A Vision for the Danube Delta, Ukraine

A vision for the Danube Delta, UkraineThe Danube is the second-longest river inEurope and of great international impor-tance. Within its basin of 817,000 km2 therelive about 80 million people in 12 countrieswho use the river for water supply and trans-port as well as the natural products of thefloodplain ecosystems.

The Danube Delta is of global and Europeanimportance for its natural values and is oneof the wwf Global 200 most valuable siteson Earth. Although in the Delta itself only afew settlements are found, in the area aroundthe Delta live about 420,000 people. The pur-suit of an ecologically brutal style of econom-ic development for this population haschanged the natural character of the Delta.

New understanding and modern techniquesin economy and ecology mean that it is nowpossible to protect and improve both naturalresources and the welfare of the people whodepend on them or live near them. This iswhat the Vision for the Danube Delta inUkraine proposes and what selected practicalprojects will demonstrate.A more detailed technical explanation aboutthe subjects in this booklet can be found in ‘A Vision for the Danube Delta, Ukraine’, 2003(in English and Russian) which can beobtained from www.partnersforwetlands.orgwhere it can be downloaded for free.

This short booklet provides an introductionto the Vision for the Ukrainian DanubeDelta and outlines the reasons for its development by regional and local organi-sations, and wwf. It is also an invitation togroups and individuals to contribute theirexpertise, experience and enthusiasm to itsimplementation.

Vision for the Ukranian Danube Delta, project area

Pelicans

Characteristics of the Danube Delta and its importance

Pygmy Cormorants [D. Usher / Foto Natura]

The processes of water and sea have formedthe Delta assisted by climate and weatherevents over thousands of years.

The Danube Delta is growing intensively.It is one of the richest European ecosystems,inhabited by over 4,000 species of flora and fauna. Dozens of them are globallythreatened, and stable populations of Ponto-Caspian relicts are found only here.

The river, carrying millions of tons of siltwhich accumulate on the river-sea border,forms the basis of an intricate and pictur-esque mosaic landscape. The plant diversity

reflects this structure and contributes to the landscape variations together with the grazing habits of domestic and wild herbivores.

The Danube Delta has very extensivereedbeds (about 280.000 ha) and high fishproductivity

The Delta is an indispensable stepping stonealong the Afro-Eurasian bird migration routeand lies at the heart of several land, river andmarine ecological corridors in the north-westBlack Sea region, thus contributing to theglobal conservation of biodiversity.

Pygmy Cormorants,Night Heron and Egret

Natural processes in the Danube Delta

Until about 50 years ago the Ukrainian partof the Danube Delta remained largely intact.Each spring, floods brought silt and nutrientsfrom upstream and washed away the saltsaccumulated from the previous summer.At the same time, the large lakes, called‘limans’ locally, were filled with fresh waterfrom the Danube river.

White willow and black poplar trees followedthe course of the waterways or formed clusters on the river banks.

Behind the banks and around the limans a labyrinth of reedbeds, small lakes and channels covered great expanses of the Delta offering a haven for fish, birds andother animals.

For thousands of years the Delta provided adwelling place for wild herbivores whichhelped to shape the mosaic of woodlands,reedbeds and patches of grassland.

The reedbeds captured the silt transported by the river which allowed the Delta to growin height and keep pace with the rising levelof the sea. Clarified water filtered out by thereeds and floodplain system reached theBlack Sea.

In the Outer Delta, where the river meets thesea, dunes and sand spits separate new areaswon from the sea. These landscape forms arevery important and essentially contribute tothe diverse habitats of the Delta. In this areaDelta growth can still be seen.

top Glossy Ibis [P. Munsterman / Foto Natura]

middle Grey-legged Geese [P. Munsterman / Foto Natura]

down Natural alluvial forest

Mosaic of reed beds and alluvial forests

As the waters gradually receded with theapproaching summer, cattle were brought tograze on the fresh grass of the riverbanks.

Fish were plentiful in the rivers and thelimans and the fishery made one of the mostimportant contributions to the local economysuperseded only by shipping along the Kiliyabranch.

Reed and wood were cut for building mate-rials and heating. Waterfowl was hunted for food.

In some places near the villages vegetablesand fruits were grown on the fertile, regular-ly flooded lands.

