Bulgaria Wetlands Restoration and Pollution Reduction Project: Presentation

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Bulgaria Wetlands Restoration and Pollution Reduction Project Christina Nikolova Project coordination unit Local officer “Kalimok-Brushlen” Protected site

description

A PowerPoint presentation by Christina Nikolova Project coordination unit Local officer “Kalimok-Brushlen” Protected site delivered during Black Sea – Danube Regional Conference on Nutrient Pollution Control in Chisinau, Moldova last October 2006. Topics highlighted in the presentation are : (1)Project Overview, (2) Main Project Objectives, (3) Pilot Activities, (4)Project Progress by Components, (5) Expenditures by Sources of Funds

Transcript of Bulgaria Wetlands Restoration and Pollution Reduction Project: Presentation

Page 1: Bulgaria Wetlands Restoration and Pollution Reduction Project: Presentation

Bulgaria Wetlands Restoration and Pollution Reduction Project

Christina Nikolova Project coordination unit

Local officer “Kalimok-Brushlen” Protected site

Page 2: Bulgaria Wetlands Restoration and Pollution Reduction Project: Presentation

Bulgaria Wetlands Restoration and Pollution Reduction Project

Brief:

Total project cost: USD mil 13,228

GEF Grant: USD mil 7,50

Funding: GEF, EU-PHARE BULGARIAN GOVERNMENT, AUSTRIAN GOVERNMENT, LOCAL AUTHORITIES

Implementation agency: MOEW / PCU

Implementation period: 5 years

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Bulgaria Wetlands Restoration and Pollution Reduction Project

Main project objectives: 1: To demonstrate and provide for replication of

reduction of transboundary nutrient loads and other agricultural pollution flowing into the Danube River and the Black Sea basins

2: To ensure the protection of key target threatened species in the protected areas through wetlands restoration and protected areas management programs

3: To provide support to the local stakeholders in adopting environmentally friendly economic activities in the two project areas

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Bulgaria Wetlands Restoration and Pollution Reduction Project

Pilot Activities: Restoration of ~ 3000 ha former floodplains – Kalimok marsh and Persina marshes and use of their capacity for nutrient reduction Involvement of local stakeholders in decision making - management of Kalimok-Brushlen protected site by non-governmental association of local stakeholders Support to sustainable environmentally friendly use of natural resources around the restored wetlands

Christina Nikolova
Възстановяване на близо 23 000 дка някогашни влажни зони в двете проектни територии посредством контролирано заливане и ползването им като уловители за биогенни елементи
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Bulgaria Wetlands Restoration and Pollution Reduction Project

Olteniţa/ROMANIA ●

Kalimok-Brushlen Protected site – 6 000 ha Kalimok marsh (after restoration) ~ 1 850 ha Kalimok and Brushlen

former marshes ~ 35 000 ha Tutrakan●

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Bulgaria Wetlands Restoration and Pollution Reduction Project

Persina Nature Park – 22 000 ha Persina marsh (after restoration) ~ 1100 ha

Turnu MagureleROMANIA

Belene ●

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Bulgaria Wetlands Restoration and Pollution Reduction Project

Project progress / Sep-2006: Satisfactory

Significant progress has been made in respect of :Achievement of local stakeholders’ positive attitude towards project implementation – a key tool for successful project completionWetlands restoration model studies and design Implementation of two grant schemes – SGP and FTSF;Protected sites management planning Raising capacity of the units responsible for protected sites management, project implementation, local stakeholders

Delay in implementation of planed restoration activities in Kalimok-Brushlen

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Bulgaria Wetlands Restoration and Pollution Reduction Project

Project progress / Sep-2006: By componentsComponent 1 - Wetlands Restoration: Restoration of critical priority wetlands in the Danube River basin and demonstration of their nutrient removal capacity

Baseline surveys conductedFeasibility studies for restoration works completedDetailed wetlands restoration design for Persina marsh completed and approved by local authorities, permit for construction issued, construction works started in Aug-06;Detailed wetlands restoration design for Kalimok marsh completed, the process of approval by local authorities is on-going - expected final approval date - Dec-06, permit for construction expected to be issued in Mar-07;

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Bulgaria Wetlands Restoration and Pollution Reduction Project

Project progress / Sep-2006: By components

Component 2 - Protected Areas Management: Support towards sustainable resource management in Persina NP and Kalimok-Brushlen PS

GEF fundingTwo grant schemes implemented – 65 projects funded, Farmer’s Transition Support Fund and Biodiversity Conservation Small Grants ProgramRenovation of offices and basic office equipment and vehicles supplied to park administrationsConstruction of Administrative building with visitor center in Persina NPTraining program implemented successfully

