Project Aquaviva
Project LIFE+ AQUAVIVA is co-financed by European Commission (EC) in the framework of LIFE programme. LIFE is the EU's financial instrument supporting environmental and nature conservation projects.
Project title: LIVE WATER - FROM BIODIVERSITY TO THE TAP
ŽIVA VODA - OD BIODIVERZITETE DO PIPE
Project acronym: AQUAVIVA
Project policy area: National or transnational communication actions/awareness raising campaigns related to nature protection or biodiversity matters
Project budget:
- Total project budget: 548.141 €
- Total eligible project budget: 547.241 €
- EC financial contribution requested: 235.314 € ( = 43 % of total eligible budget)
Duration: from 1/9/2011 until 31/8/2014
Applicant:
LUTRA, Institute for Conservation of Natural Heritage (private non-profit institute)
Partners:
Sofinancerja:
SUMMARY
With effective campaign and innovative approach, the project aims to attract public attention to biodiversity loss of freshwater ecosystems. We will affect public attitude using flagship species - the otter (Lutra lutra) as a representative of aquatic life and relate water biodiversity with human treatment of water environment. The necessity of preserving freshwater ecosystems as the living environment of different species as well as for everyday ecosystems services available to humanity will be promoted. The project will support implementation of European environmental policy and nature conservation legislation and, furthermore, expose their mutual positive impacts. The principles of integrated water resources management and its meaning for conservation of biodiversity will be presented to target audience.
Project objectives:
1. Rising public awareness on the importance of biodiversity for our existence, emphasizing its intrinsic value, with special focus on freshwater biodiversity.
2. Through information, communication and education at all levels rising attitude towards water environment and improving everyday praxis.
3. Improving knowledge and public acceptance for the implementation of EU Habitats, Bird and Water Framework Directives in praxis and illustrating their mutual protecting activity.
4. Explaining and supporting the instrument of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) by assistance of the otter (Lutra lutra) as a top predator and an ambassador of freshwater habitats and biodiversity thus providing enough information for responsible public participation.
5. Through communication activities and advertising campaign supporting the goals of Countdown 2010 and beyond (to stop biodiversity loss till 2020), following the goal of International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR): improved water quality in Danube River and its tributaries till the year 2015.
Key information / messages to be passed to target audience:
In the project communication activities we are using the advantage of flagship species, the otter - an ambassador of freshwater ecosystems and biodiversity - to pass to target audience several important messages in form of slogans:
- Water is the most precious natural resource in the planet; it is important not only for humankind but also for other living organisms, especially those living in water habitats. Think of that when opening a tap.
- Rich biodiversity means life quality. Rich biodiversity of water habitats means water quality.
- Integrated Water Resources Management means life for aquatic organisms, represented by Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra). It is only the "tip of the iceberg" of water biodiversity, sometimes hidden under the mysterious figure of "water sprite".
- What we are doing by the source of the river, is reflecting in its mouth. Seven stones are not sufficient to clean the waste water of modern human and stop freshwater biodiversity loss.
Actions:
A1 - Project management
A2 - Monitoring of the project progress
A3 - After-LIFE Communication plan - The model of communication project will be applicable to the whole Danube River Basin and beyond, with adaptations will be useful in any other river basins where integrated water management system will be applied.
A4 - Otter and water networking - An European network of otter- and water centres will be established to share and exchange promotional and educational materials in fields of nature conservation and protection of water.
C1 - Junk exhibitions - The project team will join spring water cleaning actions organized by local communities, environmental NGOs and volunteers; from waste material collected we will prepare a "warning exhibition" to rise public awareness and show the threats to aquatic biodiversity.
C2 - Advertising campaign for conservation of freshwater ecosystems and stop the biodiversity loss - Different innovative and modern approaches will be used to target the widest public with key messages for conservation of freshwater biodiversity and preservation of water resources; the otter as a flagship species will be used as an ambassador of freshwater biodiversity. Art competition will engage schoolchildren, buses will be covered with "water biodiversity" design, riverbanks in the cities will be enriched by exhibitions and other promotional activities, pottery badges will be made etc..
C3 - Communication Workshops - Workshops joint to different traditional events (exhibitions, fairs, river celebrations etc.) will be organized for biodiversity and water protections topics coming to public, to discuss with people and to gather and change their attitude toward related topics. Notabilities from public life will be invited to spread the conservation ideas.
C4 - Nature education days - Vidrarije (Otter Stuff) - Events to bring learning about nature conservation out of classroom and to the nature will be organized, where pupils can communicate with experts of nature science and nature interpretation. Nature education days will be held in countryside, in local environment on chosen river, lake or stream.
C5 - On-line communication activities on project web site and social networks (facebook, twitter etc.) will provoke people to share their opinion about related nature conservation topics represented by facts.
C6 - Infopoints in Technical Museum of Slovenia (Ljubljansko barje) and in Aqualutra Centre (Goričko) with outdoor demonstration models to show water flow and retention of water in the landscape under different circumstances - natural and degraded. Together with traditional techniques of water use it will be presented also in the leaflet and on the information board.
F1 - Project website - A website devoted to the project AQUAVIVA will be designed". All project activities will be uploaded shortly after their accomplishment.
F2 - LIFE+ information boards - Different types of information boards with relevant project information will be created depending on their application, altogether 6.
F3 - Layman's report - A report containing short text in popular style about project activities and results will be prepared, designed and printed in two languages. A selection of best graphic products originating out of project will be added for documentation of results. To make best products of the campaign available to other users (also international) a DVD with open data will be available
F4 - Final event with press-conference and Slovenian first LIFE project meeting will be organized at the conclusion of the project. All Slovenian LIFE projects conducted so far and additional LIFE projects related to waters, freshwater ecosystems and biodiversity from neighbouring countries will be invited to meet and exchange their opinion and experiences and to present their results.
E1 - Project impact monitoring - Public awareness on freshwater biodiversity and its conservation as well as of public attitude towards environmental and nature conservation problems will be tested in the beginning and at the conclusion of the project. The difference in results will show the project success.
