1. Bulgaria Wetlands Restoration and Pollution Reduction Project Christina Nikolova Project coordination unit Local officer “Kalimok-Brushlen” Protected site

2. Bulgaria Wetlands Restoration and Pollution Reduction Project Brief: Total project cost: USD mil 13,228 GEF Grant: USD mil 7,50 Funding: GEF, EU-PHARE BULGARIAN GOVERNMENT, AUSTRIAN GOVERNMENT, LOCAL AUTHORITIES Implementation agency: MOEW / PCU Implementation period: 5 years

3. Bulgaria Wetlands Restoration and Pollution Reduction Project Main project objectives: 1: To demonstrate and provide for replication of reduction of transboundary nutrient loads and other agricultural pollution flowing into the Danube River and the Black Sea basins 2: To ensure the protection of key target threatened species in the protected areas through wetlands restoration and protected areas management programs 3: To provide support to the local stakeholders in adopting environmentally friendly economic activities in the two project areas

4. Bulgaria Wetlands Restoration and Pollution Reduction Project Pilot Activities : Restoration of ~ 3000 ha former floodplains – Kalimok marsh and Persina marshes and use of their capacity for nutrient reduction Involvement of local stakeholders in decision making - management of Kalimok-Brushlen protected site by non-governmental association of local stakeholders Support to sustainable environmentally friendly use of natural resources around the restored wetlands

5. Bulgaria Wetlands Restoration and Pollution Reduction Project Olteniţa/ROMANIA ● Kalimok-Brushlen Protected site – 6 000 ha Kalimok marsh (after restoration) ~ 1 850 ha Kalimok and Brushlen former marshes ~ 35 000 ha T utrakan ●

6. Bulgaria Wetlands Restoration and Pollution Reduction Project Persina Nature Park – 22 000 ha Persina marsh (after restoration) ~ 1100 ha Turnu Magurele ROMANIA ● Belene ●

7. Bulgaria Wetlands Restoration and Pollution Reduction Project Project progress / Sep-2006: Satisfactory Significant progress has been made in respect of : Achievement of local stakeholders’ positive attitude towards project implementation – a key tool for successful project completion Wetlands restoration model studies and design Implementation of two grant schemes – SGP and FTSF; Protected sites management planning Raising capacity of the units responsible for protected sites management, project implementation, local stakeholders Delay in implementation of planed restoration activities in Kalimok-Brushlen

8. Bulgaria Wetlands Restoration and Pollution Reduction Project Project progress / Sep-2006: By components Component 1 - Wetlands Restoration: Restoration of critical priority wetlands in the Danube River basin and demonstration of their nutrient removal capacity Baseline surveys conducted Feasibility studies for restoration works completed Detailed wetlands restoration design for Persina marsh completed and approved by local authorities, permit for construction issued, construction works started in Aug-06; Detailed wetlands restoration design for Kalimok marsh completed, the process of approval by local authorities is on-going - expected final approval date - Dec-06, permit for construction expected to be issued in Mar-07;

9. Bulgaria Wetlands Restoration and Pollution Reduction Project Project progress / Sep-2006: By components Component 2 - Protected Areas Management: Support towards sustainable resource management in Persina NP and Kalimok-Brushlen PS GEF funding Two grant schemes implemented – 65 projects funded, Farmer’s Transition Support Fund and Biodiversity Conservation Small Grants Program Renovation of offices and basic office equipment and vehicles supplied to park administrations Construction of Administrative building with visitor center in Persina NP Training program implemented successfully

10. Bulgaria Wetlands Restoration and Pollution Reduction Project Project progress / Sep-2006: By components Component 2 - Protected Areas Management: Support towards sustainable resource management in Persina NP and Kalimok-Brushlen PS PHARE support Protected areas management planning completed Guidelines for establishing environmentally sustainable developed A comprehensive environmental monitoring program developed Protected areas management bodies fully supplied with specialized monitoring equipment

