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This project promotes and supports land managers who help us sustain the benefits that we all get from nature

The Danube PES: Rusenski Lom pilot

Experience exchange: PES in international river basins02 April, 2012

Nissovo, Bulgaria

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Rusenski Lom Pilot site is:Rusenski Lom Pilot site is:

02 April, 2012PES in international river basins

The Danube PES projectRusenski Lom

Profile of the siteConservation values

• Located in Northeast of Bulgaria • the canyon-like valley of 4 rivers• One of the 11 nature parks in Bulgaria - 3,408 ha• part of 2 protected areas• Important Bird Area – 200 sp• a rural area of 23 settlements• a site of culture and history • an HNVF area

PES in international river basinsPES in international river basins 02 April, 2012PES in international river basins

Profile of the siteSocio-economic features

• Rural area, 2 municipalities, population 23,565

• Living standard below national average

• Migration of young &educated to the regional centre

Main economic activities: agriculture, tourism, fisheries


The buffalo-cow herd of a local farmer grazing in Rusenski Lom


PES in international river basins 02 April, 2012

Profile of the siteConservation values

• 902 plant spec (23% of BG flora)• 200 nesting birds• 70 mammal spec (76% of BG spec)• 6 protected insect spec• 22 fish spec• 5 protected amphibians

+15


Chamaecytisus kovacevii (Velen.) RothmBulgarian endemic species located only in the north of the Danube plain

PES in international river basins 02 April, 2012PES in international river basins


Profile of the siteEcosystems

• Forests:~80%mainly deciduousmostly of local species27 tree species, among which Oriental hornbeam (occupying 25% of the afforested areas), Black locust, Robinia pseudoacacia L. (22.3%) and Turkish oak, Quercus cerris (19.4%)

• Grasslands: ~16%Mostly dry grasslands (14%)Wet meadows




Profile of the siteProvisioning services



Ecosystem service Value (Euro)

Timber 80 000

Fodder (fresh grass&hay) 66 000

Herbs, mushrooms and wild fruits

250

Game 230 000



Profile of the siteRegulating services




Water purification 15 340

CO2 sequestration in process

Flood control (pilot estimate) 7 500



Profile of the siteCultural services




Landscape amenity & Recreation

26,000


Profile of the siteUsers

• 23,565 rural population• 155 818 urban population (city of Ruse)All of them using:Water for households and irrigationWood for fuel/ furniture (companies)Grass for animals feedRecreation and rest• ~10,000 visitors and guests of the park only (not accounting Ruse visitors)


02 April, 2012PES in international river basinsPES in international river basins 02 April, 2012PES in international river basins 02 April, 2012PES in international river basins

Profile of the siteUsers

• more than 10 big enterprises which influence the water of the 4 rivers• 8 SME in the tourism branch in the rural area• 3 specialized tour operators in eco tourism• more than 5 local NGOs and tour-operators in the field of tourism• ~70 registered agricultural producers• 3 fishponds• 1 `state forest enterprise• 1 state game enterprise


02 April, 2012PES in international river basinsPES in international river basins 02 April, 2012PES in international river basins 02 April, 2012PES in international river basins

Profile of the siteDevelopments & pressure


• Abandoned / Intensive use of grasslands• Uncontrolled grazing in the park• Conversion of grasslands to arable lands• Nitric pollution• Intensive practices in neighbouring areas• Uncontrolled tourism (distrubing wild animals)• Tourists walking in big groups – noise

• Waste management

• Abandoned / Intensive use of grasslands• Uncontrolled grazing in the park• Conversion of grasslands to arable lands• Uncontrolled tourism


Ecosystems in Rusenski Lom (protected areas) create values, which protection and maintenance is not adequately addressed with regard to:

• human resources• public/ private financing - conservation

activities and capacity building• communication to the society• communication to the business sector

50% Annual conservation budget of RL = annual cost of just 1 type of conservation

activities (transport and guard costs on feeding and protecting the nests of the Egyptian

vultures)


Our strategyBasic settlement



• Phase I: Focus on cultural values

• Phase II: Focus on regulating services

Our strategyPhase I: Cultural values



• Testing the willingness of tourists/ visitors to pay• Testing the feasibility to introduce an entrance fee (pilot for Bulgaria)• Provide future income for the larger Natura 2000 site Lomovete• Easy to communicate• Provides the ground for Phase II – prepares both ES providers and beneficiaries

