LENA – LOCAL ECONOMY AND NATURE CONSERVATION IN THE DANUBE REGION Photo: Alexander Ivanov ABOUT LENA There are 70 national parks and more than 1000 Natura 2000 areas, covering a large spec- trum of ecosystem services in the Danube re- gion. Due to the protected status, these areas are often regarded as hampering local devel- opment, while their intrinsic economic poten- The implementation of the initiative led to: tial is usually overlooked. At the same time, more and more studies confirm the multiple 1) Knowledge generation and empowerment benefits, including social and economic, of of local communities through pilot actions; Natura 2000 sites. 2) Developed tools for sustainable resource use in protected areas and; The international Interreg DTP project “LENA” 3) Improved framework conditions for sustain- (Local Economy and Nature Conservation in able use of protected areas. the Danube Region) worked with 11 protect- ed areas, covering more than 375,000 ha and The wide range of the project contributed more than 14 Natura 2000 sites, chosen based to informing and gaining the buy-in of local on outstanding nature values and untapped stakeholders to nature conservation as well as potential for sustainable economic use. The to empowering local entrepreneurs to profit project covered approximately half a million from natural heritage sites in a way that pro- people, most of them living in communities tects natural resources. • Opportunities for sustainable income gen- work Units Sustainability Strategies (RENN) – with low income (monthly income ranging eration and natural resources manage- https://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/en/news- between 200 and 500 EUR), struggling with LENA also supported the shaping of policies ment room/news/2018/07/26-07-2018-interreg-pro- out-migration and ageing population. for development of functioning framework for • A number of reports and analyses were ject-lena-wins-german-sustainability-project- sustainable use of protected areas. produced with focus on fish, wild plants 2018-award The broad partnership coalition implement- and agriculture and distributed to the tar- ing LENA (17 partners from 9 Danube coun- The following deliverables were created get groups with useful information, good It would be beneficial and efficient to imple- tries) supported and strengthened joint and within the project: practices and practical advice. ment the created approaches, instruments integrated approaches and policies for the and products in other territories to achieve bal- conservation and sustainable use of protected • Four Guidance documents based on the • LENA implemented activities on policy anced development across the Danube region. areas, in particular in Natura 2000 sites, along experience gained in the project pilot sites. level – a profound analysis on the na- the Danube and its tributaries. It created new The booklets are focused on: ture-based business and green jobs was income opportunities in the nature-based eco- • Communication of the value of nature; elaborated as well as recommendations nomic sector and up-scaled impact across the • Sustainable resource use; for strategic actions to create an integrat- region. • Business planning and marketing of eco- ed approach for nature protection, natural system based economic activities; resources management and “green” jobs • Securing funding for sustainable devel- creation. The recommendations were dis- opment of communities. seminated among decision-makers in all countries involved in the project. • New opportunities for tourism and sus- Our partners: tainable transportation The project implementation led to the crea- • 97 people from 6 countries (Bulgaria, Ro- tion of integrated approaches and policies for mania, Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia and Ger- nature protection and sustainable use of pro- many) were trained and certified as Dan- tected areas. And what is most important – ube Guides. the project reached and empowered the local • E-mobility was promoted through creat- communities throughout the project countries. ing e-bikes routes, installation of charging stations for e-bikes in Germany (10), in In appreciation for its achievements pro- Romania (2) in Bulgaria (2) and through ject “LENA” was awarded with the German buying 10 e-bikes and e-rickshaw. sustainability award for projects: ”Projekt Nachhaltigkeit 2018” by the Regional Net- 2 3 E-MOBILITY AND NATURE ROUTES PILOT ACTION DANUBE GUIDES The main objective of the E-Mobility Network Background pilot action is to strengthen human and social capital in protected areas in the Danube re- Danube culture and nature guides called “Dan- gion. Human capital is strengthened by e-mo- ube Guides” have very particular aims and vi- bility-managers and social capital by providing