Danube Regional Project Grants

About the project The second Danube Regional Project was launched in January 2006. The aim of the project is preserving and improving the water quality on the Danube river basin. The second Danube Regional Project (Danube II) was launched in January 2006. The aim of the project is preserving and improving the water quality on the Danube river basin, diminishing organic, non-organic and toxic pollutions from point and diffuse sources. Non-governmental organisations could apply to the REC Country Office Hungary for implementing the Hungarian program. We selected small and medium scale projects, which support public awareness raising, preventive activities and the building of social partnerships. In the frame of Danube II, 12 projects are implemented from total 49 997 USD. The short description of the beneficiary projects are: Clean the River Dráva! USD 4,651 NGO Name: Dráva River Alliance The activists of the alliance, pupils and other interested civils as well, will detect the pollution sources and waste dumps of the Drava region. The already existing database will be completed and extended using GIS-mapping and methodology. The results will be published and officially reported to the responsible municipalities and authorities. Chemicals free Zone along the Által-ér USD 3,256 NGO Name: Center for Environmental Studies Center for Environmental Studies would act as an intermediary between local interest groups, decision makers, planners and universities to a start local, chemicals free bio-agricultural investments in order to decrease pollution of Által-ér, the most polluted river of Hungary. Nyáros-island meadows rehabilitation USD 5,581 NGO Name: Pilis Nature Conservation Association The project will reconstruct the wetland meadows on a small Danube island (Nyáros-sziget) by the means of cleaning and grass-cutting. This will contribute to the elimination of pollution as well as preserving habitats and saving certain species. Sződrákos creek program - Phase 2. USD 4,651 NGO Name: Tavirózsa Association The project is part of the long-term Sződrákos-creek rehabilitation programme which seeks to achieve sustainable water and land management in the water catchment area in the frame of the EU Water Framework Directive. In this initial phase water quality monitoring, the rehabilitation of a smaller lake, and other land management activities will be carried out. Ipoly river cleaning action and environmantl friendly technologies exhibition USD 4,651 NGO Name: Magosfa Alapítvány The foundation organizes 2 cleaning action on Ipoly River. During the project the activists detect the illegal waste dumps, maps and reports these to the responsible municipalities, but also conduct cleaning action with volunteers popularizing selective waste collection. Water, the cradle of life - interactive exhibition and alternative scool classes USD 3,720 NGO Name: Pisztráng Kör Association The association develops an interactive exhibition and alternative school classes to present the importance of water, the Danube and its rich flora and fauna. The exhibition and classes serve public awareness raising purposes for children. The exhibition will be displayed in several locations for 1-3 weeks. Coopeartion for the Danube in the Esztergomi small-region USD 4,186 NGO Name: Esztergomi Környezetkultúra Association After the 2005 hazardous sewage water leak from the nearby Dorog ONYX Incinerator, a strong environmental coalition started in Esztergom. The project seeks to assess the water quality of the Danube and other small rivers in the Esztergom micro region, detect and register all pollution sources, develop potential solutions. Involving the public and bringing together relevant stakeholders it tries to foster a more responsible behavior on the corporative side, and to start a common action INFO-lanc portal - Danue watch system, access to information USD 4,651 NGO Name: REFLEX Environmental Association The association will interpret the environmental data resulting from Danube monitoring to an easy-to-understand language and accessible form. The aim is to disseminate information and raise awareness with the well-known InfoLanc webportal, which is an interactive, GIS based communication and public participation tool providing environmental information in 4 languages about the North-West of Hungary, and the bordering regions of Austria and Slovakia. Sajó-Hernád rivers foold and water pollution priorities USD 5,581 NGO Name: Holocén Nature Conservation Association This comprehensive project at Sajó-Hernád micro region is to foster integrated planning by creating a forum for the stakeholders (including forestry, agriculture, flood and catastrophe prevention etc.), and to create a model site in order to demonstrate the necessity and the positive results of such approach. Chemicals reduction and pollution prevenition campaign USD 5,581 NGO Name: Clean Air Working Group The project aim is to inform and raise awareness of farmers of East-Hungary on sustainable agriculture and diminishing the use of pesticide and demonstrating possibilities of chemical-use reduction. The Chemical Re-action and Safe Households Chemicals campaign was successful in 2005. This project is the continuation of this effort. National development Plan 2007-13 - Public participation in preparation of Water projects USD 3,488 NGO Name: Friends of The Earth Hungary - Hungarian Alliance of Conservationists By the means of public participation, involvement of independent experts, consultation, and mobilizing local society as well as press, the Hungarian Alliance of Conservationists and its local partners seek to foster sustainable development in the Tisza and Danube region. Also they are aiming to influence the decision making processes during the planning and development of National Development Plan II in 2006, with a special focus on large investments on water management. For more information contact: Rita Szánthó Project manager REC Country Office Hungary, 9-11 Ady Endre, 2000 Szentendre, Hungary, Tel: (36) 26 504 076, e-mail: coh@rec.org