Vienna (The Hawk): A side-event on ‘Achieving functional biodiversity in the Danube-Carpathian Region by mainstreaming ecological connectivity – how to make it happen’ will be held on 18 October from 10:00-11:00 (CET) within the framework of the 11th EUSDR Annual Forum. The event will highlight the importance of ecological connectivity and that safeguarding it requires the cooperation of many sectors such as nature conservation, water management, transport and energy. We will hear the perspective of policy makers on how to rise to this exceptional challenge. The event will be held online and registration is open to all interested participants.
Over the past decades, economic development in the Danube Carpathian region has taken a heavy toll on nature. Construction of transport infrastructure, settlements and industrial sites, and intensive agricultural, forestry and water management practices have fragmented the landscape and natural habitats, curtailing the ability of wildlife to move, feed, seek shelter and reproduce on land and in water. Yet this trajectory is not set in stone: with a more integrated way of planning and the political will, people and nature can thrive side-by-side.