sions. As for the visitors they want to make green mobility options like e-bikes and its in- the nature and culture of the respective re- frastructure with charging stations along na- gion tangible in every way, and thus, create an ture routes. unforgettable experience. In the long-term a transnational network of “Danube Guides” will Local E-Managers were appointed in Belene, be developed aiming to communicate the im- Bulgaria; Ivanovo, Bulgaria; City of Tuttlingen, Nature routes within LENA were defined as portance of protecting nature for the public. country. The regional trainings consisted of Germany; WWF Romania, [Ciocanesti fish farm] four modules, each one lasted 2,5 days. After and BSC Kranj, Slovenia. The appointed e-man- “A safe, scenic and sustainable path that The training of “Danube Guides” wants to ena- a theoretical and practical exam, the partici- agers are the “multipliers” who should carry the connects natural landmarks and touristic ble future “Danube Guides” to design their own pants received an official certificate. EU-wide trend towards the use of e-bikes into highlights as well as places for buying lo- innovative touristic offers (e.g. guided tours, na- their region and further develop green mobil- cal products and opportunities for learning ture workshops, landscape interpretation, etc.) Content of the ity options for the local population and tour- about nature protection. In order to create a and thus create new income opportunities for “Danube Guides” ism. For the e-managers common curricula for green mobility option for e-bike users e-hub regions and protected areas. regional trainings training were developed. The training of the stations are along the way. The target group e-managers consisted of developing common are families and tourists interested in nature.” As a project partner Donaubüro Ulm / Neu- The four training modules consist of a theo- strategies on how to improve e-mobility in the Ulm (DE) is responsible for the implementation retical part and a more practical one which Danube region by involving the relevant stake- The Danube Bike Path runs from the source of this pilot project. The qualification program should either give participants the tools to holders. In June 2018 the E-Managers came to in Donaueschingen to the Danube Delta and was conceived by the Donaubüro Ulm / Neu- convey content, or help participants to develop the City of Tuttlingen and the Landscape Park is part of the well-known and highly frequent- Ulm together with response & ability gmbh. an educational tourism product themselves. Young Danube for a theoretical and a practical ed European Bike network Velo6 – Atlantic – Those modules include regional-specific con- training that included besides an e-bike excur- Black Sea. In order to direct tourists also away Transnational and regional trainings tent about the history of the Danube, sustain- sion, some hands-on experience on e-bike re- from the Danube to explore the landscape able development, ecosystems, cultural and pair and the participation at a stakeholder con- and attractions beyond, Nature routes are In a transnational training, participants from natural heritage, societal trends, marketing ference. Further trainings were done through developed. They should guide visitors to the Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia and communication, didactics and product a webinar and during the partner meetings, beautiful valleys and mountains of the subsid- and Germany were trained to become “Dan- development. participants exchanged ideas and experience. iaries. With e-bikes it is comfortably possible ube Guide” trainers, during an intensive five- to discover also more mountainous areas. Like day workshop at National Park Donau-Auen in Together we aim at establishing a transnational Nature Routes as a green mobility solution were loops the nature routes are attached to the Orth (Austria) in April 2018. network of “Danube Guides” in order to raise developed in Germany, Bulgaria and Romania. EuroVelo6 Route. the awareness for protecting and valuing the Those “Danube Guides” trainers acted as mul- natural and cultural heritage along the Danube. tipliers and educated “Danube Guides” in the course of regional trainings in their respective Results in a nutshell: • 6 countries involved: Slovenia, Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, Germany • 12 active Danube Guide Trainers qualified • 97 Danube Guides qualified in regional trainings 4 5 NATURAL CAPITAL ACTIONS NATURAL CAPITAL ACTIONS In total three types of natural capital actions ties while using the Danube region’s rich bio- Boosting the potential of legal and responsi- were implemented across six countries. Their diversity in a sustainable way and conserving ble commercial fishing and direct marketing main aim was to