Description
The project addresses the heavily littered islands in the Danube River and the lack of awareness of the local communities about the biodiversity on the islands. The project aims at raising public awareness by engaging local people in cleaning up litter from the islands. First, the litter quantities will be assessed during 6 one-day visits, a clean-up strategy will be developed and the appropriate clean-up locations will be chosen. Second, other stakeholders will be involved in the initiative (environmental and water tourism NGOs, local authorities). Third, 100 volunteers with the necessary equipment will take part in the clean-up during 4 weekends and two 5-day rowing trips in May-October collecting and transporting waste separately. Finally, a public awareness campaign will be held including lectures on biodiversity on the islands in the Danube and sustainable tourism. The project will benefit the local communities, NGOs, authorities and businesses.
Summary of project results
The project addressed the heavily littered islands in the Danube River and the lack of awareness of the local communities about the biodiversity on the islands. The project raised public awareness by engaging local people in cleaning up litter from the islands. 7 volunteering clean-up initiatives were organised and over 120 volunteers participated (incl. youths, NGOs and local communities’ members). Due to the project activities inter-sectoral partnerships for environment protection and sustainable development were established. The collected information about the level of pollution of the Danube River islands in Rousse District was presented to the relevant municipal representatives who took part in the training sessions. Furthermore educational activities were organised for students and thus awareness was raised about the resources and the potential of the islands. Greater attention was attracted to the issue of the pollution and the calls for the clean-up and promotion of the islands were highly popular and extensively covered by the media. The wheel of change was set in motion, as the ecological organizations expressed their willingness to work together, while the volunteers (almost 50% of them aged 18-35) who took part in the clean-up actions as well as the students who passed the module on environmental practices were formed attitude for nature and sustainable forms of tourism and environment protection. The project also reached the local communities; the fishermen joined in the disposal of the bags of waste from the islands and realized how the natural resources of their places to live can be used for tourism. In addition greater interest was reported in investment in sustainable forms of tourism by the national and local authorities. Prista Tourist Society developed Recommendations for actions to maintain a clean environment, a Catalogue of local guides and a Communication Strategy for the Development of the Danube River as a tourist destination in Rousse District. Another project result is the newly set up Danube Traveler’s Club within the Prista Tourist Society organization, aiming to work in area close to the project goals and whose members participated and were inspired during the clean-up initiatives, as well as, the renovation of the club premises and development of capacity for the organization of environmentally-friendly practices and work with school students.
Summary of bilateral results