D2C DaRe to Connect - Supporting Danube Region’s ecological Connectivity by linking Natura 2000 areas along the Green Belt
What is the GreenBelt?
With the European Green Belt, an extraordinary ecological network and living memorial landscape has been developed along the former Iron Curtain. In the area of the INTERREG Danube Transnational Programme (DTP) the European Green Belt connects 10 countries. It forms a backbone of the Pan-European ecological network and can provide a significant contribution to EU Green Infrastructure (GI) and TEN-G.
We dare to connect!
However, the Green Belt still suffers from a certain level of not sufficiently connected habitats and valuable landscapes. The main objective of the „DaRe to Connect (D2C)“ project is therefore the implementation of the EU Danube Strategy by further transnational development of the connectivity of the Green Belt as backbone of EU Green infrastructure (EU GI) by maintaining and enhancing ecosystems and their services.
Technology, nature and people
There are several main parts of the project:
- The project defines feasible ecological corridors between Natura 2000 areas on transnational and macro-regional level by innovative GIS and remote sensing approaches, partly based on newly available EU-Copernicus (Sentinel) data.
- Then, the project will provide concrete guidance and recommendations on planning and establishment of transnational ecological corridors connecting Natura 2000 areas on local and regional level, derived from pilot actions.
- Results will be mainstreamed via a transnational strategic vision "Green Belt in the Danube Region 2030” to be endorsed by national political stakeholders.
- The improvement of capacities of responsible public bodies and NGOs will lead to better understanding as well as to an improved knowledge exchange and cooperation.
- PR-work and events will give local/regional people and politicians an understanding of how connectivity and ESS can contribute to human wellbeing.
Project participation and learning interaction will enhance individual capacities of the project partners' staff and other involved institutions to further develop the European Green Belt in the DTP area.
The project activities are focused mainly in 6 pilot regions:
You can read more about pilot regions here.
- Start date
- 01-06-2018
- End date
- 31-05-2021
- Budget in Euro
- Overall: 2086654,1
- ERDF Contribution: 1684031,98
- IPA Contribution: 89624
- ENI Contribution: 0
- Call number
- Call 2
- Priority
- Environment and culture responsible Danube region
- Specific objective
- Foster the restoration and management of ecological corridors
Library
| Filename | Date of upload | |
|---|---|---|
| D 3.4.3. Transnational strategic vision „Green Belt in the Danube Region 2030" | 09-03-2022 12:20:52 | |
| D.4.4.2. GIS Tool webinar presentation | 13-12-2021 11:03:03 | |
| D.4.4.2. GIS Tool manual | 13-12-2021 10:55:05 | |
| D.2.3.2 Public Final Conference: - presentations | 05-12-2021 08:48:39 | |
| D.2.3.2 Public Final Conference - minutes | 05-12-2021 08:46:12 | |
Project Partners
| Name | Type | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bavarian branch of BUND, Friends of the Earth Germany, BUND Project Office Green Belt | Lead partner | melanie.kreutz@bund-naturschutz.de | GERMANY |
| Ametyst Non-governmental organization | ERDF partner | marinakova@ametyst21.cz | CZECH REPUBLIC |
| Environment Agency Austria | ERDF partner | maria.stejskal-tiefenbach@umweltbundesamt.at | AUSTRIA |
| University of Vienna, Division of Conservation Biology, Vegetation Ecology and Landscape Ecology | ERDF partner | thomas.wrbka@univie.ac.at | AUSTRIA |
| Őrség National Park Directorate | ERDF partner | i.szentirmai@gmail.com | HUNGARY |
Project News
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D2C - GIS Tool published to use benefits of the project
- 13-12-2021
Local and regional stakeholders with the D2C Pilot regions and beyond have got the tool which help them to identify natural features and potential ecological corridors on local and regional level along the European Green Belt with specific focus...
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D2C - The results of the Dare to Connect project were presented at the conference
- 25-11-2021
This year's "Aktuality šumavského výzkumu" (Šumava Research News) conference was also a celebration of 30 years since the founding of the Šumava National Park and 50 years since the founding of the Bavarian Forest National Park. It took place in...
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D2C - Final conference of the project was successful
- 15-11-2021
The DaRe to Connect final conference summarized the project results and charted possible ways forward ecological stability of the Euroepan Green Belt. The conference was hold on November 10, 2021, online. It was attended by 65 participants from...
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D2C - Final Conference - Open registration
- 18-10-2021
The final conference of the DaRe To Connect project is organized on November 10, 2021, online. Registration in the project final conference is open at the registration link. You can find more information about the conference at the...
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D2C - Public excursion in Slovak pilot region
- 02-10-2021
The field trip for public and stakeholders in the CHKO Záhorie, the project pilot area, was organized on September 10, 2021 by Slovak project partners - Záhorie Protected Landscape administration and the Ekopolis Foundation. Ten participants and...