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Linking the users of the natural capital to its conservation

Biodiversity responsible tourism

Photo: Tzonka Hristova, Rusenski Lom NPD


Phase I: Cultural valuesEnvironmental targets & conservation measures

• 4 species: 1 mammal and 3 bird speciesEuropean ground squirrelCrex Crex (and their habitats), Black Stork and Egyptian vulture• Wet meadows and dry grasslands: ~545 ha• 3 eco-trails

• Visitors control trough: maintenance of trails and camping places; • Establishment and maintenance of tourist infrastructure – information boards, benches, shelters, bird and other animals watching points • Conservation activities of emblematic species: feeding of Egyptian vulture, creation of artificial water bodies, restoration of existing fishponds and fish-stocking for the Black stork, restoration of the ground souslik and Crex crex habitats;• Monitoring of the activities and outcomes



Phase I: Cultural valuesConservation regimes & needs

Economic activity

Regimes Existing funding

Investment needed Funding needs

Agriculture Use/ restoration of grasslands Grazing practices: 1 ha/ LSA; 0,2 ha/ SMABan on fertilizers and pesticides

NRDP, Axis II, AEP, N2K paymentsIncl. training

EquipmentMaintenance/ restoration of abandoned lands

82300 euro

Tourism Setting fire and camping only in specific placesGroups of max 12 people on the trailsDecrease the noise to maximumObservation of nests without direct access

OPRD, Axis IIINRDP, Axis III

EquipmentMaintenance of tourist trails and markingDevelopment and maintenance of information boardsTraining of local guides and guards

~ 22000 euro


Phase I: Cultural valuesOperational framework

+15


Buyers: tourism operators,

individual tourists

Biodiversity Conservation Fund

Provider: the Directorate/ NGO

Accumulation of funds:• printed materials• % per night• % tour-packages

Allocation of funds:• maintenance of eco-trails• marking & info boards• Train local guides• Conservation activities

Monitoring: Ministry of Finance, WWF

Phase I: Cultural valuesTime frame


0 1 ….


Phase I: Cultural valuesEnvironmental and financial monitoring


• ha of grasslands restored• Species and their populations• # and distance of eco-trails maintained (area under the scheme)• # tourists per year and destination • # tourism companies involved• Types of measures undertaken and costs• # employees by type and cost (incl. guides, guards, monitoring, implementation of measures)• Total funds accumulated annually by source & amount



Item Value (EURO) Explanation

Equipment 840,00 Purchased during the first year

Printed materials 1842,00 Post-cards and boards

Maintenance of trails 5229,50

Trainings - On sustainable tourism

Monitoring 10562,00 It will be implemented by WWF and local Monitoring Committee

Management 2970,00 During the first 2 years it will be implemented by WWF

Total value (EURO) 21443,50

Phase I: Cultural valuesCost of the scheme


Phase I: Cultural valuesIncome

• Average number of tourists per year: 10000

Item Value (EURO)

Post cards 4845

Bags 4407

1% of the annual income from accommodation

634

Total value (EURO) 9886



Phase I: Cultural valuesImplementation scenarios

Scenario A All costs included -11558

Scenario BWithout the management and monitoring costs -6426

Scenario C

Without costs on management, monitoring and guides; Guides are paid by tourist or under social employment programmes +1974



• Focus: forest ecosystems• Funding: carbon financing for forest measures (restoration and protection)• Issue: not possible to prove the carbon value because of the protected status (no net change in practices)• Possible solution: entirely private set up• Potentials:

local companies not bound to GHG legislationtourists – voluntary set up

Phase II: Regulating servicesThe idea

02 April, 2012PES in international river basins 02 April, 2012PES in international river basins

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Our lessons learnt – Development of schemes requires constant communication– Data available at the moment in Bulgaria does not allow direct calculation of economic benefits – necessary to invest time and money in data collection and analyses– It is necessary to provision multiple sources of income to financially feed the scheme – Carbon markets do not support conservation measures in PAs – Support by national institutions is highly necessary!

The Danube PES Project Rusenski Lom



Thank you• www.panda.org/dcpo


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