Europe’s last old-growth forests fall victim to clear-cutting
Many of the European Union’s last old-growth beach forests that survived until now, are growing in Romania. But week after week thousands of these trees are being cut down, both legally and illegally, and exported or sold to large timber companies. At this moment, the Romanian environmental NGO Agent Green reports deforestations in the Ţarcu Mountains.
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Frogs instead of tinned food
In the European Stork Village Malpartida de Caceres in Spain, the white stork breeding season has begun. Last year, for the first time, as many storks bred there as in 2009. This success is thanks to the wetland created by the local municipality supported by EuroNatur to improve conditions for nesting and feeding for the storks.
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The hunt is on for nature's bounty
Do you enjoy nature photography? Why not take part in the 'Treasures of Nature in Europe' photography competition and send us your best photographs of Europe's wildlife, plants or landscapes by March 31!
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Logging ban in Albania
Last Thursday the Parliament of Albania by a large majority passed a nationwide moratorium on logging. Over the next ten years, no log shall leave Albania. Forest exploitation is restricted to local users’ associations, whereas private companies now have a bad hand: They are strictly barred from any logging. Offenders may face up to ten years in prison.
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Migratory birds not welcome in Montenegro
To mark World Wetlands Day on 2 February, the EuroNatur nature foundation is highlighting the threatened destruction of resting and overwintering grounds along Montenegro’s Adriatic coast that are vital to the survival of migrating birds.
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Albania: Massive Violations of Hunting Ban
In spite of a nationwide ban on hunting in Albania, wildlife is being killed in huge numbers. In the past two months alone, Albanian nature conservation NGOs documented more than 1500 cases of illegal hunting.
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New hope for Balkan Rivers
The World Bank withdrew its funding for one of the two big hydropower projects inside Mavrovo National Park in Macedonia. This is another stage win for the protection of Balkan rivers from the destruction by the hydro lobby.
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Offspring of rare Balkan Lynx proven in Albania
Scientists managed to prove successful reproduction of the Balkan Lynx in Albania, and thus a second population of this subspecies of Eurasian Lynx. Last week a young lynx was found dead in the Munella Mountains. There is no doubt that the animal was born in this region.
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Old-growth forest of the Carpathian Mountains in Romania saved from clear-cutting
Contrasting reports of excessive nature exploitation in Romania, there are good news just before Christmas: In the south-west of the country a pristine forest the size of 1,000 football fields has been saved for the next ten years.
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New Bankwatch study: European “green energy” funding for hydropower threatens pristine Balkan rivers
A wave of hydropower development fuelled by European public funding and EU companies is endangering pristine river environments in the Balkans, finds a new study by CEE Bankwatch Network.
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