IPA project

The Hungary-Serbia Cross-border Cooperation Programme is realized between 2007 and 2013. The long term overall goal is to promote a sustainable and secure environment through enabling cooperation between indigenous communities on both sides of the border. The cooperation ranges from common nurture of the cultural and natural heritage, strengthening business, education and research collaborations and increasing employment rates. The eligible areas in Hungary are Bács-Kiskun and Csongrád Counties while in Serbia it is the whole area of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina (North Bacska, West Bacska, North Banat, South Bacska, Central Banat, South Banat and Srem).

The state agencies responsible for preserving the natural heritage in the Hungarian side of the border are the Kiskunság National Park and the Körös-Maros National Park Directorates. There is 1 National Park, 4 regional nature parks, 4 nature parks, 11 special nature reserves, 10 nature reserves, 2 natural monuments, and 4 landscape protection areas in Vojvodina constituting a total of 5.5% protected land within the region. According to the National Environmental Agency of Serbia, „there is still room for improvement even in the legal background of nature conservation management,”

Within the scope of the IPA programme, MME/BirdLife Hungary, as the lead beneficiary, initiated the project „CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT AND ANIMAL HEALTH MONITORING OF NATURA 2000 BIRD SPECIES” in partnership with the Kiskunság National Park Directorate, Körös-Maros National Park Directorate and the Bird Study and Protection Society of Vojvodina (DZPPV/BSPSV). The program’s duration is 15 months starting from 2010.07.01, and has a total budget of nearly 250 thousand Euros. The budget is contributed by the IPA programme (EU) and the Hungarian national budget.

Long-term general goal of the project is to ensure favourable conservation status of habitats that are important for the target species. In Hungary, the aims also address to promote the proper functioning of the Natura 2000 network, while in Serbia the preparation of the designation of these areas is targeted. A further major objective is to create and maintain a standardized and integrated population monitoring scheme for the target species in the southern areas of the unique Pannon Biogeographical Region. Direct conservation measures for the Red-footed Falcon and the Roller, two enigmatic Natura 2000 birds will also be implemented alongside the monitoring efforts.