11. Bulgaria Wetlands Restoration and Pollution Reduction Project Project progress / Sep-2006: By components Component 2 - Protected Areas Management: Support towards sustainable resource management in Persina NP and Kalimok-Brushlen PS Austrian Government funding Support for eco-business development provided by Rousse Business Center to the agricultural producers and small and medium enterprises from Kalimok-Brushlen area – funded 4 projects

12. Bulgaria Wetlands Restoration and Pollution Reduction Project Project progress / Sep-2006: By components Component 3 – Project management, coordination and monitoring GEF funding Project monitoring and evaluation system developed First impact evaluation study conducted in 2005

13. Bulgaria Wetlands Restoration and Pollution Reduction Project Expenditures by Sources of Funds GEF Grant-USD 2,226,518 GoB Budget-USD 1,614,299 PHARE-USD 2,009,778 Austrian Gvt-USD 244,479 Local Authorities-USD 19,359 TOTAL (Sep-2006)USD 6,114,484

14. Bulgaria Wetlands Restoration and Pollution Reduction Project Project progress / Sep-2006: Difficulties To gain public attention on wetlands restoration as nutrient reduction tool Delay in completion of detailed design for wetlands restoration → delay in construction works Delay in management planning of Belene and Kalimok marshes Changes in national legislation during the period of project implementation Unforeseen land use issues in the restoration area of Kalimok-Brushlen protected site – wetland borders very populated area

15. Bulgaria Wetlands Restoration and Pollution Reduction Project Project progress / Sep-2006: Difficulties Slow running detailed design approval procedure Management and maintenance of restored wetlands and associated protected areas - Since construction will be completed by March 2008, the project will not be able to provide support during the first years of operation of the facilities Nutrient reduction strategy guidelines development has not been carried out because of delays with restoration works Budget and time constraints

16. Bulgaria Wetlands Restoration and Pollution Reduction Project Project progress / Sep-2006: Recommendations: The Ministry for Environment and Waters must secure basic funding for park administrations (core management staff) New international donor support is needed to secure the follow up of this project after 2007)in terms of intensive area monitoring To strengthen the Project PR campaign at national and local level - to distribute widely good practices from project activities

17. Bulgaria Wetlands Restoration and Pollution Reduction Project Project progress / Sep-2006: Recommendations: To come to better coordination between interested institutions The management plans should address in a better way “Restoration monitoring of nutrients, biomass, morphology (sedimentation) and hydrology” and “Management of nutrients and biomass” It is extremely important to continue to apply the participatory approach in order to support the sense of ownership of the ideas

18. Bulgaria Wetlands Restoration and Pollution Reduction Project Project progress / Sep-2006: Lessons learnt Consensus building among stakeholders required more time than originally anticipated Participatory approach – a main tool for successful project implementation In order to speed up the designing process it was most appropriate to contract the design to local company - the detailed design was prepared by the British consultants following British standards which differ from the Bulgarian The design approval procedure exceeded time limits set with the Project Implementation Plan

19. Bulgaria Wetlands Restoration and Pollution Reduction Project Project progress / Sep-2006: Lessons learnt The design approval procedure exceeded time limits set with the Project Implementation Plan There is need for further promotion of the detailed wetlands restoration design in both sites To consider land use and land ownership issues in project areas Wetland restoration needs National legislation support

20. Bulgaria Wetlands Restoration and Pollution Reduction Project Project progress / Sep-2006: Lessons learnt ALL three functions 1)Biodiversity protection, 2) Flood protection, 3) Nutrient retention can only be partly restored Any restoration variant is an innovation of wetland use, and is beyond imagination (experience, trust) for both local and national stakeholders and responsible authorities This pilot project will result in practical experience over the years (e.g. of nutrient uptake and ecosystem response)

21. Bulgaria Wetlands Restoration and Pollution Reduction Project More about the Project: www.worldbank.bg/wetlands www.kalimok.orgwww.kalimok.org; www.persina.org www.persina.org www.kalimok.orgwww.persina.org