On 8th-9th November, the DANUBEPARKS Task Group (Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve Authority as workpackage responsible partner, Duna-Ipoly Nemzeti Park, City of Ingolstadt, BROZ, Donau-Auen Nationalpark) participated at the conference Bird Conservation and Powerlines in Budapest (Hungary), organized by MAVIR, the Hungarian power line operator.

Photos: DANUBEPARKS

Besides the conference http://www.mavir.hu/web/mavir-en/domestic-bird-conservation also main steps for workpackage DANUBE FREE SKY were discussed:

• definition on the next steps towards a Danube-wide inventory (including high and medium voltage powerlines).
• development of a draft structure for a “DANUBEPARKS position paper”.
• agreement on the elaboration of the “DANUBE FREE SKY Strategy” in a way that it can be submitted as LIFE+ project.
• A Workplan and responsibilities were worked out: participation by the Task Group at the conference by Austrian Power Grid (3rd/4th July 2018), position paper ready to present final draft at this event; LIFE+ proposal ready for submission for the call 2018 or 2019 at the very latest.

DANUBE FREE SKY is importand for birdlife conservation, unique in Europe and highly relevant for other rivers. Priority Area 6 (Biodiversity) and PA2 (Energy) of the EU Danube Strategy support this initiative.

Presentation for download:
http://dtp.interreg-danube.eu/uploads/media/approved_project_public/0001/10/e27ac84188cff026ea1da08b712fc665e5afb91f.pdf