People’s use remained within the productivelimits of the system. The most valuableresource for this arid zone was the water for drinking and irrigation.

People’s use of the Delta before the changestop Fisherman on frozen limandown Grazing cattle

In about 1960 the balance between the economy andthe nature of the Delta changed because itwas decided to build a system of dykes,dams and sluices in order to con-trol the river, the floodplain andthe lakes.

The aim was to add newfloodplain areas for agricul-ture and to store water forthe fishery and irrigation.

At first, the results were positive.In later years, however, a number of problems began to emerge:

the natural fish population collapsed…soon after the construction of the dykes dueto the disappearance of natural spawningplaces. Artificial fish breeding took its placeand was successful as long as cheap electri-city was available. In the 1990s electricityprices rose and the system was abandoned as it was no longer profitable.

water became salty and unsuitablefor drinking …or for agriculture. This is because fresh waterfrom the annual Danube floods was no longerreaching the limans sothe ‘lungs’ ceased tooperate. Concentrations of salts began togrow. Long periods of high water level in thelakes caused strong bank erosion.

soil fertility of embanked areashas been lost …and continues to be lost because of the for-mation of salts during the hot, dry, summerswhich are no longer washed out by theDanube water during floods; neither doesnew silt settle causing soil exhaustion.

large parts of the delta are at risk from rising sea-levels …as the height of the extremely flat land fromReni to the sea has all but stopped growingbecause new material is not being depositedat the parts of the floodplain behind thedykes.

In the Outer Delta, horizontal growth is con-tinuing thanks to the interaction of the riverand the sea. This process must be maintainedin order to protect the Delta from erosion.

river water now passes directlyinto the black sea without beingfilteredthrough the immense system of reedbedsand lakes of the Delta. Silt, nutrients andsome pollutants were formerly filtered out by the reeds to a greater extent than now,and clarified water reached the Black Sea.

In the Outer Delta the system is still is intactand is able to filter the river water.

Transformation of the Delta through technological development

The Skunda canal

• The quality of the dykes is deteriorating each year. Even now they cannot protect us from a maximum flood.

• The cost of repairing dykes and sluices willconstantly grow.

• Soils on the embanked areas will becomeexhausted; the cost of farming there willgrow while profits decrease.

• Water quality in the lakes will deteriorate.Fighting against that trend will meanbuilding larger canals and sluices requiringhuge investment.

• Fishing and fish-breeding will demandmore investment.

• Biodiversity and the natural productivity of the Delta willdecline and large-scale artifi-cial biotope managementwill be necessary.

• The inner Delta will notbe able to keep pacewith the rising level ofthe Black Sea.

What can we expect if we choose to continue as before?

yes, we can keep to the current technological ‘solutions’,

• The Black Sea shelf will be more heavily polluted.

top Fish stall at the marketmiddle Fishermen in the Outer Deltadown Ecotourism on Tataru Island

There is another choice

A living Danube Delta A home for wildlife and welfa

re for people

This slogan expresses the double goal of the

vision forthe Delt

a developed b

y wwf

and its partners: natural abundance hand-i

n-hand with hum

an welfare.

but the financial costs of such a choice could be enormous.

wwf , using experience gained in other countries, offers restoration of naturalprocesses and systems as a rational solutionto many of the present problems.

The aim is restoration of the natural system in such a way that people’s use of its natural riches will be possible againwithout harming or mutilating the naturalsystem itself.

top Vilkovodown Boys fishing

• Removal of dykes where feasible in theinner Delta is the most important action.

• Observance of relevant international stan-dards and agreements on the protection ofdeltas from man-made catastrophes.

• Training in restoration methods on modelsites.

• Restoration of the flood regime so that theDelta can breathe.

• Enlargement of natural grazing areas andmeadows and of lands for extensive marketgardening, fish-spawning and herbivorereserves.

• Conversion of over-exploitative agriculturaltechniques on the floodplains to methodsthat remain within the limits, products andresources of the natural system (sustain-able practices)

• Redistribution of investments from hopeless attempts at repairing old dykes to construction of new transport andtourist infrastructure.

