UNESCO designated Mura-Drava-Danube (MDD) as the world’s first ‘five-country biosphere reserve.
Context
UNESCO designated Mura-Drava-Danube (MDD) as the world’s first ‘five-country biosphere reserve.
About the reserve
- The biosphere reserve covers 700 kilometres of the Mura, Drava and Danube rivers and stretches across
- Austria
- Slovenia
- Croatia
- Hungary
- Serbia
- The total area of the reserve — a million hectares — in the so-called ‘Amazon of Europe’, makes it the largest riverine protected area on the continent.
- The reserve is home to floodplain forests, gravel and sand banks, river islands, oxbows and meadows.
- It is home to continental Europe’s highest density of breeding white-tailed eagle (more than 150 pairs), as well as endangered species such as the little tern, black stork, otters, beavers and sturgeons.
- It is also an important annual resting and feeding place for more than 250,000 migratory birds.
- Almost 900,000 people live in the biosphere reserve.
Biosphere Reserves
- Biosphere reserves are areas of terrestrial and coastal ecosystems promoting solutions to reconcile the conservation of biodiversity with its sustainable use.
- They are internationally recognized, nominated by national governments and remain under sovereign jurisdiction of the states where they are located.
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