The Regional Environmental Centre Centrul Regional de Mediu Save Our Streams in MOLDOVA Victor...

The Regional Environmental CentreCentrul Regional de Mediu

Save Our StreamsSave Our Streamsin MOLDOVAin MOLDOVA

Victor CotrutaVictor Cotruta

REC MoldovaREC Moldova


Start date:Start date: 2004 2004

Initiated by:Initiated by: Izaak Walton League Izaak Walton League

of Americaof America REC Moldova REC Moldova

Financed by:Financed by: Little River Foundation (USA)Little River Foundation (USA) Ohrstrom Foundation (USA) Ohrstrom Foundation (USA)


The goal of the project : The goal of the project : streams protection and streams protection and restorationrestoration

The objectives of the project are the following:The objectives of the project are the following:

• Raise environmental education of the large public Raise environmental education of the large public through an access to information about the through an access to information about the environmental state of the streamsenvironmental state of the streams

• Identify acute pollution casesIdentify acute pollution cases• Streams restoration through different practical activitiesStreams restoration through different practical activities• Create partnerships and river basin committees at the Create partnerships and river basin committees at the

local level for a better protection of the streamslocal level for a better protection of the streams

“SAVE OUR STREAMS” PROJECT


Method used: Method used:

biological monitoringbiological monitoring

Method is based on the Method is based on the identification of identification of benthic macro benthic macro invertebrates who invertebrates who serve as indicators of serve as indicators of water pollution as water pollution as those require specific those require specific conditions for life.conditions for life.


Advantages of the biological monitoring:Advantages of the biological monitoring:• Contributes to the environmental education and involves all Contributes to the environmental education and involves all

the ages into the process the ages into the process • Identification of the acute pollution cases Identification of the acute pollution cases • Assessment of the level of impairment Assessment of the level of impairment • Simplified approach useful for volunteers and students Simplified approach useful for volunteers and students • Limited field time to carry out biological monitoring Limited field time to carry out biological monitoring • No indoor lab work is needed No indoor lab work is needed • Unnecessary to preserve or kill collected animals Unnecessary to preserve or kill collected animals • Based on diversity, not the number of individual organisms Based on diversity, not the number of individual organisms

found found • Inexpensive and fun and easy to carry out Inexpensive and fun and easy to carry out


Capacity Building componentCapacity Building component

Seven train-the trainers courses wereSeven train-the trainers courses were

organised on the “Appreciation of theorganised on the “Appreciation of the

water quality through biologicalwater quality through biological

monitoring”.monitoring”.

As a result, more than 150 people wereAs a result, more than 150 people were

trained in this field, representing:trained in this field, representing:Teachers of the secondary schoolsTeachers of the secondary schoolsLocal Public Administration’sLocal Public Administration’sNGOsNGOsStudentsStudents


Information ComponentInformation Component

SOS Supplement to the REC Moldova quarterly SOS Supplement to the REC Moldova quarterly Information Bulletin Information Bulletin

Web site of the project with the Web site of the project with the data base (under development)data base (under development)

Participation of the project Participation of the project experts in TV and radio programmesexperts in TV and radio programmes

Publication of different informative Publication of different informative materialsmaterials


Organisation of Biological MonitoringOrganisation of Biological Monitoring

More than 400 biological More than 400 biological monitoring were organisedmonitoring were organised by over 90 monitoringby over 90 monitoring groups established within groups established within the projectthe project

More than 50 streams More than 50 streams monitored monitored

More than 5000 people More than 5000 people participated in the project participated in the project


On-going activities On-going activities

• The SOS supplement of the REC Moldova The SOS supplement of the REC Moldova Information Bulletin is issued on a quarterly basisInformation Bulletin is issued on a quarterly basis

• Several streams restoration actions are Several streams restoration actions are financed from the project financed from the project

• Promotion of the creation of the river basin Promotion of the creation of the river basin committees committees

• An optional course on water resources protection An optional course on water resources protection is tested in one of the districts of Moldova is tested in one of the districts of Moldova

• Monitoring activities in Moldova and RomaniaMonitoring activities in Moldova and Romania


Planned activitiesPlanned activities

Extension to Ukraine – Chernovtsi regionExtension to Ukraine – Chernovtsi region

Restoration activities on a pilot Restoration activities on a pilot

stream in Moldovastream in Moldova

Lobby for introduction of the course on Lobby for introduction of the course on

environmental protection in school environmental protection in school

programmeprogramme

Web site (Web site (www.sosmoldova.md) ) with the database containing the with the database containing the collected data is under developmentcollected data is under development

Grants Programme Grants Programme


Lessons learnedLessons learned Biological monitoring is a simple and inexpensive methodology, proper even for Biological monitoring is a simple and inexpensive methodology, proper even for

volunteers and schoolchildrenvolunteers and schoolchildren

At the beginning of the project implementation, it is very important to co-operate At the beginning of the project implementation, it is very important to co-operate with scientific institutions in order to assure the sustainability of the projectwith scientific institutions in order to assure the sustainability of the project

It is important to support the monitoring groups with the necessary equipment and It is important to support the monitoring groups with the necessary equipment and information materials (guide on water quality assessment)information materials (guide on water quality assessment)

Environmental state institutions usually don’t take seriously the results of Environmental state institutions usually don’t take seriously the results of biological monitoring; in order to avoid this situation, the US EPA, for example, biological monitoring; in order to avoid this situation, the US EPA, for example, developed Requirements for Quality Assurance of collected datadeveloped Requirements for Quality Assurance of collected data

It is very important to co-operate with the LPA within this projectIt is very important to co-operate with the LPA within this project


Thank you for your attention!Thank you for your attention!

Contact details:Contact details:

REC Moldova,REC Moldova,

Chisinau, MoldovaChisinau, Moldovawww.rec.md

E-mail: E-mail: [email protected]

Tel. +373-22-238685Tel. +373-22-238685

The Regional Environmental Centre Centrul Regional de Mediu Save Our Streams in MOLDOVA Victor...

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