Annual report 2017 Photo: Kerstin Sauer Kerstin Photo: Dear Friends of EuroNatur, Among the beautiful concomitants of our deafening proclamations are roaring up in all corners European civil society that is, which is focused on the work in nature conservation are the ex- of Europe. Instead, together with our local partners we future of the European biosphere as a whole. This con- changes with kindred spirits, i.e. exchanges work towards the establishment of a civil society that is viction is what motivates and binds us and our partners with committed people who together with transnational in its orientation and that is able to stand in the EuroNatur project areas. us fi ght for this good cause, whose enthu- up and fi ght back when it comes to the destruction of siasm is infectious, and who inspire us with our common natural heritage. Once again I would like to take this opportunity to ex- their passion. Nature conservation is only press my heartfelt gratitude to our donors, funders and ever as good as the people behind it and Nature conservation always has an inherent political sponsors for their most valuable support. We would not their reasoning. We at EuroNatur and our component. The destruction of nature has a direct impact be able to do our work without you. partners are convinced that people and nature on people’s everyday lives. Especially in our focal area not only can but must coexist. This coexis- of south-eastern Europe, the protection of our natural This activity report will give you an impression of what we tence as equals is the basis of a liveable heritage is a dramatic race against time. The landscape have achieved together in 2017, and that is quite a lot. future. Our approach to nature conservation there is sold and ruined purely for profi t and greed and is transnational in nature, going beyond with complete disregard for the local people. To us this I trust that this report will make enjoyable and interesting borders and nationalities. We do not believe is unacceptable. We are convinced that our reasoning reading. in the resurgent national movements whose is sound and we believe in the power of civil society, a Yours sincerely, Christel Schroeder President of EuroNatur Foundation 20 Annual Report 2017 Editorial 2 Photo: Martin Schneider-Jacoby Martin Schneider-Jacoby Photo: EuroNatur – Connecting nature and people We are committed to connecting nature and Our mode of operation safeguarding people in a peaceful Europe – beyond national Our efforts for the protection of plants, animals and Protected areas and species must be given sustained borders. Our donors support us in this endeavour. habitats are transboundary in nature; we strengthen local effective protection. We support control measures and conservation organizations and create international make our demands for rigorous protection measures heard The growth-oriented way we lead our lives and networks between them. Together with our Europe-wide in national and international political institutions as well run our economies at this point in history is partner network we create solutions that allow humans as in the courts. Where necessary, we exert public pressure characterized by ruthless exploitation of natural to live and work in harmony with nature. In our work we on decision-makers (for example by way of protests and resources and has resulted in the pervasive follow a well-proven approach: media attention). destruction of nature as well as in drastic climate change. People all around the world are fee- knowing living ling the resultant adverse effects. Using reputable scientific studies, we provide evidence of We generate acceptance of the need for protection and the conservation importance and uniqueness of species, potentially associated restrictions for the local communities. Nature is the natural resource base on which landscapes and habitats and of the threats they face. Together with the local people we establish ecologically all humans depend. Species and habitat diver- compatible land-use methods in protected habitats that sity are prerequisites of a quality environment. protecting open up socio-economic prospects. This helps us to win Our aim is a European continent that hosts We work on driving forward the formal protection of over local people as partners for achieving our conservation free-flowing rivers, pristine forests and diverse endangered species as well as of habitats and landscapes objectives, thus laying the groundwork for the long-term cultural landscapes and that offers sufficient of particular high ecological value. To this end we utilize effectiveness of our efforts. space for wild animals and migrating birds national and international political structures. within these and other ecosystems. Annual Report 2017 Mission and mode of operation of mode and Mission 3 ) Grus grus Photo: Bernhard Volmer - Cranes ( Volmer Bernhard Photo: Protecting migratory birds in Europe The flight paths used by migratory birds Under fire from all sides Networking at the international level crisscross our planet. European