Mura-Drava-Danube Biosphere – Largest Protected River Area in Europe

River Drava - Repaski Most

UNESCO “Man & Biosphere” program is helping the creation of biosphere reserves. The Mura-Drava-Danube Biosphere is an example of such a reserve formed in agreement between Croatia & Hungary.
So what’s a Biosphere Reserve? It is an ecological area with 3 key priorities: Protection of natural assets Encourage sustainable ecological development and Stimulate scientific research related to the improvement of the quality of life and sustainable use of natural goods The Mura-Drava-Danube Biosphere covers 500 kilometres of 3 river flows and is located around 630,000 hectares of beautiful natural & cultural landscape comprising very rare but large flood resorts, river islands, pebble & sand coasts and oxbow lakes.

The reserve also serves as the home of several endangered species such as the little tern, black stork, otter or sterlet. This reserve houses the biggest nesting population of the very rare white tailed eagle in Europe and is an extremely important winter habitation for more than 250,000 wading birds every year.
This protected river area is important for the socio-economic development of the surrounding area for the following reasons:
Progress of continental eco-tourism which in turn enhances awareness of the need to protect the natural surroundings & environment of the entire region Agriculture & fishery management. Sustainable forestry. Efficient flood defence system and last but not the least Primary source of drinking water Representatives from the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) state that this ecological reserve has the richest biological diversity of species in Europe.

With such a cross-border Croatian & Hungarian biosphere reserve coming in to being, a nomination plan for the Mura-Drava-Danube biosphere reserve has also been formed now with the help of a bilateral work group.
With such a nomination plan, Croatia now needs to develop the Mura-Drava Regional Park, ascertaining efficient management of the central zone of this biosphere reserve of tomorrow. Going by timelines, the biosphere reserve should be declared in 2010 and this in turn should attract people and authorities to develop in harmony with nature and the beautiful environment.

The matter of protecting River Drava is of significant importance within the European framework as this is the only remaining part of the river’s natural flow. A lot of efforts are in progress in other countries to retrieve the river bed’s natural appearance and to renew its biological diversity, while the area remains protected in Croatia.
Certain natural resources of this River Drava area has made Croatia get actively involved in the ecological protection of this area with the creation of the Mura-Drava Regional Park which covers the area of this ecosystem on Croatian territory. That’s not all … for this area also stands enlisted in to the National Ecological Network – NATURA 2000 as a potential area of ecological significance in the European Union.

All this along with the tie-up between Croatia & Hungary on the setting up of the Mura-Drava-Danube biosphere reserve ensures that the total area between the two states would be included and this is a matter of exceptional significance for the protection of the natural surroundings.
Such a joint effort by Croatia & Hungary on the creation of a cross-border reserve copud set the foundation of an international biosphere reserve with countries like Austria, Slovenia & Serbia joining in. A first of its kind, this natural reserve would spread across five European countries and would be the largest protected river area in Europe. Keeping this in mind, members of Croatian and other foreign non-governmental ecological associations have invited Slovenia, Serbia & Austria to join in and contribute to the idea of the proposed biosphere reserve and in the process do their bit to complete the process of protecting a beautiful green zone in the heart of Europe.