Mura Drava Danube
Biosphere Reserve
Administrative authorities of the existing biosphere reserves
Ministry of Environment and Energy (Croatia) and Danube-Drava National Park Directorate (Hungary) for the Mura-Drava-Danube Transboundary Biosphere Reserve (HR-HU) (designation in 2012)
Institute for Nature Conservation of Vojvodina Province for Bačko Podunavlje Biosphere Reserve (designation in 2017)
Institute of the Republic of Slovenia for nature conservation for the Mura River Biosphere Reserve (designation in 2018)
Planned administrative authorities
Regional Management South-East Styria for the planned Biosphere Reserve Unteres Murtal (designation expected in 2019)
Main features and specificities
Unique free-flowing and dynamic river corridor “Amazon of Europe”.
Some rare species still live in the steep banks, gravel islands, oxbow lakes or floodplain forests.
Educational infrastructure in visitor centres in protected areas.
A joint 5-country Biosphere Reserve is planned.
Cultural and social particularities linked to rivers
Flood protection.
Drinking water.
Freshwater recreation activities.
Water mills still in use.
Variety of fish species.
Main problems and concerns
- water pollution (eutrophication, toxic substances)
- morphological deterioration of river beds
- biodiversity loss
- loss of flooding areas
- hydropower impacts
- conflicts between water and land use
- invasive species
- disappearance of river-related cultural heritages (knowledge, identity…)
- threat of establishing new hydropower plants
Main know-how, skills and specialties
- Transboundary Biosphere Reserve and transboundary cooperation.
- Free-flowing river without barriers for e.g. fish migration.
- A chain of protected areas via 5 countries.
- Cross-sectorial cooperation.
- Restoration of river branches, oxbows and main river for nature conservation and flood protection.
Current scientific research topics and actions
- Species monitoring: yearly bird monitoring of the river corridor
- Research on IUCN red list species
Related Posts
Cooperation across borders along Mura, Drava and Danube
The 5-country Biosphere Reserve Mura-Drava-Danube (TBR MDD) is an initiative to jointly protect the most natural stretches of Mura and Drava together with the adjacent Danube section, in a cooperation of five countries: Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Hungary and Serbia....