WWF DCP is implementing a two-pillar project of wetland revitalization in the Drava-Danube confluence area. Restoration will take place in the Strbac area of Special Nature Reserve “Gornje Podunavlje” (Serbia) and at the Podunavlje fishponds in “Kopački Rit” Nature Park (Croatia). The project duration is two years: 2011-2012. The aim is to support and enable successful preservation of natural values in the project areas. Practical wetland restoration of both sites will demonstrate the benefits of integrated water management and sustainable use of water resources and provide inspiration for similar projects across the region.
The Podunavlje fish ponds in Kopački Rit near the village of Kopačevo in the Baranja region of Croatia are currently restored. The fish ponds have been abandoned and the extensive fish production stopped, which resulted in the alteration/loss of the main ecological functions and values of the wetland. This has negatively impacted the biodiversity since the area serves as a feeding, resting and breeding site for rare and threatened bird species. Benefits may include employment of the local community, improvement of socio-economic situation, and nature friendly tourism development, to name a few: bird watching, fish angling, and sightseeing.