The German partners went to the Danube Delta in Rumania. They visited the Skua Hides and learned that this good practice can be an example and inspiration for other areas. There are around 30 hides, used mainly by photographers and visitors are limited per week. There exists a keen management system, which is based on the expertise and constant monitoring by biologists and ornithologists. Nature improved and the economy in the region bloomed because of the well balanced nature-tourism situation!
Wrap-Up Study Visit Danube Delta Romania Oct 18 – 22
Ultima Frontera, Oct 21
SKUA, Managing Director Max (Massimiliano) Biasioli [email protected] and [email protected] together with Francesco Rovedo, Ultima Frontera Coordinator
• Enterprise started 2010 with first hides already before in ITA
• 200.000 € investment
• Return 1st year 6.000 €
• Return 2nd year 85.000 €
• Return 3rd year > 150.000 €
• Return last year 300.000 € last year
• Booked out one year in advance
• 1000 ha area 85 km from Tulcea
• Closed from Nov to March (Oct and Nov fishermen season)
• Staff 40 at all (7 in headquarters)
• Capacity now: 2 groups of 7 people
• 2.000 € / per week
• Main promotion via Famtours tour operators
• Complex booking system for the 32 hides
• Photographers as the primary target group
• Average male > 50 years
• Focus White-tailed eagles and Golden jackals
• Strategy: see attractive big animals already the first day
• then other spectaculars like bee-eaters and rollers
• Hides from 1 to 6 persons
• very detailed concept (according to Mate Bence)
• Strong codex of rules (urgently recommended)
• Semi-transparent Reflection glass (only 15 % loss in comparison without glass); crucial is its quality
• Partly with heating system (ventilation)
• Dark walls inside
• Canadian fences against the intruding of cattle and horses
• Used socks to bring human smell
• Half-height to enable photos on the ground level
• Sanatory facilities partly within
• Other areas in ITA, ESP (3 estates, i.e. in Monfrague Natl. Park), LAT, NOR (Varanger with whale watching), IND, GUA
• Crucial is not building the hides, but the development of the management concept
• If not SKUA´s territory, they get 20 (to 30 %), and the owner receives (70 to) 80 %
• There is no minimum size for an engagement of SKUA in a territory, but there should be space for at least 6 – 7 hides to make it attractive for photographers
• Different types of SKUA´s engagement:
o only Consultancy
o Consultancy and Management
o Consultancy and Management and Construction
o Check of the hides` working half-yearly
• Candy system
• A first survey where animals range
• Identify the patterns of the animal behaviour management concepts
• Feeding birds to fulfil Natura 2000 obligations (good conservation status)
PS: “Conservation without money it’s just conversation!” (by Max)
