„Milvus Group” Association, in partnership with ProPark – Foundation for Protected Areas, is launching a large-scale project for the elaboration of management plans for several Natura 2000 protected areas along the course of the river Mureș within Mureș county: ROSCI0210 Lechința Ravine, ROSCI0367 River Mureș between Morești and Ogra, ROSCI0369 River Mureș between Iernuțeni and Periș, ROSCI0368 River Mureș between Deda and Reghin.
The aim of the project is to ensure efficient management of natural areas by protecting their biodiversity in the targeted areas. The main actions include: elaborating a management plan, mapping the physical environment, mapping and assessing the conservation status of the areas, developing studies, awareness-raising, strategical communication towards visitors and locals in the Natura 2000 areas.
Over the years, “Milvus Group” Association has identified the lack of a detailed inventory of the European or nationally protected species and habitats within the targeted areas. This project addresses directly this problem.
Moreover, biodiversity has long suffered the consequences of human activities along the course of the river, which proved to be destructive, such as water pollution due to the lack of water treatment plants, chemical fertilisers used in agriculture, ballast sorting plants, catching and killing of protected species of fish, lack of trees on the riverbank, gravel exploitation, draining of wet areas etc.
All the planned actions within the project will also be considered in light of informing and educating the local community through targeted campaigns, sustainable education in schools, student camps, meetings with fishermen and representatives of the local authorities.
The project started in June 2018, and has been financed by The Large Infrastructure Operational Programme (LIOP), Priority Axis 4 – Environmental protection by biodiversity conservation measures, air quality monitoring and decontamination of historically polluted sites, OS 4.1 Improving the protection and conservation of biodiversity and restoration of degraded ecosystems. The total budget is 6,358,394.47 RON which is jointly administered with ProPark – Foundation for Protected Areas.