migratory Every year millions of Europe’s migratory birds fall victim Successful protection of migratory birds requires a birds primarily use three of these “high- to the impacts of habitat loss and illegal hunting. Many strong network of allies. Together with the Komitee ways in the sky” for their twice-yearly of the wetland areas in which birds rest and recover have gegen den Vogelmord (Committee Against Bird Slaugh- journey between their breeding grounds been drained for agriculture, built over for transport infra- ter), EuroNatur held several training workshops for the and their wintering grounds. In addition structure, or devalued by mass tourism. Moreover, aquatic project partners in nine countries along the Adriatic to the western migratory route via Gibraltar birds in particular are being hunted, mostly illegally. In Flyway with a view to being able to more effectively and the eastern route over the Bosporus, addition to the immediate losses caused by the hunters’ fight illegal hunting. We have also worked to ensure there is also the Adriatic route, the ‘Adriatic lead pellets, every shot causes enormous stress for the that the provisions of the African-Eurasian Migrato- Flyway’. No matter which route they take, birds and makes them consume valuable energy they badly ry Waterbird Agreement (AEWA) are implemented in the birds must pass over high mountain need for their onward journey. the countries along the Adriatic Flyway. As part of this ranges and barren landscapes. But the res- work, in September 2017 EuroNatur contributed their ting areas they so urgently need to recover Our mission experience from the Adriatic Flyway at a meeting of from their journeys are coming under ever We are committed to ensuring that selected areas along the working group on waterbird monitoring. In addi- greater pressure. the migration routes are designated as no-hunting zones, tion, EuroNatur deepened its cooperation with repre- so as to provide the feathered nomads with safe stopovers sentatives of the Bern and Bonn Conventions – two on their migration. Simultaneously, we are fighting to pre- important international species protection conventions. serve the last semi-natural Balkan wetlands. The Balkan What is true for migratory birds also holds true for our Peninsula continued to be one of the geographical foci of projects: We need to cross borders. our work in 2017. 20 Annual Report 2017 Nomads of the sky 4 Selected EuroNatur projects in 2017 stork village Buzica Fulín, Miroslav Photo: A network for the White stork Geographical location in Europe Selected activities in 2017 „European Stork Villages“ in Croatia, Hungary, Germany, In November 2017 the European Stork Villages initiative The visibility and external promotion of the European Spain, Romania, Slovenia, Poland, Austria, Bulgaria, Swit- launched its own website at www.storkvillages.net which Stork Villages has significantly been enhanced with the zerland, Turkey, Macedonia, Slovakia, Serbia and Greece. contains information on these elegant birds, the risks they new website. For the first time, interested parties can face and on EuroNatur’s initiative for the protection of access breeding data from the individual villages online. Status white storks. At the same time, the website serves to im- Information exchange between participating villages has Wet grasslands, both meadows and pastures, host numerous prove networking between the stork villages across Europe. also become easier. rare species of flora and fauna – but sadly they have also seen The 14th meeting of European Stork Villages was held massive decline. By and large off the general public‘s radar, May 16-20, 2017 in Poros, Greece. Representatives of these valuable habitats are disappearing one after the other almost all the municipalities involved attended the Outlook by being converted into arable land or by being built over. meeting and exchanged experiences on the protection Additional restoration projects and information campaigns Political will to do anything about this is basically non-exis- of these majestic birds. are nearing completion, such as for example in the Serbian tent. The well-known and much loved White Stork is a perfect stork village Taraš. There will be another meeting of European flagship species to draw attention to the risks faced by wet Stork Villages in 2018. This year’s host will be the Swiss stork grasslands and their inhabitants. Important achievements in 2017 village Altreu. Several projects designed to improve white stork habi- Objectives tats successfully concluded in the reporting year. In the Working together with the European Stork Villages, our Bulgarian stork village Belozem a fallow rice paddy was aim is to combat the loss of white stork habitat in selected converted into a semi-natural wet meadow. Information European model regions. It is crucial in this context to panels were erected for the benefit of visitors to the site. draw the local communities’ attention to the importance Successful restoration measures were also carried out in of maintaining these habitats.