Factsheet
Lower Danube Green Corridor
Co-operation and management across borders and boundaries
Size and location:
The lower Danube flows for
more than 1000 km through
Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova and
Ukraine.
© WWF-Canon / Anton VORAUER
Lower Danube Green
Corridor (LDGC) comprises:
 773,166 ha of existing
protected areas
 160,626 ha of proposed
newly protected areas
 223,608 ha of proposed
areas to be restored to
natural floodplain
Floodplain: normally dry land,
susceptible inundation by river
water
Wetland: interface between
aquatic and terrestrial
ecosystems
Liman lake: lake formed at the
mouth of a river, special term
used in the Danube Delta
Ecosystem Services of
Floodplains and Wetlands
 Climate Regulation
 Water Supply, Regulation
and Purification
 Nutrient cycling
 Sedimentation Control
 Food Production
 Raw Materials
 Genetic Resources
 Recreation and ecotourism
 Aesthetic
 Educational
 Cultural heritage
The Lower Danube
Downstream of the Iron Gates dams,
the lower Danube exhibits narrow
floodplains with very marked slopes on
the Bulgarian side, and a large-scale
floodplain up to 15 km wide on the
Romanian side. Large remaining
floodplain areas exist only in the
confluence areas of the Romanian
tributaries with the Danube.
Lower Danube wetlands
The Lower Danube wetlands stretch
out over Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria,
Moldova, and Ukraine, with a size of
approximately 600,000 ha. They are a
mosaic of protected areas including
Ramsar sites, Biosphere Reserves, a
World Heritage Site (Srebarna Lake)
and National/Nature Parks (e.g. Balta
Mica a Brailei).
The most ecologically-important areas
along the LDGC are the Bulgarian
islands at Belene, the Kalimok
marshes, the lower Prut floodplains
and liman lakes in Moldova. Together
with the Danube Delta in Romania and
Ukraine, this area is one of the world’s
most important ecoregions for
biodiversity.
Cutting off side-channels, riverbank
enforcement, and constructions of
dikes and drainage of wetlands for
agricultural purposes have altered the
dynamics of the floodplain and
wetlands. Consequently, their
ecological value decreased
dramatically. These areas, which are
now disconnected, have been lost as
spawning grounds for fish, which has
partially contributed to the decline of
fisheries along the lower Danube.
LDGC declaration
On the 5th of June 2000, the Bulgarian,
Romanian, Moldavian and Ukrainian
Ministers of Environment signed the
Lower Danube Green Corridor
Declaration, recognizing the need and
responsibility to protect and manage in
a sustainable way one of the most
outstanding biodiversity regions in the
world.
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The LDGC Agreement comprises the
following areas:
1. Strict protection regimes.
2. Buffer zones with differentiated
protection regime, in which human
activities could be permitted and
degraded areas restored.
3. Areas where sustainable economic
activities could be developed.
Why restore floodplains?
Floodplains are among the most
valuable ecosystems we have in
Europe. An intact floodplain purifies
water, recharges groundwater,
provides habitats and food for plants
and animals, and serves as a peaceful
place for recreation.
Today, around 80% of the original
floodplains along the Danube have
been destroyed. In Spring 2006,
extreme floods ravaged the Lower
Danube. Satellite images and GISmeasurements show that the Danube
only took use of its former floodplains.
The construction of houses, intensive
agriculture industrial centres on these
floodplains increases risk of severe
impacts of flooding, because it
removes the water retention capacity
and results in floods with higher
intensity and duration downstream.
The restoration of floodplains means to
invest in present day life and promote
new solutions for the people in the
region to experience prosperity and
living standard improvements.
Current Projects
The high potential for restoration of
freshwater habitats makes the LDGC
the largest international wetlands
protection and restoration initiative in
Europe.
Bulgaria
Meander restoration will take place on
three of the Danube’s tributaries.
These model projects are the first of its
type in Bulgaria. Reconnecting the
river will provide opportunities for
fishing, and economic benefits from
grasslands and wetland resources,
along with the survival of the riverine
floodplain forest as an ecologic benefit.
With the support of National Forestry
Board, major steps for the protection
and sustainable management of
floodplain forest were possible:
successful restoration of the natural
oak forest on the Danube’s islands.
Romania
Dry and unproductive land in the
Danube Delta has been transformed
through restoration projects. It has
turned into a mosaic of habitats that
offer shelter and food for many
species, including rare birds and
valuable fish species, like pike and
carp. The economic benefits of the
restoration works in Babina and
Cernovca (3,680 ha), in terms of
increased natural resources
productivity (fish, reed, grasslands)
and tourism, is about €140,000 per
year. Floodplains in the south of
Romania will be reconnected to the
Danube and land use changes will be
promoted to offer a potential for
sustainable tourism, natural reed
harvesting, fishing and other
sustainable economic activities.
A pilot project to demonstrate
integrated management of the
floodplain forest combining nature
conservation and sustainable use of
natural resources will be launched on
the Danube islands.
Moldova
With the support of the local
community, a new management plan
will be implemented at Lake Beleu
scientific reserve. This first attempt for
an integrated management of wetlands
will be expanded in the Lower Prut
area as part of a Trilateral Biosphere
Reserve between Moldova, Romania
and Ukraine.
Ukraine
Dikes on Tataru Island in the Danube
Delta were removed, restoring natural
flooding to 800 ha. Two cottages will
serve as lodging for visitors who can
experience the calm beauty from two
newly constructed wood bridges, or
from the new bird watching hides
observe the unique bird population of
the delta. A unique experiment with
natural grazing by wild horses and
cattle, to ensure development of
natural forest and reed beds is
ongoing.
For people and nature
The Lower Danube Green Corridor
Agreement enables connection of
people and nature, prosperity and
safeguard, cultural heritage and
technological progress.
The first seeds for implementing and
engaging for a Lower Danube Green
Corridor have been sown. The Lower
Danube is a dynamic system, to which
tolerance of uncertainty and
understanding of natural dynamics
have to be developed. Narrowing the
river through embankments and dikes
means that human settlements can be
closer to the river, but that they are
also situated in high-risk flood zones.
Reconnecting the floodplain to the
river system and restoring its lost
functions will benefit in the end both,
nature and people.
Further Reading:
From WWF:
http://www.panda.org/dcpo
From the United Nations:
http://whc.unesco.org/
http://www.unep-wcmc.org/
From Romania:
http://www.cimec.ro/
From the Ramsar Convention:
http://www.ramsar.org/ram/ram_rpt_
53e.htm