Key elements of the Vision for the Ukrainian Danube Delta

Of course, the removal of the dykes musttake into account social and economic factors and must be in tune with the aimsof the administrative and economic struc-tures most concerned

left Observation cabin in the Outer Deltaright Grey Heron

Benefits for the local population and future sustainable use of the Delta resources

Many of the activities will be much the sameas they were before the embankment butusing more modern techniques: fishing,horticulture, reed harvesting, gathering ofplants, animals and other raw materials.

To these will be added new opportunitiessuch as ecotourism for which demand isgrowing. As the Danube Delta is one of thelargest river deltas in Europe, it is sure to be a top ecotourism destination.

There will be regulations to ensure that theproduction of agricultural, fishery andforestry products is ecologically acceptable.

And the most important: long-term and efficient flood protection will be ensured andwater quality in the lakes will be improvedand secured as demand rises with a growingeconomy. The vertical growth of the innerdelta will be restored.

top Water, reed, willow and a Grey Herondown Snake swallowing a frog

waterRestoring the influence of the river in thefloodplain will restore the quality of thewater in lakes and limans. It will then besuitable once again for drinking water fortens of thousand of people, for irrigation,fishery and tourism.

shipping:Shipping is one of the major economic activi-ties in the region. Facilities such as harbours,canals, sluices and accompanying industriesshould be carefully located from both anenvironmental and economic point of view.

tourismEnvironment-friendly tourism (or ecotou-rism) has already successfully started in amodest way with small entrepreneurs offer-ing accommodation. To this campsites, boathire and organised excursions can be added.A detailed study of options, infrastructureand skills needed to further develop the sector should uncover more opportunities.

A closer look at the future management of …

top Kugurlui Lakedown Wildcat [Weiman / Foto Natura]

… and sustainable use of Delta resources

reed harvestingThe export market for reed is currently beingexplored particularly to assess the quality of Delta reed because the requirements forconstruction purposes are high. Thatchingreed from Ukrainian Danube delta is alreadybeing exported to some of the countries inwestern Europe.

agricultureRice fields that are unprofitable would bestbe returned to the floodplain for alternativesustainable uses (fishery, grazing by largeherbivores, organic farming, etc.). Intensivecrop cultivation should be removed from theDelta or changed to other forms of farming.Intensive cereal crop production has to bestopped altogether in some areas andchanged to sustainable farming practices in others.

Market gardening and such crops as grapevines resistant to flooding should continuewhere they integrate well with the naturalsystem.

fisheriesThe return to natural processes will greatly improve fish yields. More equitabledistribution of the economic benefits willbe possible once over-fishing and poach-ing are seriously addressed through betterregulation, licensing and enforcement.

harvestingMedicinal plants, herbs and honey andtrapping of small animals for food and for fur could all be revenue-generatingactivities and carried out in ways which do not damage the ecosystem.

herd managementWildfowl habitat and productivity willgrow sharply. In addition, indigenous largeherbivores, (deer species, cattle, horses) living in wild herds could be re-introducedand managed carefully to prevent over-population. However, methods should beused which avoid the animals associatinghumans with danger, thereby makingthem less shy and more accessible forviewing by tourists.

Canal with reed and boats

Some Model Site projects are

The Vision is a source of ideas and a call for cooperation …

rather than a programme of implementation.The ideas could be integrated into develop-ment plans and could stimulate other organi-zations and initiatives to join the partnershipwith wwf to implement the Vision.

Work at selected Model Sites will take thefirst steps in implementation of the Vision.

A Model Site should illustrate, in the field,how the Vision – or essential parts of it – canbe implemented in practice, as well as showthe benefit to the local communities,economies and environment. In Model Sitesexperience can be gained, and ideas can beillustrated and shared.

Through them, others can be inspired to takethe Vision forward. In fact, a range of strate-gic partners should together implement theModel Site projects. This will involve profes-sional communication about the work andthe lessons learned to generate enthusiamand knowledge amongst a wide audience inUkraine and elsewhere.

It was the availability of partners who areinterested in and willing to implement theVision on the ground that served as the maincriterion (apart from feasibility) for the selec-tion of the first model sites.

Gallery forest

tataru islandTataru Island near Izmail has been partlyembanked. The dykes were never completelyfinished as it proved impossible to carry outagriculture and forestry in the centre of theisland.

