PROJECT PROPOSED

 

Biodiversity Preservation in the Danube Delta - Letea Natural Reserve

by saving the last wild horses in Europe and some protected vegetable species

as well as developing methods to generate alternative incomes

for inhabitants in the area

 

I. INTRODUCTION

 

A)  APPLICANT ORGANISATION

 

Arca lui Noe (Noah’s Arch) Foundation was set up in 1997 (under the initial name of XXI-st Century) and its main object of activity is the protection of animals, environmental preservation and protection, as well as helping and educating children and young people in an ecological spirit, attitude of tolerance, compassion and charity, respect for all sentient beings, for nature and the environment.

 

The Foundation is engaged in different activities for animals’ protection, monitoring and supervision of procedures with veterinary and sanitarynature, initiating educational activities, public sensitiveness and awareness, eco-voluntary activities, campaigns of animal adoptions, struggle against violence in general, fighting cruelty and abuse on animal etc.

 

On-going and finalised projects

 

1.      Pilot Project: Corvinesti Medieval Festival. Revitalizing the medieval fortresses in Transilvania by relaunching thematic and rural tourism and horse culture – a perennial feature of European history. The project tries to contribute at the same time to the revitalization of medieval fortresses by attracting tourists and creating an image to remain in the public consciousness by association with a unique, exclusive event. The event to take place with the support of Mihai Eminescu Foundation aims at raising public awareness regarding the priceless value of the Romanian cultural heritage. Children from Orphanages shall be involved, selected on the basis of their talent for acting, for their enthusiasm and as a method of social insertion and integration of this disadvantaged and marginalised category, of rescuing talented children whose gift would otherwise be lost, if not found and encouraged. Local communities shall be revitalised by relaunching rural tourism and handicrafts in Hunedoara County, attracting tourists interested in the picturesque landscape, as well as in the Romanian traditional handicrafts. The project shall use for medieval shows the horses rescued under the project presented below.

2.      Cardon 2005 – Noah’s Arch Foundation found in the area of Cardon and Rosetti communes a series of irregularities of local sanitary - veterinary authorities concerning blood analyses of cows suspected of Bovine Leucosis. At the request of the Local Council of Rosseti commune, Noah’s Arch Foundation made the blood tests again, notified the Environmental Guard and the Head of the European Commission Delegation in Romania, Mr. Jonathan Scheele, with respect to these irregularities. As a result of the notifications, the sanitary and veterinary authorities stopped the confiscation of cows suspected of having the ilness Bovine Leucosis, until the investigation is finalised.

3.      A friend in need is a friend indeed – 2004: the project was implemented in the Rahova Penitenciary of maximum security. The task of the project was to accommodate prisoners with animals, make them become familiar with pet animals in order to decrease aggression, and at a further stage they were to train communitary dogs for use of handicapped people. Thus, inmates would perform a social work which will also help them integrate into society.

4.      A puppy = a friend – 2003 – 2004 – a project under Phare Access – The NGO Sector Development. It included the setting up of a voluntary centre, voluntaries’ training and organising an open adoptions campaign. The budget was 30,000 €.

5.      Animals’ International Day – 4 October 2003 – a show organised by Arca lui Nou together with Children’s Palace, at the Great Hall of Children’s National Palace, having as main target children education in the spirit of love towards nature and animals.

6.      We are not alone on Earth – 22^nd of April 2003 – a show organised by Noah’s Arch Foundation together with the Children’s Palace, in the Great Hall of Children’s National Palace, having as main target to educate children in the spirit of love for natural environment and for animals.

7.      The setting up of a shelter for 400 communitarian dogs in Cervenia commune – Teleorman County in 2001. Budget: 42.850 EURO. Partners – Noah’s Arch Foundation + Cerveni Legal Office.

8.      The establishment of a shelter for 800 communitarian dogs in Colentina – Bucharest, 2001. Budget: 60.200 EURO. Partners: Noah’s Arch Foundation + General Construct SA

9.      The building of a shelter for 300 communitarian dogs in Dragomiresti Vale – Ilfov County - 2001. Budget: 35.500 EURO. Partners: Noah’s Arch Foundation + external sponsorships

 

Contact:

            Mihaela Eremia, Vice-president

            Noah’s Arch Foundation

Str. Plantelor, no.61, Sect.2, Bucharest

Tel. 4021-252.3403;  GSM: 4-0745.467.401;

E-mail: miheremia@yahoo.com

 

B. PROJECT PROPOSED

 

The project Biodiversity Preservation in the Danube Delta Letea Natural Reserve by saving the last wild horses in Europe and some protected vegetable species , as well as developing methods to generate alternative incomes for inhabitants in the area aims to contribute at the same time to solving problems related to biodiversity preservation in the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve, the humanitarian problem of distressed people left without working animals in the areas flooded this summer, as well as the problem of inhabitants in the communes near Letea Reserve suffering damages caused by wild horses on their pastures, but also from endemic poverty caused by economic underdevelopment, as the Letea-Sulina area is a disadvantaged area, with generalised chronic unemployment.

