General

Acronym

LIVEDRAVA

 

English title (original) of the project

»Riparian Ecosystem Restoration of the Lower Drava River in Slovenia«

 

Slovenian title of the project

»Obnova rečnega ekosistema nižinskega dela Drave v Sloveniji«

Project reference

LIFE11 NAT/SI/882

Total budged

4.409.483 EUR

EU contribution: 2.188.741 EUR (50%)

Implementation period

01.09.2012 – 31.12.2017

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Project entitled »Riparian Ecosystem Restoration of the Lower Drava River in Slovenia« with acronym »LIVEDRAVA« started on 01.09.2012 and will last till 31.12.2017. It will be implemented in the area of Drava river between town of Maribor and village Središče ob Dravi.

Total budged of the project is 4.409.483 EUR. European Union will contribute 50%, Ministry of Agriculture and the Environment 20%, the rest 30% is contributed by beneficiaries and co-financers. Project beneficiaries are: VGB Maribor d.o.o., DRAVA Vodnogospodarsko podjetje Ptuj, d.d. and Urban Municipality of Ptuj. Beside beneficiaries, co-financers of the project are Dravske elektrarne maribor d.o.o., Ministry of Agriculture and the Environment and Municipality of Ormož. Project supporters are Slovenian Environment Agency and Municipality of Središče ob Dravi.

Main project activities are:

1. Nature conservation

• In the area of the river Drava, we will implement measures to improve the habitats of nesting and migrating waterfowl (breeding island, river branches, river banks).
• Restoration of previous wastewaters basins into a semi-natural wetland of outstanding importance for breeding birds conservation and for migrating birds as a stopover site.
• Project aim is also to preserve populations of other endangered and internationally protected plant and animal species.

2. Education

• Declaration of the area of restored basins as a state nature reserve and establishment of education center for visitors.
• Arrangement of adventure trails in the new state nature reserve that are adapted for all generations of visitors and especially for people with disabilities
• Promotion of voluntary work
• We will promote and develop best practice case of nature-friendly tourism.

3. Scientific research

• Establishment of the research station for monitoring of migrating birds in Ormož Basins Nature Reserve.

 

 

Major project actions and their time of implementation:

• Preparation of detailed documents, models and plans for restoration of previous wastewater basins and Drava river ecosystem (in 2013).
• Restoration of previous wastewaters basins into a semi-natural wetland and establishment of state nature reserve (from 2013 to 2015).
• Achieving declaration of the area of restored basins as a state nature reserve (in 2015).
• Achieving declaration of nature park between Ormož and Središče ob Dravi (in 2014).
• Installation of notice and interpretation boards (in 2012).
• Creation of project web site (in 2012).
• Publication of brochure about environmental importance of the area (in 2013).
• Construction of breeding island for Common Terns (Sterna hirundo) at Lake Ptuj (from 2013 to 2014).
• Publication of the guidebook of the Ormož Basins Nature Reserve (till march 2015).
• Restoration of step river banks as breeding habitat for Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) (in 2013).
• Restoration of the river branches (till october 2014).
• Removal of woody vegetation at gravel bars to restore Little Ringed Plover (Charadrius dubius) and Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos) habitat (in 2013).
• Filming of a short documentary film (promotion between years 2015 and 2017).
• Lectures and activities for youth (25 excursions and 25 lectures for pupils).
• Lectures and actions for rising awareness of general public (10 excursions and 20 lectures)