INCOLAB (ROBG-10)
Innovative and collaborative management of Natura 2000 sites in the Danube border region
What’s the goal?
To promote and strengthen the partnership between the border environment communities to sustainably management of ecosystems in zones of European Natura 2000 network and to support the cross-border investments in Natura 2000 sites.
What’s the budget?
1.162.818,31 euro, out of which 988.395,56 euro ERDF
Who?
Lead beneficiary (LB): National Environmental Guard – (NEG) (Romania)
Beneficiary 2 (B2): Regional Inspectorate of Environment and Water – Veliko Tarnovo (RIEW) (Bulgaria)
When?
Start date: 19.02.2016
End date: 18.07.2018
Duration: 29 months
Where?
Bucharest, Olt, Teleorman in Romania
Veliko Tarnovo in Bulgaria
How?
- Development and implementation of a common management plan for Natura 2000 sites in the cross border Danube area;
- Information system development and implementation to support the common management plan;
- Information and publicity for the project; public awareness concerning Natura 2000 sites.
Results (what’s the contribution to the Programme)?
Programme outputs:
- 1 common management plan;
- 27.046 ha of habitats supported to attain a better conservation status (ha) (COI);
Programme results:
- 4 NATURA 2000 sites in the cross border area with coordinated management tools.
Project status:
The project is finalized.
With the exception of a training in English, which was not organized by the LP during the implementation period and will be realized instead in the sustainability period, the project activities were realized according to the plan and the expected outputs achieved.
The beneficiaries carried out initiatives for developing cooperation relations with relevant stakeholders (local public authorities, custodians, State Forestry – Svishtov etc and collaboration protocols were concluded.
IT and field work equipment (shoes, trousers, jackets, lifejackets) was purchased.
A common management plan, composed of actions plans for each targeted protected are was developed. The management plan is the result of field studies and mapping of the 4 NATURA 2000 protected areas (Suhaia and Confluenta Olt-Dunare in Romania and Ostrov Vardim and Ribarnitzi Hadji Dimitrovo in Bulgaria).
An Information system designed to support the implementation of the common management plan was also developed.
The web application for the Romanian protected areas is now available at https://incolab.gnm.ro/aplicatie/, while the web application for the BG protected areas can be accessed at http://incolab.vt.riew.gov.bg/.
A Portal for reporting any incident can be accessed at https://incolab.gnm.ro/. A mobile app (look for Incolab) is available in Google Play.
Moreover, a application (available both online and offline) was developed and installed on tablets (also purchased via the project) for the management teams of the NATURA 2000 areas. The app collects data from the field.
Foreign language training in English language for RIEW-Veliko Tarnovo employees was realised. The LB did not manage to organized the English language training within the project implementation period, but should do so in the project sustainability period.