 

The Partners of Arca lui Noe (Noah’s Arch) Foundation in this project are:

-         The Local Council of C.A. Rosetti Commune

-         Forest Department in Tulcea

-         The Association Save the Danube and the Danube Delta

 

 

II. NARRATIVE DESCRIPTION

 

The environmental problem aimed to be solved by implementing the project

The Letea area in the Danube Delta was put under protection in 1930 and became a national reserven in 1938. Due to its floristic and ecological particularities, its different types of habitats, the Letea forest is a unique natural asset in Romania and Europe. At present approximately 2,000 wild horses still survive on Letea Island (10,500 hectares). They are the last wild horses in Europe - the only wild horses still living at large on the European continent (except for 35 horses still existing in Greece). Unfortunately, especially in the winter period, the horses take refuge in the forest, where they cause significant ecological damage, by eating off the bark of young trees and destroying the herbaceous (grass) cover and the natural seeds on the forest ground.

 

Goal

The project aims to find solutions to preserve the biodiversity threatened by the incompatibility between the survival of wild horses in the Letea Natural Reserve, and the need to protect the Letea forest ecosystem, as welll as to enhance the inhabitants’ welfare and living standard by sustainable development methods – stimulating agri-tourism and equestrian tourism. 

 

Objectives

-         Rescue Letea Natural Reserve from destruction by protecting the endangered ecosystems;

-         Setting up a new natural reserve for the endangered species of wild horses

-         Involvement of the local community in the process of catching, vaccinating and training the horses in the Reserve

-         Saving 2,000 wild horses which currently have no other chance but to end in the slaughter house

-         Helping people who lost their horses during the floods this year

-         Making people aware of the important relation between man and horse

 

Short description of the main activities

1.      The Local Council in Rossetti Commune and the Forest Directorate in Tulcea offered us some land, which will be enclosed and become the new Reserve for wild horses, in order to separate them from the protected species of vegetation.

2.      Wild horses will be caught in groups of 50. After being caught, they will be blood tested to prove they are healthy, will be vaccinated and identified with microchips, according to European standards.

3.      Peasants will have two weeks to claim their horses for which they paid the pasture and to take them to their own farm.

4.      Some horses will be selected to remain in the reserve, and others will be trained.

5.      Some of the trained horses will be transported to people in distress after the floods, according to lists made by local councils (only in Hunedoara County, the Local Council asked for 173 horses). Other horses will be taken for medieval shows by the local councils which manage fortresses with tourist potential, such as: Fagaras Fortress – in Brasov County, and Corvinesti Castle - in Hunedoara County, for which there are already signed partnerships with the Local Council and The Museum of Corvinesti Castle.

6.      At the edge of the Nature Reserve, there will be established a veterinary post and a manege to attract tourists.

 

Convergence of  the project with GEF / SGP priorities

a)      Thematic fields: The project aims to preserve biodiversity – the first among the 3 areas of interest in GEF strategy.

b)      Operational programmes: The project fits simultaneously: PO GEF No.1 – as Letea Reserve features arid / semiarid ecosystems – sand-dunes; PO GEF no.2 – as the Letea Reserve in the Danube Delta has by excellence coastal and sweet water ecosystems; PO GEF no. 3 – as the aim is to protect the Letea forest ecosystem, endangered by wild horses;

c)      Geographic areas: Tulcea County is in the second area of GEF geographic priority. The Danube Delta is a Reservation of the Biosphere, Ramsar area, and it is on the World Cultural and Natural Heritage List.

 

As a multifunctional project, its components are targetting at decreasing poverty and ensuring means of subsistence for the rural population around the preservation area, which is surrounded by agricultural landscapes of great variety, but endangered, with a significant global biodiversity. The project is based on the co-operation with local authorities and communities in the Letea area, with other local communities in Romania, and with specialised NGO-s. The awareness-raising component is meant to spread information and project results, to render public opinion more sensitive and responsive regarding the value and nobleness of horses , the special relation between horse and man.

 

Project area of implementation: Letea Naturak Reserve in the Danube Delta, enclosed between the Sulina and Chilia Danube arms, bordered by Letea, Cardon, Sfistofca and Periprava communes, and placed under the Administration of the Local Council of C.A. Rosetti commune.

 

Groups involved

1.      Inhabitants of Letea, Rosetti, Cardon, Sfistofca and Periprava communes, where wild horses caused damages.

2.      People who lost their animals in the floods.

3.      Inhabitants of some cities in Transylvania who have requested horses to revitalise the fortresses.

 

Expected results

-         protection of biodiversity in the Letea reservation by moving the wild horses to a separate reserve:

-         protection of the last wild horses in Europe by creating a reservation, by their vaccination and marking.

-         informing the local community of the importance and the profits that can be obtained by training and taking care of these horses, as well as direct involvement of local community in these activities.

-         helping the groups of people who remained without animals after the floods, by donating trained horses;

-         helping the rural population around Letea Reservation, who through this project could develop income-generating agri-tourism and equestrian tourism activities, as well as helping those local inhabitants who would like to build tourist pensions with EU funds under SAPARD preaccession programme.