Analysing impact of drivers and pressures on the conservation goals of protected areas along a large navigable river, the Danube River
Andrea Funk, BOKU - University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (AT)
Along the navigable stretch of the River Danube approx. 70% of river-floodplain length protected by Bird and Habitats directive is assigned as heavily modified (HMWB) under WFD, since respective hydro-morphological measures to reach good ecological status would significantly affect water uses such as navigation, flood protection or hydropower generation. Environmental objectives are thus lowered to good ecological potential which corresponds to the state that results from applying measures that do not significantly affect these water uses. Therefore, it is especially challenging to achieve conservation goals for those protected areas and analysing the importance of the main water related drivers and pressures on these goals is the basis for management and restoration.