— PROJECT PARTNERS —
Coordinating beneficiary/partner
Raptor Protection of Slovakia (RPS) is a non-profit, non-governmental organization whose activities are focused on 4 programme areas: (i) survey and on-site protection of birds of prey and owls and their habitats, (ii) addressing bird crime, electrocution, and collisions of birds with electric lines (iii) lobbying for sound biodiversity policies, strategies and incentives and elaboration of conservation management plans and (iv) environmental education a public awareness. In the first two programme areas, RPS plays a leading role in Slovakia. It started as an informal Group for Research of Raptors and Owls in 1975 and transformed into an organization with the same name in 1999. Since 2004 it is known as Raptor Protection of Slovakia. Decades-long records of monitoring data and profound expertise in the ecology and biology of birds of prey and owls are the main strength of the organization. RPS has 120 members - experts that operate in the whole of Slovakia. Their activities are coordinated through the central office in Bratislava. RPS cooperates with a broad range of partners from both public and private sectors including the Ministries, State Nature Conservancy, Energy supply companies, Police, municipalities, and nature conservation authorities on the local and regional level. It also engages in cooperation with conservation organizations in other, mostly European countries. Until today, the RPS has successfully implemented more than 100 projects and participated in 8 LIFE projects focused on the conservation of birds of prey, the Great Bustard, bird crime, collisions with electric lines, and electrocution. RPS was involved either as the Coordinating Beneficiary (LIFE13 NAT/SK/001272 ENERGY, LIFE09 NAT/SK/000396 APOMARINA_SK, LIFE03NAT/SK/000098 AQUILA HELIACA) or as the Associated Beneficiary (LIFE15 NAT/HU/000902 PannonEagleLife, LIFE11/NAT/HU/000926 REDFOOT, LIFE09 NAT/HU/000384 Falco cherrug B-H-R-S, LIFE06 NAT/HU/000096 Falco cherrug-Hu/SK, LIFE05NAT/SK/000115 OTISSK).
Associated beneficiaries/partners
Situated between the European capitals Vienna and Bratislava, the Donau-Auen National Park preserves the last remaining major wetlands environment in Central Europe. Here, the Danube is still free flowing and is the lifeline of the National Park. It creates a habitat for numerous animals and plants, some of which are rare species. The learning opportunities here are also plentiful and varied. Accompanied on guided walking tours or on boats, visitors have ample opportunity to get to know the fascinating world of the "Donau-Auen", the Danube wetlands.
Nationalpark Donau-Auen GmbH (shareholders: Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management 50%; Federal State of Lower Austria and the Federal State of Vienna 25% each) is responsible for the preservation and management of the Donau-Auen National Park. The tasks of the National Park Administration are described in the BGBl (Federal Law Gazette). I No. 17/1997, BGBl. No. 653/1996 as well as in the national park laws of Lower Austria and Vienna. The activities of Nationalpark Donau-Auen GmbH are carried out in accordance with the management plan which has been prescribed and approved by the authorities.
One of the management plan's key goals is to improve the conditions for the conservation of the biodiversity as well as to further develop the Danube-wide cooperation to foster ecological connectivity.
Nationalpark Donau-Auen GmbH has acted as the Lead Partner for the establishment of DANUBEPARKS – the Danube River Network of Protected Areas and the implementation of good practice Interreg Projects to foster this cooperation. In the frame of DANUBEparksCONNECTED, the Donau-Auen National Park together with the partnership launched the Danube Free Sky initiative to raise awareness for the critical negative impact on the bird´s diversity through collision at electric power lines and electrocution as well as to build up efficient cooperation with the energy sector (powerline operators, PA2 of the EU Danube Strategy).