The otter, a link between water ecosystems and tourism

FORGING TARGETS AND SOLUTIONS FOR RIVERS AND WATER ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION

Ljubljana, November 2011

Marjana Hönigsfeld Adamič LUTRA, Institute for Conservation of Natural Heritage

Who is the otter?

The beauty…

or the beast?

LIFE III – NATURA

Conservation of otter population (Lutra lutra) in Goričko – Phase 1

2004 - 2009

MISSION STATEMENT

The aim of the project was to assure favourable conservative status of otter habitats and connectivity of its migrating corridors in the area of Goričko where the otter population seems to be the most dense and viable in Slovenia.

The otter at the same time represents the symbol of preserved freshwater ecosystems and clean water; as a charismatic species it can be used for education and public awareness rising activities for a wide range of target groups.

Landscape Park Goričko 511 km2

Project area

Otter habitats in Goričko Lake Krašči on the River Ledava

Otter habitats in Goričko

Lake Hodoš

Otter habitats in Goričko

River Mala Krka

Otter habitats in Goričko

Stream Peskovci

Stream Bodonci

Otter habitats in Goričko

Lake Bukovnica

Objection: Improving and restoring the habitats of the otter

Ecoremediations (willow spilling)

Cleaning of the riverbed in Lukaj (Kuzma)

Ecoremediation of the stream with fish passage

Woodden dam on the dry stream Kobilje

A bumper on a stream Dolenci

Construction of the plant water treatment device on Ledava

Opening of the OTTER CENTRE AQUALUTRA in Goričko

International volunteer camp in the Centre AQUALUTRA – summer 2011

Workshop for the local kindergarten

Visit of the group of pensioners

Razstava, kaskade

Exhibition AQUALUTRA in the Castle Grad Goričko…

… and in other locations (castles) around Slovenia

LIFE+ PROJECT AQUAVIVA

Live Water – from Biodiversity to the Tap

2011 - 2014

ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS TARGETED

1. Biodiversity loss in freshwater ecosystems

2. Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) is not living yet.

3. Sava River Sub-basin Agreement as a good praxis of Danube River Protection Convention lacks biodiversity topics.

4. Tap water versus bottled water

5. The problem of waste waters

Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) is not living

The principles of IWRM should be presented to publics in a popular and illustrative way combining environmental and nature-conservation approach, in order to assure responsible public participation in planning. Integration of water management into other policy areas, especially agriculture is necessary (at present, it is the exclusive competence of Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning). International, transnational and cross border cooperation is needed in order to achieve the goals of good status of all waters till the year 2015.

Biodiversity in Sava River Sub-basin Agreement as a good praxis of Danube River Protection Convention

is missing As a leading country in this agreement, we would like to address the issue of conservation of aquatic biodiversity with present project proposal, exposing its connection and dependence on environmental status of the whole river basin. The plans in the regional (Danube) and sub-regional (Sava) levels are completed. In this phase, acting in the local level is required. After that, the message of cooperation and common responsibility for conservation of aquatic biodiversity should be sent from the source of Sava River (Slovenia) along the whole river (Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina) till its mouth to Danube (Serbia).

Danube river basin

INTRODUCING THE OTTER – A

FLAGSHIP SPECIES OF FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS -

for education and public awareness

raising IN DANUBE RIVER

BASIN