D2C DaRe to Connect - Supporting Danube Region’s ecological Connectivity by linking Natura 2000 areas along the Green Belt
What is the GreenBelt?
With the European Green Belt, an extraordinary ecological network and living memorial landscape has been developed along the former Iron Curtain. In the area of the INTERREG Danube Transnational Programme (DTB) the European Green Belt connects 10 countries. It forms a backbone of the Pan-European ecological network and can provide a significant contribution to EU Green Infrastructure (GI) and TEN-G.
We dare to connect!
However, the Green Belt still suffers from a certain level of not sufficiently connected habitats and valuable landscapes. The main objective of the „DaRe to Connect (D2C)“ project is therefore the implementation of the EU Danube Strategy by further transnational development of the connectivity of the Green Belt as backbone of EU Green infrastructure (EU GI) by maintaining and enhancing ecosystems and their services.
Technology, nature and people
The project defines feasible ecological corridors between Natura 2000 areas on transnational and macro-regional level by innovative GIS and remote sensing approaches, partly based on newly available EU-Copernicus (Sentinel) data.
Then, the project will provide concrete guidance and recommendations on planning and establishment of transnational ecological corridors connecting Natura 2000 areas on local and regional level, derived from pilot actions.
Results will be mainstreamed via a transnational strategic vision "Green Belt in the Danube Region 2030” to be endorsed by national political stakeholders.
The improvement of capacities of responsible public bodies and NGOs will lead to better understanding as well as to an improved knowledge exchange and cooperation.
PR-work and events will give local/regional people and politicians an understanding of how connectivity and ESS can contribute to human wellbeing.
Project participation and learning interaction will enhance individual capacities of the project partners' staff and other involved institutions to further develop the European Green Belt in the DTP area.
- Start date
- 01-06-2018
- End date
- 31-05-2021
- Budget in Euro
- Overall: 2086654,1
- ERDF Contribution: 1684031,98
- IPA Contribution: 89624
- ENI Contribution: 0
- Call number
- Call 2
- Priority
- Environment and culture responsible Danube region
- Specific objective
- Foster the restoration and management of ecological corridors
Library
Project Partners
| Name | Type | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bavarian branch of BUND, Friends of the Earth Germany, BUND Project Office Green Belt | Lead partner | melanie.kreutz@bund-naturschutz.de | GERMANY |
| Ametyst Non-governmental organization | ERDF partner | marinakova@ametyst21.cz | CZECH REPUBLIC |
| Environment Agency Austria | ERDF partner | maria.stejskal-tiefenbach@umweltbundesamt.at | AUSTRIA |
| University of Vienna, Division of Conservation Biology, Vegetation Ecology and Landscape Ecology | ERDF partner | thomas.wrbka@univie.ac.at | AUSTRIA |
| Őrség National Park Directorate | ERDF partner | i.szentirmai@gmail.com | HUNGARY |
Project News
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D2C - Collaboration of projects in the Pilot region 1 discussed
- 16-04-2019
Networking of projects is important part of the both the Danube Transnational Programme and the D2C project. That is why Melanie Kreutz and Dr. Martin Kuba (BUND Bavaria, the D2C Lead Partner) visited the Interreg A project Set-up of sustainable...
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D2C - Project presented at European Landscape Convention infoday
- 08-04-2019
The Slovak Environmental Agency together with Technical University in Zvolen organized the information day about the European Landscape Convention (March 19, 2019 in Zvolen). One of the Slovak project partners, the Ekopolis Foundation, was asked...
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D2C - Planning of spring field work
- 02-04-2019
Spring is coming and the project team of Ametyst (Czechia) plans a field research in Pilot Region 1. Thorough planning is inevitable to map migration barriers of European lynx and hazel grouse and to indicate opportunities of how to support...
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D2C - Project pilot regions
- 11-03-2019
The important part of the D2C project is work in the pilot project regions. They serve as areas for testing and verifying of methods, implementing of recommendations and last, but not least the project will improve ecological corridors within...
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D2C - Awareness raising event in the Iron Gate natural park
- 13-02-2019
One of the elements of the DaRe to Connect project is raising of awareness of local stakeholders and population. Thus, the project partner N.F.A. Romsilva - Iron Gates Nature Park Administration organized an event mainly for adult...
