Peter Lengyel and Green Valley Assotiation invite you to Danube River Basin International Youth Research Camp 2010!

The Youth Research Camp will take place in ROMANIA, Sighetu Marmatiei, Maramures between 14-21 July 2010 in co-operation with Green Valley Association (GVA).

Young people from EU countries of the Danube River Basin can participate in this; at least 15 but no more than 20 participants. The age of participants must be between 18 and 30 years. The camp will be free - the participants only have to pay their own travel expenses. Lodgings in tents.

The target of the camp is research of wetland related biodiversity in Maramures area. The proposed programme is including biological sample collection by boat trip on wild rivers of Iza and Viseu, researching flora and fauna of peatland lakes in Carpathians (Taul Morarenilor, Taul lui Dumitru, Tau de la Hoteni – this places are in remote areas, difficultly accesible by offroad vehicles to awalking distance), and biodiversity survey of Teplita lake in the floodplain of the Tisa river. The foscus will be on macroinvertebrates of the wetlands, mostly dragonflies, but also fish, algal biodiversity etc. Participants will work in groups. Each group will have an experienced leader; an expert who will work together with the participants. Our goals are to improve participants’ field work skills, promote the importance of field work and to improve the nature site.

If you want to participate please write to: lengyelpeter@yahoo.com, ardelean_alina2005@yahoo.com  and idmconsultingsm@yahoo.com. Please inform us: arrival and departure time, are you vegetarian, your telephone and e-mail address. This information should be submitted asap but not later then 27 June 2010.

This two day conference represents a key milestone in the path towards a new Financing Natura 2000 Communication, which is foreseen for the first half of 2011. It will provide an update on the estimated costs and benefits associated with Natura 2000, and evaluate the effectiveness of the current 'integration approach' on funding the network, set out in the earlier 2004 Communication on this subject.

The conference will present the outcomes of the recent Natura 2000 cost and benefits exercise (the EC’s cost questionnaire to Member States and study Economic and Social Benefits associated with the Natura 2000 network).  It will offer the opportunity to assess the current approach of financing Natura 2000, in particular the use of different European funding instruments. It will contribute to critical thinking on future financing options for Natura 2000.

The conference will offer a stimulating mix of pleanry and working sessions with many opportunities for gathering insights and exchanging experiences on the following key issues and questions:

The costs and benefits arising from Natura 2000

• Why is it important to invest in Natura 2000?
• What are the costs associated with protected areas?
• How does this investment provide paybacks

Financing Natura 2000

• Does the current financing system work?
• What innovating financing systems exist?
• What are the options for the future?

More information is available from Stefanie Wurm of the Ecologic Institute, the conference organisers, or from http://www.ecologic-events.eu/natura2000/programme.htm.