More information
Description
Despite the ecotourism potential of the Slobozia Island- Giurgiu-Gostinu- Lungi Island section located in the vicinity of the city, the 40 km long Danube’s shore is swamped by waste, and the urban dwellers face the lack of nature-based recreational areas. At the forefront of tackling plastic pollution local administrations must be real actors that manage waste. However, their authority and financial resources are limited and therefore they are unable to deliver a well-functioning integrated and sustainable waste management system. Due to the fact that the municipality’s administration area is confined to land, Giurgiu and the village of Gostinu Mayor’s Office are not entitled to get into the waters and manage the forests on the shore in order to eliminate litter, as they constitute the administration area of the National Administration “Romanian Waters”, Romsilva, and The National Agency for Protected Areas. By engaging community-based organisations, including groups of citizens active in the field of environmental protection, education and sustainable outdoor recreation in an advocacy campaign at the local & national level, this project aims at restoration of this section of the Danube shore converting the existing landfill into a sustainable recreational area. First, Terra Millennium III Foundation, will design a proposal of durable use of the area including a package of guidelines and recommendations to promote sustainable waste management and ecotourism to be further promoted on the local and national environmental authorities public agenda. At the same time, we will carry out an awareness-raising campaign in order to activate the urban and rural communities of Giurgiu city and the village of Gostinu by engaging the citizens in community and educational events such as thematic workshops and film screenings, and a volunteer camp, advocacy activities that will facilitate interaction between community groups and local authorities involved in waste collection.
Summary of project results
Despite the ecotourism potential of the Danube, Giurgiu County lacks an ecotourism route for the sustainable valorization of its natural heritage, and the riverbanks have become uncontrolled garbage dumps. Meanwhile, the people of Giurgiu suffer from an acute lack of green spaces and recreational areas. Local authorities fail to take responsibility for maintaining natural areas outside residential zones.
More than 200 people participated in actions organized along the Danube Ecotourism Trail, and with the help of 60 volunteers, over 10 tons of waste were collected from nature. The ecotourism trail is now available online, featuring eight information boards, 100 tree markers with the trail symbol, and directional arrows installed along the route.
As part of the public campaign, 11 videos were produced to enhance understanding of the project, a photo exhibition was displayed locally and at the Ministry of Environment, and seven environmental film screenings were held for students and the wider community.
The association successfully brought together a local initiative group to support the project. Through an advocacy campaign at both local and central levels, all local municipalities and the Giurgiu County Council endorsed the proposed Danube Ecoroute and became actively involved in the development and cleanup of the riverbanks. A 44-kilometer ecotourism trail along the Danube was mapped, crossing five administrative-territorial units (UATs), and local communities were engaged in environmental, educational, and trail development activities.
The project has become a best practice model for the sustainable development of the Danube banks, with recommendations from the centrally organized working group supported by more than 20 social and environmental NGOs. The conclusions of the project were presented to the Minister for the Environment at an event organized by the association.