By removing the dykes in close cooperationwith the major stakeholder, the Izmail ForestService, the island will be brought back to anatural state.

Experience at Tataru Island can be used inlarger projects on island restoration, dykeremoval, or the removal of polders in theDelta and along the middle course of theDanube river.

Ecotourism will be developed on the islandand, along with sustainable forestry and fishery, will provide a new source of incomefor the Forestry Service and for the local pop-ulation. These uses should replace intensiveforestry which was devastated after a highflood killed most of the poplar plantations afew years ago.

top Tataru Island, situation 1957 before embankment

middle Tataru actual situationbottom Tataru Model Site, new situation

e starting now in 2003

The first model site projects

katlabuh limanThe lake is separated from the Danube bydykes. It is filled only through low capacitycanals. At present the lake is used for fish-breeding and its water is also taken for agriculture. Because of growing salinity,water consumption has dropped from 25.5 million/m3 in 1995 to 5.3 million/m3

in 2001. High water level throughout the year has contributed to heavy bank erosionand part of the river bank has been lost.

In collaboration with the Odessa Water Management Board and local organisations,a study will be made on restoration of morenatural fluctuation of water levels in the lake.The expected results are improvement ofwater quality and recovery of the natural fish population.

Experiences with these measures can beapplied to the other big limans of Kitai,Yalpug/Kugurlui and Kagul.

The first model site projects

project managementwwf – Danube Carpathian

Programme Office, ViennaAlexander Riedl

wwf – NetherlandsFrans Schepers

wwf – UkraineMisha Nesterenko

project teamwwf- Danube Carpathian

Programme Office, UkraineMisha Nesterenko

Wetland Management UnitJoseph Chernichko

Stroming bv, the NetherlandsWillem OvermarsAlphons van WindenWim Braakhekke

authorsLiz HopkinsWillem Overmars

translation Russian-EnglishOlga Oreshkova

editingLiz Hopkins-EnglishJoseph Chernichko- Russian and Ukrainian

mapsWillem Overmars: 2,3,27,28

photosWetland Management UnitAlexander KoshelevWillem OvermarsAnton VorauerFrans SchepersJan Maarten DrosGeert OvermarsFoto NaturaMikhail ZhmudOleg DiakovRiza

graphic designDrie Plus, Nijmegen, The NetherlandsFranka van Loon

printWetland Management Unit, Melitopol

referenceWorld Wide Fund for Nature, a Vision for the Danube Delta, brochureVienna / Odessa 2003

keywordsDanube Delta, Ukraine,wetlands, naturerestoration, nature development,sustainable use

Acknowledgements

The term ‘Vision’ is now often used in actionplans which combine social, economic andecological elements. It means a set of ideas, aconcept and/or prognosis of a desirable futurefor a territory.

In spite of the apparent simplicity of a vision,it is impossible to present a feasible and desir-able future for any territory without well-rea-soned analysis of its past and present. TheVision presented here is the result of such acareful analysis which seeks to unify adiverse range of components in one model forthe welfare of future generations, in harmonywith their environment.

What is a Vision?

Keeping in touch with wwf project in ukraineproject manager Mr. Misha NesterenkoE-mail mnesterenko@wwfdcp.orgPhone/Fax + 380 487 776 779Mail 23 Novoshepnoy Ryad,

65007 Odessa,Ukraine

wwf netherlandspartners for wetlands programme manager Mr. Frans Scheperscommunication manager Mrs. Ellen de WolfE-mail ewolf@wwf.nlPhone +31 030 69 37 347Fax +31 030 69 11 685Mail P.o. Box 7,

3700 aa Zeist,The Netherlands

Visit our web site: www.partnersforwetlands.org

wwf internationaldanube-carpathian programmeE-mail Officepost@wwfdcp.org Phone +43 1 524 54 70 Fax +43 1 524 54 70 - 70Mail Mariahilfer str. 88a/3/9

A-1070 Vienna,Austria

WWF is the world’s largest and most experienced independent conservation organization. It has 4.7 million supporters and

a global network active in 96 countries.

WWF’s mission is to stop the degradation of the planet’s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by

• Conserving the world’s biological diversity• Ensuring that the use of renewable resources is sustainable

• Promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption

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