Horti Danubii

Abstract

For a large stretch the border of Romania and Bulgaria runs over the Danube. At only two points this river is crossed by transportation infrastructure. One of the two points is the crossing between Ruse (Bulgaria) and Giurgiu (Romania). In these surroundings several places were visited along the Danube. Most of these observations turned out to be different from the expectations: the places were neglected at the backside of the countries. This seems to be caused by a lack of money from authorities and possibly a lack of awareness from the local population. The next part of the report is a search to a solution for this problem: how to create a connection between the existing ecological and recreational network and the river border area of the Danube? By the use of different methodologies the search is deployed. On the one hand several observations took place, strengthened by desk research. Not only in the studied stretch, but -parallel to this- as well studies of nature parks in Holland were undertaken. On the other hand a more theoretical approach took place, by the use of the patch-corridor-matrix-theory (Forman, 1995) and studies about animal-visitor interactions. Eventually a solution is found in the concept of connectivity and elaborating on this a green infrastructure: at every scale an interweavement between the recreational and ecological network and the river border area takes place. Neglected places are found and activated to create an interconnected network of protected nature areas. The otter and beaver form in this network the symbol of a healthy nature. On the L(arge)-scale, the stretch between Ruse and Silistra, a regional plan is elaborated with linked recreative routes that show the new green infrastructure. On the M(iddle)-scale of Ruse and Giurgiu a masterplan is drawn up with again linked recreative routes and an interconnected network of green areas that provide habitat for wild animals. On the S(mall)-scale one of the newly actived places is elaborated: the missing link between several valuable Natura 2000 areas at the island Luliaka. This part contains a detailed design of an otter and beaver nature park including a planting plan and several impressions.