LENA - Local Economy and Nature Conservation in the Danube Region

LENAs main objective is to strengthen joint and integrated approaches and policies for the conservation and sustainable use of protected areas, in particular Natura 2000 sites, along the Danube and its tributaries, while creating new income opportunities in the nature-based economic sector and upscaling impacts across the region. The following project specific objectives will support the achievement of the project main objective:
1) Foster knowledge generation and empowerment through pilot actions;
2) develop tools for sustainable resource use in protected areas and;
3) improve framework conditions for sustainable use of protected areas.
This will contribute to conserving, protecting and developing natural heritage in the region by a) gaining the buy-in of local stakeholders to nature conservation, b) empowering local entrepreneurs to profit from natural heritage sites in a way that protects natural resources, c) creating shared know-how about effective sustainable use approaches for protected areas, and d) shaping policies for a better enabling framework for sustainable use of protected areas.
To address the identified needs and challenges and contribute to EUSDR and Europe-wide policies implementation, LENA works with 13 partners from 7 Danube countries (BG, DE, HU, HR, RO, RS and SI) and 11 protected areas (encompassing more than 15 Natura 2000 sites), embedded in rural communities with a population close to half a million people. The partners’ expertise in innovative approaches for nature-friendly economic development will be transnationally tested and transferred, resulting in 24 learning interactions, 5 pilot actions, development of 4 tools and 1 strategic document. These tangible outputs will ensure long-lasting conditions for improved sustainable livelihoods in protected areas and will lead to strengthened cohesion in the Danube region. LENA’s ASPs such as DANUBEPARKS or the Centre for Regional Studies enable expanding and upscaling of results.Intensity of cooperation of key actors in the programme area in order to strengthen sustainable use of natural and cultural heritage and resources (survey based composite indicator)The project will result in strengthened stakeholder cooperation in the field of integrated protected area management and natural resource use along the Danube and its main tributaries Tisza and Sava, on promotion of nature-based entrepreneurship and sustainable use of natural and cultural heritage. More specifically, 13 local and regional authorities, NGOs, public and private development agencies and protected area management bodies, as well as local rural communities in 11 protected areas in 7 countries will have 24 learning interactions through pilot actions, tools and strategies development. These tangible outputs, integrating best practices from concrete pilot testing into wider guidelines and the policy framework, ensure a greater durability of undertaken activities, subsisting well beyond the project timespan. LENA project outputs will enable long-lasting conditions for improved sustainable livelihoods in protected areas, granting a better integrated management of EU Natura 2000 sites along the Danube. The inclusion of different levels, stakeholders and pilots contributes to a greater transferability of the project outputs to other Danube countries. The involvement of ASPs such as DANUBEPARKS or the Centre for Regional Studies enables a wider regional and stakeholder-wise dissemination of the outputs.