“Common building of the future for the internationally recognised integral zone of the Lower Dniester and upstream” project

On 30 of March an informational tour was organized for tourist operators, representatives of state institutions, NGOs and other stakeholders. The goal of the tour was to establish partnership between tourist organizations and operators from both banks of the Dniester River. For the first time in the region was proposed a complex program that includes elements of commercial, historic, ecological and rural tourism. Tourist operators, representatives of state institutions, NGOs and other stakeholders participated within the tour.

The informational tour was organized in the frame of the project “Common building of the future for the internationally recognised integral zone of the Lower Dniester and upstream”. This activity was organised with the assistance of the “Support to Confidence Building Measures” project financed by European Union and implemented by UNDP.

The first visited place was the Historical Memorial that was built on the territory of abandoned cemetery where more than 500 Russian soldiers and officers were buried. Also some Romanian soldiers and officers were buried here that were here in 1941-1945.
Then participants of informational tour visited the historical complex “Bender fortress” where saw the process of restoration of towers and the territory of the fortress, also they visited the museum where the guests found out many interesting information about Bender fortress.

The participants of the tour visited the place where Dniester is dividing into two branches: Dniester and Turunciuc. On the river bank, Mr. Alexei Andreev, Chair of BIOTICA informed the participants about the importance of this territory for biodiversity conservation at national and European levels. Mr. Igor Rotaru, Eco-Turism Expert, told about tourist potential of Turunciuc island and adjacent territories.      

Then the excursion continued in the Museum of wine of Grigorii Corzun situated in Ternovca village not far from Tiraspol, where participants could see a wide collection of wine from more than 100 countries.

The excursion ended within Bulgarian farmstead, where the guests tasted traditional Bulgarian dishes and got informed about culture and life of Bulgarian living outside their home country.

Project “ Development of the National Ecological Network of Moldova as part of the Pan-European Ecological Network, with emphasis on transboundary cooperation”

BIOTICA ES in cooperation with IUCN Regional Office for Europe started the implementation of “Development of the National Ecological Network of Moldova as part of the Pan-European Ecological Network, with emphasis on transboundary cooperation” project with the financial support of Norway Government.

The long term goal of the Project is biological and landscape diversity conservation in Moldova through creation of the National Ecological Network integrating biological and landscape diversity concerns into the economic sectors and embedding in the framework of Pan-European Ecological Network.

What will be done?

GIS with digital geographical and biological basis will be created and Indicative Map of the National Ecological Network will be developed incorporating:

• data on biodiversity values,
• combined assessment of core areas contribution to support of biodiversity of natural districts and landscapes on the background of distribution of territorial anthropogenic pressures upon environment;
• information for territorial planning aiming at sustainable environment and conservation in local, national and international contexts (existent and absent elements within main biological corridors).

Improvement of data set on biodiversity values in core areas (plants and different animals including species of the National Red List, Bern Convention, EU Habitat Directive, the IUCN World Red List) – studies in nature, new assessments and probable designation of new core areas.

Special case study for the better planning of transboundary segment of Pan-European and national – Moldovan and Ukrainian ecological networks, together with Ukrainian side, along the northern border with Ukraine.

Directory of the National Ecological Network Key Elements (a book with brief structured descriptions).

Guide on Management Plans for Key Elements of the National Ecological Network of Moldova will be prepared and published together with recommendations on improvement of existing bases for implementation of the NEN.

Information Set for Decision-Makers (brief on eco-networks, relevant EU legislation and the pan-European guidelines, user versions of the Indicative Map) should be prepared in order to improve awareness of the key actors and also public.

National and local workshops, and also International Conference on development of the National Ecological Network of Moldova in the PEEN context should increase project influence together with other information and awareness raising activities.

More detailes >>>>

Agri-environment measures for conservation in the wider Europe Project

IUCN Regional Office for Europe in cooperation with BIOTICA Ecological Society and National Ecological Centre of the Ukraine is implementing the project “Agri-environment measures for conservation in the wider Europe” with the generous support of the Norway Government.
The goal of this project is to contribute to a sustainable agriculture in Ukraine and Moldova, for the benefit of rural populations, and for landscape and biological diversity.

The objectives of the project are as follows:

• To inform and transfer knowledge about the methods of diversifying agricultural production and income;
• To inform about innovative agricultural production methods, including Agri-Environmental Programmes and organic farming;
• To transfer experiences from different EU Member States to the representatives of rural communities in selected countries;
• To present production methods for “less favoured areas” and areas with high natural value and develop corresponding training programmes.

Among the results of the project can be noticed:

• Farmers and their families will have improved opportunities for diversification of agricultural production and other sources of income,
• Different stakeholder groups (farmers, advisors, nature protection services and local administration) will have improved cooperation,
• Farming practices which are beneficial in maintaining landscapes and biodiversity can be developed and maintained,
• Abandonment of valuable agricultural and semi-natural habitats can be reduced,
• The broader dissemination of the results through media and stakeholders will inform entire communities,
• Better training materials for farmers as a source of information for future planning will be available to the stakeholder organisations for their further use.

During the implementation of the project the training programme developed with the training materials. The training sessions will be promoted using local media. The groups of trainers will be identified and training sessions in each country will be organised. Also study tours to present best practices in one or two ECCCA countries will be organised. At the end of the project a conference promoting the results of the project will be organised. Recommendations elaborated during the implementation of the project will be submitted to the national Ministries of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Feasibility Study, Environmental and Social Assessment – Moldova Central Irrigation System (CIS)

BIOTICA ES is involved in the implementation of the project Feasibility Study, Environmental and Social Assessment – Moldova Central Irrigation System (CIS), done as subcontractor of MWH Americas, Inc. (MWH) that was contracted by the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) to conduct a Feasibility Study and Environmental and Social Impact Assessment on schemes within the Central Irrigation System in Moldova.

The goal of this assignment is to prepare two environmental and social impact assessments for the CIS project in accordance with applicable Moldovan Laws and MCC Environmental Guidelines and Gender Policy. One EIA will be prepared for the Nistru watershed and one for the Prut watershed.
Among the tasks to be done by BIOTICA ES within this project are:

Task 1.5 – Water Resource and Water Quality
Task 2.1 – Description of the Proposed Activities
Task 2.2 – Description of the Baseline Environment
Task 2.3 – Environment and Resettlement Legislation and other Regulatory Considerations
Task 2.4 – Determination of Potential Impacts
Task 2.5 – Analysis of Alternatives
Task 2.6 – Development of Environmental Management Plans
Task 2.7 – Public Consultation and Disclosure
Task 2.8 – Initial Resettlement Inventory and Resettlement Policy Framework
Task 2.9 – Environmental and Social Clauses for Drawings and Specifications