| The Interdrava Foundation The Interdrava Foundation was established in 1998 in the Hungarian county of Somogy with the support of the German environmental NGO, Euronatur and the co-operation of local authorities whose territories flank the Dráva river. The Danube-Drava National Park was opened in 1996 and the similar nature-conservation initiatives have been launched along the corridor of the Dráva and Mura rivers in Croatia, Slovenia and Austria. The region is endowed with rich natural, cultural and scientific heritage. There is a high level of biodiversity and flora and fauna of the Dráva-Mura corridor include many rare and endangered species. This is one of the most valuable natural areas in Central Europe thus many biological, ecological and other scientific studies are carried out here. Cultural diversity is also high, befitting and old border region of Middle Europe with a complex tapestry of history. A mosaic of cultural traditions has imprinted itself on the landscapes, architecture, handicrafts and music of the region and still can be discerned today. The preservation and sustainable development of the landscapes and their traditional values is critical for the future quality of life of the local people, irrespective of their nationalities or national boundaries.
Objectives – To provide a platform for cooperation between communities, organisations and businesses along the Drava-Mura rivers, in programmes of sustainable rural development. – To assist in cooperation and communication between local, regional and national organizations not only within Hungary, but also with their counterparts in Croatia, Slovenia and Austria. – To support the efforts of Duna-Drava National Park among the local communities, organizations and companies – To support at local and regional levels those principles of regional development which are based on protection of nature, landscapes and monuments.
Personnel dr. Winkler Ferenc, president Orzsi Zoltán, ethnographer Filotás Zoltán, ecologist Toldi Miklós, enviroment and agricultural engineer
Projects and Programmes Current projects – Regular contact and communication with local authorithies, companies, civil organizations and the Danube-Drava National Park – Transboundary contacts and joint project-proposals with Croatia, Slovenia, Austria – Participation in the Dutch Governments's PIN-MATRA project: preparatory work for the establishment of the Duna-Drava (Transboundary) Biosphere Reserve. – Participation in the Hungarian programme of the International Nature Protection Work Group – Data collection: mapping of the natural, cultural and scientific heritage of the region – Publication of these data and associated information on the Internet
Proposed projects – Gradual upgrading of our website and creation of multilingual pages. – To support small-scale, specialised tourism and 'eco-tourism' in the region. – To support the establishment and operation of civil organizations whose main objectives are landscape protection and community development. To participate in designing and implementing their programmes. |