Sava River basin - Protection of Biodiversity of the Sava River Basin Floodplains

The SAVA RIVER BASIN project aimed to support the elaboration of an IRBM plan for the River Sava and build management capacity for the implementation of the Birds and Habitats Directives in the Sava countries, promoting biodiversity protection and supporting the development of rural tourism. It involved local experts from all four Sava countries to work on biodiversity; land-use; GIS; and awareness raising among all groups of stakeholders. Work included biodiversity field research and data collection on the distribution of selected Natura 2000 species and habitats; identification of the main threats to biodiversity and drafting of restoration plans for 6 sites under particular threat; assessment of existing and traditional land-use practices in the area, involving also local farmers and stakeholders; preparation of a database about biodiversity, existing and potential threats, and recommendations for management measures with public access to some of the GIS information and maps on the Sava DATAportal.