Good news on Mura, Drava and Danube: the Croatian-Hungarian part of the planned 5-Country Biosphere Reserve “Mura-Drava-Danube” was officially approved on 11 July 2012 by UNESCO MAB Committee in Paris. It covers  630,000 ha (about 80% of the future 5-Country Biosphere reserve “Mura-Drava-Danube”): 240,000 ha core and buffer zones (existing protecting area network) plus additional 390,000 ha transition zones. This new cross border biosphere reserve is the basis for effective protection and better management of the rivers and their catchment area, ecological river basin management and revitalisation. But also enables sustainable development of the region and its cultural values. Especially in our fight against the planned Danube regulation in Croatia and other lurking dangers like plans for hydropower dams or sediment extraction international protection is of enormous importance.

Already 2009 the environmental ministers of Croatia and Hungary signed a joint declaration to establish a Trans-Boundary Biosphere Reserve along the Mura, Drava and Danube Rivers. Given the global significance of this agreement, WWF has highlighted the leading role of the Governments of Croatia and Hungary with a “Leaders for a Living Planet” award. WWF wholeheartedly congratulates the Croatian and Hungarian ministries on keeping the promise, and leading the way for Austria, Slovenia and Serbia. Serbia plans to submit in September 2012 at UNESCO MAB, and also Austria and Slovenia are undertaking first steps for nomination.

The governmental agreement between Croatia and Hungary is based on over a decade of work by park authorities, nature conservation institutions and governments with string promotion of the non-governmental sector including WWF, EuroNatur, Drava League, Green Action, Green Osijek, Croatian Society for Bird and Nature Protection, ZEUS, ZEO Nobilis, DOPPS-Birdlife Slovenia and Drava Federation.

Read press release of UNESCO MAB
See photos at UNESCO MAB website

Read Press release of WWF Austria
Read Press release of WWF Hungary