Wetlands represent one of the most economically valuable and among the most biodiverse ecosystems in the world. But they are disappearing three times faster than forests. The warning appears in Ramsar Convention on Wetlands last report. According to this, more than 25% of all wetlands plants and animals are at risk of extinction.

Why is that? Because of the water drainage, pollution, unsustainable use, invasive species, disrupted flows from dams and sediment dumping from deforestation and soil erosion upstream.

WETLANDS OF THE DANUBE BASIN

The floodplains and wetlands of the Danube basin are uniquely valuable ecosystems in global terms, although few areas are still in their natural or near-natural state. The status of wetlands and floodplains, their reconnection potential as well as respective measures needed are currently investigated and applied in the frame of the Danube River Basin Management Plan (according to the WFD).

Worldwide, wetlands are currently estimated to cover more than 12.1 million km2, an area greater than Greenland. Between 13-18 per cent of them (2,300 sites) are on the Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance, which are protected sites.

IMPORTANCE OF THE WETLANDS

Wetlands are critical to human and planet life. Directly or indirectly, they provide almost all of the world’s consumption of freshwater. More than one billion people depend on them for a living and they are among the most biodiverse ecosystems.

Wetlands are a vital source for food, raw materials, genetic resources for medicines, and hydropower, and they play an important role in transport, tourism and the cultural and spiritual well-being of people.

Wetlands provide us with water, they protect us from floods, droughts and other disasters, they provide food and livelihoods to millions of people, they support rich biodiversity, and they store more carbon than any other ecosystem. Yet, the value of wetlands remains largely unrecognized by policy and decision makers.

DANUBE FLOODPLAIN PROJECT

One of the most important initiative for the Danube basin is the Lower Danube Green Corridor, a framework for co-operation and co-ordination between the countries of the Lower Danube (Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova and Ukraine).

But the newest project referring to this area is DANUBE FLOODPLAIN. The main objective of the project is improving transnational water management and flood risk prevention while maximizing benefits for biodiversity conservation. The expected change is improved knowledge, among the countries located within Danube River Basin, related to integrative water management through restoration of floodplains, combination of classical and green infrastructure, natural retention measures, involving all related stakeholders.