Duration: 01 January 2024 – 30 June 2026

Lead Partner: WWF-Bulgaria 

Funding: The Interreg Danube Region Programme (DRP) – 80% 

Donor Project webpage: ForestConnect

Project description:  

ForestConnect is addressing common challenges and needs on protecting and preserving ecological corridors of large carnivores (LC) in the target area of the project – the Carpathians, Balkans and Dinarides. The project involves 9 pilot territories (Zapadna stara planina Natura 2000 (Bulgaria), Biogradska gora NP (Montenegro), Durmitor NP (Montenegro), Prokletije NP (Montenegro), Apuseni Nature Park (Romania), Strambu Baiut Natura 2000 (Romania), Slovenski Raj NP (Slovakia), Stara planina NP (Serbia), Carpathian Biosphere Reserve (Ukraine)) and 23 intervention sites.

Specifically, ForestConnect focuses on:

• the Western Balkan mountain on the territory of the Bulgarian North-Western State Forestry Enterprise and the Serbian nature park Stara planina (BG-RS border);
• the Romanian larger Apuseni-Maramures Carpathian region and the Ukrainian Carpathian Biosphere Reserve (RO-UA border);
• the Slovak Paradise National Park in SK as part of the Western Carpathians;
• the National parks Durmitor, Biogradska gora, and Prokletije in MN.

The functionality of the ecological corridors of LCs in the target area is endangered by unsustainable management practices and infrastructure developments in forest habitats and their surroundings, which harms their structure. Climate change (CC) poses additional pressure on the ecosystems. Climate-induced habitat fragmentation can impede LCs range shifts and displace individuals from mountainous areas towards more populated settlements with a risk to increase human-wildlife conflict(HWC) and reduce the non-timber forest products may affect the diet to a more carnivorous one, additionally increasing the conflicts with cattle farmers. Although climate change effects are recognised by management authorities, this is not translated into resilience-enhancing forest management practices and clear guidance for managers of the territories.

Due to the prevalence of LCs cross-border distribution and the complex effects of CC, a multinational conservation planning accompanied by a holistic governance framework for biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction is required. ForestConnect aims to secure climate-resilient forest corridors for LCs to move across borders in the Balkan-Carpathian-Dinaric region.

The project involves 15 Project Partners (PPs) and 8 Assosiated Strategic Partners (ASP) from 7 countries – Austria, Bulgaria, Montenegro, Romania, Slovakia, Serbia, Ukraine.  Full list of partners is available on the project website.

Specific objectives of the project:

1.New tools and technologies integrated in transnational monitoring of large carnivores’ forests

• • Joint and harmonised development of transnational tools and technologies for monitoring of key large carnivore forest habitats and identification of species movement patterns in response to climate change

2.Heterogeneity, connectivity and climate resilience of large carnivores’ forests is improved

• Common solutions in line with the EU 2030 Biodiversity Strategy and based on joint pilot actions to improve heterogeneity, increase resilience and connectivity of forest habitats in the transboundary ecological regions used by large carnivores

3.Transnational network of nature management professionals uptake and disseminate solutions.

Additional background documents and information:

• • Webpage ForestConnect
  • Results of the ForestConnect
  • Carpathian Countries Integrated Biodiversity Information System
    (CCIBIS)
  • ForestConnect newsletter  
  • ForestConnect events