss needs, actions and priorities for protection of the country’s rich biodiversity in respect to EU standards. More than 35 participants attended the seminar, representing the different authorities as well as experts from current EU member states. Participants used the event to benefit from each other’s experiences in terms of defining steps towards aligning to EU biodiversity protection regulations.

For more information, please contact Mr Branko Vucijak, WWF MedPO, at [email protected]

2. The Third International Symposium of Ecologists

Montenegro: The Third International Symposium of the Ecologists of the Republic of Montenegro (ISEM3) will be held from 8. to 12.October 2008. in Herceg Novi. It will bring together scientists from different countries for an improvement of mutual relations and strengthening scientific cooperation in the field of basic and applied ecological research. ISEM3 will mark the 70th birthday of Prof. Dr. Gordan S. Karaman’s and 50 years of his scientific work. ISEM3 is organizied by the scientists from Department of Biology of University of Montenegro, Natural History Museum of Montenegro, Republic Institute for Protection of Nature and

Institute for Sea Biology. More than 150 scientists from Europe and wider announced their participation. The deadline for submission of abstracts is 1 August 2008 and the official language of the symposium will be English. For more information, please contact Mr Marko Karaman at [email protected] or visit www.pmcg.cg.yu

3. Five years of raising public awareness and participation through Danube Day

The Danube Day: On June 29, the Danube Day festival took place in 14 countries of the Danube river basin. For the fifth time since its formation, the mammoth festival mobilised 300 governmental and non-governmental bodies to take action for their shared river basin. The largest river festival in the world includes conferences, awareness raising festivities, river clean-ups, competitions and fun youth events. Founded in 2004, the festival’s impact has been growing from year to year, reaching an audience of Photo by Vesna Vandic hundreds of thousands. The 2008 theme “The Danube rivers: let’s use them - not abuse them!” called on the public for protection and sustainable use of the river resources. One highlight of the festival was the popular school art competition ´Danube Art Master`. As in previous years, the celebration of Danube Day was supported through the Green Danube Partnership, an initiative between The Coca-Cola Company, Coca-Cola Hellenic and the ICPDR.

For more information, please visit www.danubeday.org

4. Historic agreement for biodiversity in South-Eastern Europe

Germany, COP9: At the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP 9) in Bonn, Germany, six governments of South Eastern Europe signed an agreement to dramatically expand transboundary conservation efforts. In one of the most significant announcements made at the conference, representatives of the governments of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia, and Slovenia announced their intent to declare 13 new protected areas and enlarge 9 existing ones in the Dinaric Arc region. The Dinaric Arc in South-Eastern Europe hosts large and almost unspoilt forests and healthy populations of large carnivores (bear, Photo by Karl Heinz Gaudry lynx, wolf, golden jackal), and is the most water-rich area in the Mediterranean in terms of freshwater ecosystems. The 6 governments called upon Dinaric Arc Initiative partners to assist them in implementing the new national and regional commitments for the conservation of the region’s natural and cultural wealth.

For more information, please contact IUCN SEE office at [email protected] or Deni Porej, WWF at [email protected]

5. IUCN WCC Sailing to Barcelona

The World Conservation Congress: The online registration system for the world’s largest and most important conservation congress is now open. It allows for registration to the congress, for booking accommodation and excursions. Information is also provided on the Sailing to Barcelona initiative, which will use the nautical world as a prominent platform for advancing the conservation of our seas, coasts and oceans.

New online sources on Sailing to Barcelona contain information on the exciting events and various opportunities that make up this unique initiative. During the four days of the Congress Forum, Sailing to Barcelona sailing ships will be moored at the marina next to the Congress Centre. Ships will host exhibits and small workshops, serve as a meeting point for delegates, provide short sailing trips, be available for press activities, and offer an exclusive setting for a variety of events.

For more information, visit www.iucn.org/congress/sailing or contact [email protected]

Communication & Publications

1. Videogame on Climate Change and Biodiversity

Countdown 2010: The CD2010 Secretariat presents the new multiplayer videogame “Rise of the New Worlds” as a tool for involving a broad public of internet users into issues of climate change and biodiversity conservation. Multiplayer games enable people from different countries to communicate and play online. Such games are very popular throughout the world, with

combined global memberships in subscription and non-subscription games exceeding 15 million as of 2006. The videogame “Rise of the New Worlds” aims at creating an international community of players interested in and communicating about climate change and biodiversity conservation.

For more information, please visit www.countdown2010.net/article/presentation or contact [email protected]

2. First Bird Guide in Serbian Language

Serbia: To stimulate an interest in the country’s biodiversity, the League for Ornithological Action of Serbia has launched the first ever bird guide in Serbian language. It includes an overview of the country’s 35 Important Bird Areas, which are of special value for the protection of birds and their habitats. A bird field guide in Serbian has always been lacking in the country. Missing information in Serbian language restricted the use of existing field books applicable for the region. Experience from other countries shows that the availability of a bird guide in national language is a powerful tool to increase public awareness on birds and nature conservation. The new bird guide shall help promoting the knowledge of birds among locals, protected area staff, scientists, hunting inspectors and custom officers.

For more information please visit www.ptica.org or contact the authors Dragan Simic and Slobodan Puzovic at [email protected]

3. Celebrities stand up for youth voice on green issues

connect2earth: Renowned performing artists from around the world - including Moby, James Blunt, Estelle, Panic at The Disco and Missy Higgins – have expressed their support for connect2earth.org, the green on-line community where young people can have their say about the environment by uploading videos, pictures and comments. The artists’ videos and statements of support can be viewed at http://www.connect2earth.org/celebrities.

