PETITION: Support the survival of the Little Tern

[Guest guest]

Euronatur

The Little Tern is a beautiful and dainty waterbird. Its few remaining brreding places in Europe are under threat.

Support the survival of the Little Tern on the DravaSign the Open Letter to the Croatian Minister for Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management, Mr Petar Čobanković and the Hungarian Minister of Environment and Water, Mr Miklos Persanyi.Urge them to stop further sediment extraction and river channelling and to protect the European outstanding Drava and Mura Rivers!

 

http://www.sterna-albifrons.net/petition/

Stop further destruction of the Drava and Mura!

to:

Mr Petar Cobankovic

Minister for

Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management

Croatia

Mr Miklos Persanyi

Minister for

Environment and Water

Hungary

Stop further destruction of the Drava and Mura!

I wish to express my deep concern over the ongoing destruction of one of Europe 's most beautiful river ecosystems in the Croatian-Hungarian border area.

Not only the new dredging plan - public call in "Jutarnji list" from 17 March 2005 for extraction of about 2.000.000 m³ of sediments -, once implemented, has disastrous affects for the unique Drava River . Day by day, gravel and sand extraction and river canalization works by Croatian and Hungarian Water Management Authorities along the Drava as well as Mura river are leading to extensive environmental devastations.

These impacts threaten the rivers endangered habitats and species qualifying for protection under national and EU environmental legislation. They highly affect important ecological areas in Croatia and Hungary , e.g. Kopacki Rit Nature Park and the Danube-Drava National Park, as well the last colonies of the most endangered bird species on the Drava , the Little Tern.

Furthermore, sediment extraction is leading to increased deepening of the natural river bed and decreasing of adjacent groundwater tables. Low groundwater tables are causing environmental and economic damage on drinking water, forests and agriculture in the Drava and Mura region.

The works are carried out without respecting Croatia 's and Hungary 's environmental laws, regulations and international obligations. It is in strong conflict with EU legislation: the Habitats and Birds Directive, the Water Framework Directive and the Environmental Impact Assessment Directive.

Transgressing the national and EU standards sets a bad example on a joint ecological management of the Croatian-Hungarian Drava and Mura rivers and has catastrophic ecological consequences for one of Europe 's Lifelines.

Therefore, I ask you to do your utmost to stop the old fashioned environmental destructive sediment extraction and river canalization works along the Drava and Mura forever and help to protect and manage both rivers as a transboundary UNESCO Biosphere Reserve for future generations.

Yours Sincerely, [your name]

SIGN THE PETITION HERE:

http://www.sterna-albifrons.net/petition/

 

http://www.euronatur.org/Drava_River.365.0.html