One major focus during the first project was on forests: A large part of floodplain areas is covered by forests, which are different from other forests in the way they react to and depend on the varying levels of water that rise and fall throughout the year. In response to this, the DANUBEPARKS Network developed Perspectives for Danube Floodplain Forests which provide general guidance on managing floodplain forests in protected areas and help to establish common standards along the entire Danube River. It also includes suggestions for how to further protect the forests along the Danube and help re-naturalise forest stands.
Additionally, the project focused on establishing closer networks and coherent management in border zones. Examples of activities include the cross-border conservation concepts in the Austrian-Slovakian, Hungarian-Croatian and Hungarian-Serbian border zones. Additional unilateral management plans were created for the Duna-Ipoly National Park and the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve.