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Bulgaria Wetlands Restoration and Pollution Reduction Project

Project progress / Sep-2006: By components

Component 2 - Protected Areas Management: Support towards sustainable resource management in Persina NP and Kalimok-Brushlen PS

PHARE support

Protected areas management planning completedGuidelines for establishing environmentally sustainable developed A comprehensive environmental monitoring program developed Protected areas management bodies fully supplied with specialized monitoring equipment

Page 11: Bulgaria Wetlands Restoration and Pollution Reduction Project: Presentation

Bulgaria Wetlands Restoration and Pollution Reduction Project

Project progress / Sep-2006: By components

Component 2 - Protected Areas Management: Support towards sustainable resource management in Persina NP and Kalimok-Brushlen PS

Austrian Government funding

Support for eco-business development provided by Rousse Business Center to the agricultural producers and small and medium enterprises from Kalimok-Brushlen area – funded 4 projects

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Bulgaria Wetlands Restoration and Pollution Reduction Project

Project progress / Sep-2006: By components

Component 3 – Project management, coordination and monitoring

GEF funding

Project monitoring and evaluation system developedFirst impact evaluation study conducted in 2005

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Bulgaria Wetlands Restoration and Pollution Reduction Project

Expenditures by Sources of Funds

GEF Grant - USD 2,226,518GoB Budget - USD 1,614,299PHARE - USD 2,009,778Austrian Gvt - USD 244,479Local Authorities- USD 19,359

TOTAL (Sep-2006) USD 6,114,484

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Bulgaria Wetlands Restoration and Pollution Reduction Project

Project progress / Sep-2006: Difficulties

To gain public attention on wetlands restoration as nutrient reduction tool Delay in completion of detailed design for wetlands restoration → delay in construction worksDelay in management planning of Belene and Kalimok marshesChanges in national legislation during the period of project implementationUnforeseen land use issues in the restoration area of Kalimok-Brushlen protected site – wetland borders very populated area

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Bulgaria Wetlands Restoration and Pollution Reduction Project

Project progress / Sep-2006: Difficulties

Slow running detailed design approval procedureManagement and maintenance of restored wetlands and associated protected areas - Since construction will be completed by March 2008, the project will not be able to provide support during the first years of operation of the facilities Nutrient reduction strategy guidelines development has not been carried out because of delays with restoration works Budget and time constraints

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Bulgaria Wetlands Restoration and Pollution Reduction Project

Project progress / Sep-2006:

Recommendations: The Ministry for Environment and Waters must secure basic funding for park administrations (core management staff)New international donor support is needed to secure the follow up of this project after 2007)in terms of intensive area monitoringTo strengthen the Project PR campaign at national and local level - to distribute widely good practices from project activities

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Bulgaria Wetlands Restoration and Pollution Reduction Project

Project progress / Sep-2006:

Recommendations: To come to better coordination between interested institutions The management plans should address in a better way “Restoration monitoring of nutrients, biomass, morphology (sedimentation) and hydrology” and “Management of nutrients and biomass”It is extremely important to continue to apply the participatory approach in order to support the sense of ownership of the ideas

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Bulgaria Wetlands Restoration and Pollution Reduction Project

Project progress / Sep-2006: Lessons learnt

Consensus building among stakeholders required more time than originally anticipatedParticipatory approach – a main tool for successful project implementationIn order to speed up the designing process it was most appropriate to contract the design to local company - the detailed design was prepared by the British consultants following British standards which differ from the Bulgarian The design approval procedure exceeded time limits set with the Project Implementation Plan

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Bulgaria Wetlands Restoration and Pollution Reduction Project

Project progress / Sep-2006: Lessons learnt

The design approval procedure exceeded time limits set with the Project Implementation PlanThere is need for further promotion of the detailed wetlands restoration design in both sitesTo consider land use and land ownership issues in project areasWetland restoration needs National legislation support

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Bulgaria Wetlands Restoration and Pollution Reduction Project

Project progress / Sep-2006: Lessons learnt

ALL three functions 1)Biodiversity protection, 2) Flood protection, 3) Nutrient retention can only be partly restoredAny restoration variant is an innovation of wetland use, and is beyond imagination (experience, trust) for both local and national stakeholders and responsible authoritiesThis pilot project will result in practical experience over the years (e.g. of nutrient uptake and ecosystem response)

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Bulgaria Wetlands Restoration and Pollution Reduction Project

More about the Project:More about the Project:

www.worldbank.bg/wetlands www.kalimok.org; ; www.persina.org