The annual meeting of the LIFE WILDisland project, combined with the DANUBEPARKS General Assembly, took place on 28-30 September in Gornje Podunavlje, Serbia, hosted by our project partner Vojvodinašume. Representatives of 11 of the 14 LIFE WILDisland partners joined several days of celebrations, discussions, project planning and restoration in the field.
The programme started in Apatin with a very special occasion – the celebration of 25 years of the Special Nature Reserve “Gornje Podunavlje”. The Reserve covers almost 20,000 hectares of floodplain forests, wetlands and other valuable habitats along the Danube near Sombor and Apatin and forms an important part of the wider Danube ecological corridor. Managed by the state forestry enterprise Vojvodinašume, it is an excellent example of how the forestry sector can actively contribute to nature conservation, build international partnerships, develop and apply best practices and invest in biodiversity protection. Although Serbia is not yet part of the EU Natura 2000 network, its protected areas are crucial for the integrity and connectivity of the wider European ecological network, and Gornje Podunavlje provides an inspiring example of conservation action beyond EU borders. The anniversary brought together representatives of national ministries, provincial and local authorities, nature conservation institutions, protected-area managers, NGOs and international conservation organisations, including WWF and IUCN, demonstrating the broad cooperation behind the long-term protection of this exceptional Danube floodplain.
Donau-Auen National Park was very happy to join the celebrations and present Vojvodinašume with a congratulatory letter, recognising both this important anniversary and our long-standing cooperation for the conservation and restoration of the Danube. At the same time, DANUBEPARKS was honoured with a certificate acknowledging the active contribution of our joint network to mobilising funding and support for conservation and restoration measures in Gornje Podunavlje. We are particularly proud of this recognition and of having contributed, together with Vojvodinašume and our many partners, to turning our shared conservation ambitions into concrete action on the ground.
The celebrations were followed by the DANUBEPARKS General Assembly, bringing together protected areas from across the Danube River Basin. The WILDisland project itself was developed within the DANUBEPARKS network, making the annual General Assembly an important opportunity to connect the ongoing project work with the wider and long-term cooperation of Danube protected areas.
The following programme was dedicated to our LIFE WILDisland annual partner meeting. With the project advancing, this year's meeting looked at the work still ahead. Together, the partners reviewed the progress of the remaining restoration actions, discussed common challenges and upcoming milestones and deliverables, and planned the next steps for the successful completion of our joint activities.
Of course, one of the highlights was seeing WILDisland restoration directly on the ground! During a joint field visit, Vojvodinašume presented the ongoing measures in Gornje Podunavlje. Dredging works are restoring a former watercourse following the historical riparian morphology, helping to separate a Danube island again and restore its natural character. The hydrological works are complemented by measures to restore characteristic native floodplain forests.
The site demonstrates very practically what the WILDisland approach aims to achieve: restoring the conditions that allow natural river dynamics to once again shape islands, channels, banks and floodplain habitats and strengthening the ecological corridor along the Danube.
After several days of celebration, exchange, planning and field visits, we returned home with new impressions, plenty of ideas and a clearer picture of the work ahead. Meeting in person once again provided an excellent opportunity to openly discuss our joint progress and challenges and plan our next steps towards more WILDislands along the Danube.
A very big thank you to Vojvodinašume and the team of Gornje Podunavlje for the warm hospitality and excellent organisation – and once again, happy 25th anniversary, Gornje Podunavlje!