The website, launched earlier this year by WWF and IUCN, and powered by Nokia, allows users to rank other entries, discuss the issues that matter most to them, share smart ideas and solutions from their own communities, and win some fun prizes in the process, including a Nokia mobile phone awarded each month for the most popular entry. A video that highlights that even the most insignificant action can have big and unpredicted consequences can be seen at http://www.connect2earth.org/content_pages/comes_back.cfm.

For more information, please contact: [email protected]

4. Introducing the Earth portal

The Earth portal is a comprehensive resource for objective and science-based information about the environment. It is a means for the global scientific community to come together to produce the first free, expert-driven, massively scaleable information resource on the environment, and to engage civil society in a public dialogue on the role of environmental issues in human affairs. It contains no commercial advertising and reaches a large global audience. The Earth Portal has three components: Earth News, Encyclopedia of the Earth, and Earth Forum.

For more information, please contact: http://www.earthportal.org/

5. Island Conservation Newsletter

IUCN Regional Office for Europe has published a newsletter on Island Conservation. Highlights include: - IUCN’s Chief Scientist on Climate Change in Overseas Entities - The IPCC’s Rolph Payet calls on small islands to work together - Guidance on how to manage alien invasive species on islands - Research on islands as model ecosystems - Sailing to Barcelona - Goldman Environmental Prize goes to Europe

The newsletter can be downloaded at http://cms.iucn.org/about/union/secretariat/offices/europe/index.cfm?u NewsID=1074.

For more information, please contact: Ms Wiebke Herding at [email protected]

Trainings & Seminars

1. Participate in a Learning Opportunity

The World Conservation Congress: Fifty Learning Opportunities are offered to registered participants during the IUCN World Conservation Congress, Barcelona from 5 to 9 October 2008. These are interactive, skills-building workshops on topics ranging from ecosystem data collection, analysis and use, to the basics of working with business; from conflict

resolution to online tools driving conservation action; from multilateral negotiation skills to techniques for accelerating change. Apply to participate before 10 August. Learning Opportunities are interactive, skills-building workshops made

possible by IUCN Members, partners, staff and friends.

For more information, please visit http://cms.iucn.org/news_events/events/congress/attend/learn ing_opportunity/index.cfm

2. Sustainable development and renewable energy in South Eastern Europe

Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sarajevo, 25 - 30 August 2008: The summer school for 2008 is thematically dedicated to renewable energy and its role in achieving sustainable development and especially in climate change mitigation. The summer school aims at deepening and expanding sectoral knowledge though multidisciplinary approach offering

comprehensive and innovative methods of work and approaches in solving of obstacles in introducing and using renewable energy. Lecturers will be leading experts in the

region in the field of renewable energy and climate change

mitigation, coming from universities, relevant govermental bodies and in-field nongovermental organisation from South Eastern Europe. The programme is targeting young professionals and final year students from the South Eastern Europe: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania and Serbia. Travel and full board accommodation costs for selected participants will be covered by REIC.

For more information, please contact Mr Husika, REIC at Phone/fax +387 33 613193 or email: [email protected]

3. EU accession – threats and possibilities for rural development and biodiversity conservation

Croatia, Split, 1-4 September 2008: Organized by the CEEweb for Biodiversity in cooperation with Association for Nature, Environment and Sustainable Development "Sunce", the seminar for accession countries in the Western Balkans includes three subjects: Sustainability and the EU - Impact of EU accession – Civil society. Attention will be given to the general EU context of

sustainability focusing on the way accession influenced biodiversity and rural development in the 12 new member states. Current situation in the Balkan countries will be discussed and opportunity will be provided to share experiences and good practices between EU and accession countries. Besides giving space for presentations, participants will have the opportunity to interactively analyze problems and work out their own strategies and action plans as well. The number of participants is limited.

The detailed program is and other information is available under www.ceeeweb.org

Guidelines for contributing to the IUCN SEE e-bulletin

IUCN welcomes articles in which you report on the activities related to transboundary cooperation in protected areas and biodiversity conservation. Please inform the public on the status of your projects and actions, as well as events that you attended. You are welcome to announce new meetings and workshops and briefly report on new publications and announce funding opportunities. Please send a photo to accompany your article if appropriate and indicate your email and/or weblink for further reference.

The articles should be 150-250 words in length. Please note this as the interest to distribute news articles through the bulletin is extremely high and we are trying to secure space for all of you to contribute. You are responsible for any content that you post or transmit. The editors reserve the right to shorten and modify the text if necessary.

Thanks for taking these guidelines into consideration!

All contributions should be sent to Aleksandra Nesic, [email protected].

ROfE‘s Structure

Regional Office for Europe (ROfE) is a branch of IUCN ROfE in Belgrade (International Union for Conservation of Nature). Along with offices and commissions around the world, we link Programme Office for back to the President, Director General and Council of South-Eastern Europe IUCN. For a history of IUCN and an explanation of the global structure please visit www.iucn.org. Dr. Ivana Ribara 91 11070 Belgrade ROfE is comprised of four IUCN offices located in Serbia Brussels, Belgrade, Tbilisi and Moscow. The head Tel: +381 11 2272-411 office in Brussels, is a meeting point where the Fax: +381 11 2272-531 Programme Office for the Southern Caucasus, The Email: [email protected] IUCN Programme Office for the Commonwealth of www.iucn.org/southeasterneurope Independent States in Moscow and the IUCN Programme Office for South-Eastern Europe in Edited by IUCN SEE Belgrade can disseminate information and strategies. Together as ROfE we strive to meet our goals for a sustainable Europe by utilizing local expertise and the strength of the global IUCN network.

The IUCN SEE Bulletin contains third party articles. The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of IUCN and the responsibility of the content of the published articles is held by the authors.

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