Danube Rivers Morphology and Revitalization - DANUBEPARKS

The islands once had a significant role as a nursery for about 20 fish species,and efforts are being made to reinstate their importance with a planned restorationproject.Threats:The area is very sensitive to drainage, because it is highly dependent on theflooding, which maintains the marshes, riverine forests and all the various treeassociations. At present the area is drained for the maintenance of meadows andarable land, as well as for forestry activities. In some years the marshes dry upcompletely. Processes and species dependent on temporary inundation and fishoccurrence on Persina Island are extinct. The unique forests have been partlydestroyed by cutting and replanting with non-native species. The western part ofPersina Island is urbanized, where a prison is situated. Urgent measures are neededfor the restoration of the natural water balance on the Persina Island. During therecent years a restoration project started on the island, but the type and scope of therestoration measures are stils not agreed. The shipping on the Danube Riverinfluences the water quality of the river. Deepening the bottom of the Danube,planned by the Government with EU funds, will cause in this particular part of theriver further disturbance of water regime and deterioration of the wetland habitats inthe Belene Island Complex. The planned construction of the Belene Nuclear PowerStation south of the Belene complex by the Government will have significant impacton the water characteristics and parameters, which will change the speciescomposition in the area and the food base for majority of the water birds.Legal protection:The land territory of Belene Island Complex is situated in “Persina” NaturePark, designated in the year 2000. Two reserves – the islands “Milka” and “Kitka” areestablished in the area respectively in 1956 and 1981 to protect the unique riverineforests. The “Persina marshes” Maintained reserve with a buffer zone, as well as the“Persina iztok” Protected Area were designated in 1981 to protect the representativewetlands, with typical habitats and breeding grounds for terns, ducks and geese. In1998 the Persina Island was appointed as CORINE Site because of its Europeanvalue for habitats, rare and threatened plant and animal species, including birds.42