The DANUBEPARKS Association has been honoured with the Excellence Award 2026 by Stiftung Naturerbe Donau in recognition of the Danube WILDisland Ramsar Regional Initiative and its contribution to international cooperation for wetland conservation along the Danube.
The award was presented on 27 June 2026 at Schloss Grünau in Neuburg an der Donau, Germany, during the Living Danube Award ceremony, which is organised every two years around International Danube Day. The Living Danube Awards recognise individuals and initiatives that make an outstanding contribution to the protection and preservation of the Danube’s natural heritage.
The event brought together representatives of conservation organisations, public institutions and protected areas from across the Danube region. Participants were welcomed by Johann Habermeyer, Deputy District Administrator of Neuburg-Schrobenhausen, while the awards were presented by Dieter von Brühl, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Stiftung Naturerbe Donau. The laudatory speeches were delivered by Ulrike Strohmeier from the Bavarian Ministry of the Environment.
This distinction represents an important milestone for the Danube WILDisland Ramsar Regional Initiative, officially recognised by the Ramsar Convention in 2024. Bringing together all ten Danube countries, the Initiative provides a framework for protecting, restoring and promoting the wise use of wetlands, floodplains and river islands throughout the Danube Basin.
For DANUBEPARKS, the award is particularly meaningful. Since its establishment, the Association has connected protected areas across national borders and strengthened cooperation along the river. The Danube WILDisland Ramsar Regional Initiative builds on this long-standing commitment by creating a platform where countries, institutions, experts and local stakeholders can work towards shared conservation goals. In this sense, the Excellence Award recognises not only the Initiative’s achievements, but also the value of cooperation as a tool for conservation.
DANUBEPARKS expresses its sincere gratitude to Stiftung Naturerbe Donau for this recognition. We also thank all members of the Initiative, national focal points, partner organisations, supporters, and friends for your dedication, expertise, and commitment to this achievement.
We would like to warmly congratulate the other award recipients for their outstanding conservation achievements. The Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds (BSPB) received the Excellence Award 2026 for its dedicated work to conserve the Dalmatian Pelican in Bulgaria. WWF Bulgaria was honoured with the prestigious Living Danube Award for its long-standing efforts to protect sturgeons in the Danube River.
DANUBEPARKS remains committed to coordinating and further advancing the Danube WILDisland Ramsar Regional Initiative, strengthening cooperation across the region and contributing to the long-term protection of the Danube’s unique wetlands, islands and floodplains.
Photo: Diana Strassburg